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LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside

25 March 2013

One could be forgiven for thinking London was a little off colour this month, but despite the snow it continues to prove itself as a radiator of culture and good taste.

LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Subodh Gupta turned up on my radar once again - here he is cooking the most delicious meal I ever had in London for the Showroom.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Then it was the Contemporary Art Society bash. Incredible fun in the soon-to-not-to-be-any-more Old Vic Tunnels. The guests were dressed in a spectacular fashion. Roger Tatley posing with me and my Super Hero hat.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Roger Tatley posing again, this time with Sarah Weir. Not sure which super hero he’s meant to be.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Laura Buckley - staring blindly into her beautiful floating sculpture.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Annie Attridge also mesmerized by her shiny glaze.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
The two Gallerists: Anthony Wilkinson and Tommaso Corvi enjoying the company of Frida Kahlo.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
The Master of Ceremonies for the night was Stephen Freidman who looked very dapper in his flappers.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Then the biggest Hero of all … Paul Hobson!!!!! Making the night so successful! And whoever complained about the cold - Please Shut Up!
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Then it was Camden Arts Centre’s Big Bamboozle where I was safely hobnobbing with the Dollies.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
But after a few minutes I found myself Bamboozled by Jenny Lomax and there I was a proud owner of a garden shed with its very own palm tree compliments of Alexander Da Cuhna!
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
There are some lovely shows to see: at Max Wigram, Mustafa Hulusi had created an alluring work cleverly combining colour and image in his painting.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
We enter Arcade and Lizzie checks out Can Atlay’s great big Knob.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
We discovered the work of John Wallbank and felt there was a unique edge to it. He used discarded or industrial type materials to create lively sculptures.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Then to Cabinet to visit the work of Danny McDonald / Mindy Vale.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Then we passed Andrew Wheatley and persuaded him into joining us for tea and cake (he refused and had coffee as it happens) at Brian Chalkley’s son’s artwork of a café: “ Look Mum No Hands”.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
I had my bicycle repaired at the same time.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Michael Bauer at Alison Jacques. Do you like our new acquisition? I love it, we have been looking for the right MB to add to the collection for four years.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
We dropped into the new gallery Southard Reid where we were met by Phllidia Reid, David Southard and the artist Celia Hempton. Her work was thoughtful but naughty at the same time.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
I thought that Henry Kinsman had done a great job in his new space eighty1 - the show was full of surprises. Here’s Samara Scott’s new glass work. She’s not one to be photographed. I did try!
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
It was her first attempt at working with glass, she described the attempt as child’s play. Looks more than that to me. Looking at her delicate toilet paper then hanging in front of a Gelatin work.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Some ample and sumptuous bicycle saddles by Jess Flood Paddock
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Photographer Bryan Dooley just out of the RCA - we thought his work had some potential to move forward and was aesthetically pleasing at the same time.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Dealing with Ceramic dishes in a new formalised way. Another Ceramic dish later on…
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Then it was Rachael Williams at Vilma Gold – we loved Julie Wachtel’s show
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
but in the soon-to-be-a- roject-space back room I was dazzled by this Nicholas Byrne. I missed the show and they’d installed a mini version - lucky me!
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
I missed Charlie Wooley’s show at new E8 space Almanac - I had to dash off to pack and get to Tramp but Lizzie took a look – I’ll get there as soon as I can.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Before dinner I dropped by to see Eberhard Haverkost at White Cube and too my amazement at last he had moved forward. The works were glorious.
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
Then Sterling Ruby was a big humungous success. I loved his Vampire room
LONDON: Grey on the outside, but colourful on the inside
and I loved his Ceramic Dish Basin: Theology/Talwin + Ritalin. Then it was a fabulous dinner at Tramps where I first met my lovely husband. So Sterling Ruby, Hauser and Wirth and Lovely Memories round off a busy week.