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art star press: news from london's underground and beyond
+kirsten telfer beith

Art Action Out East

Redchurch Street in London’s East End is a real mash of creativity. Hidden behind Shoreditch High Street
and bang beside the T-Building, which houses galleries, ad agencies and all sorts of hot, happening establishments, Redchurch Street is a spot that buzzes with artistic enterprise. Graffed-up and sometimes scaffolded over, the galleries that line Redchurch include Studio 1.1, Museum 52, and Trolley, while the esteemed Owl and the Pussycat pub and super-slick Loungelover are easy stop-offs for a pint of whatever takes your fancy.

Located at the far end of Redchurch Street, Trolley set up in 2001 to work as a publisher and gallery. With exhibitions leaning towards the photographic, past shows have included talents such as Fabio Paleari and Nina Berman, alongside others curated by the likes of Tracey Emin. More recently, Brit artist Abigail Fallis presented her first solo show at Trolley. Dubbed ‘The Fast Supper’, the Da Vinci inspired exhibition was a break from Trolley’s usual preference for prints and canvases. Fallis is more of a sculptor and the show, which displayed a hoard of paper maché hands holding various modern day vices – Malboros, McDonald’s fries, burgers and hotdogs – was a quirky change.

Having completed Fallis’ show, Trolley is warming up for its next exhibition. This time round it’s a new selection of works from UK’s Kelly Anne Davitt. A portrait painter, Davitt is about as different from Fallis as
can be – and this is what makes Trolley so exciting. With some heavy photographers and artists associated with the gallery, shows from solid, innovative and often up-and-coming talents are always guaranteed winners. In fact, there’s no doubt that Trolley is one of those spaces that puts Redchurch Street on the map.

While Trolley is on the quiet this month, Museum 52 situated at, you guessed it, 52 Redchurch Street, has gone all East Asian with a superb exhibition, ‘Dressing Up Before Going Out’, from Shanghai’s Ji Wenyu.
As the Chinese artist’s solo debut in the UK, ‘Dressing Up…’ offers a small but perfectly formed set of
works. ‘ Living Fossils Have Successfully Mated’ centres around a pair of pandas getting it on, ‘ Strong
Men and Beautiful Women Living in the City’ gives off a greenish trannie vibe, and ‘Jeff Koons is Replaced’ harbours a crisp cosmetic edge. These works are thought provoking and accessible. They’re funky, fun
and fresh.

I’m a fan of Wenyu’s work. I’m mad about his brighter than bright style, his old meets new vibe and the effortless way he takes those garish colours typical of old Chinese advertising – bubble gum pinks, grassy greens, lurid turquoises and bright yellows – packing them together smoothly with humour and grace. His paintings are smart, sassy, sarcastic and sharp – which means Wenyu is more than a painter. He’s a
social and cultural commentator, documenting the weird, wonderful habits of those who surround him,
noting down their desires and eccentricities and sometimes seedy traits. Fantastic. What more could you
ask for?

Deeper into the East End and right about now, Brick Lane is heaving with the Free Range shows. With
some 2,200 students flaunting their wares, the festival attracts pretty much anyone in the UK scene – students’ family and friends, gallerists, dealers and those randoms who’ve wandered into the zone unexpectedly. Lasting a lengthy two months, the event takes over the massive 11-acre Old Truman
Brewery and turns the space into more of a street art party than a curry-house mecca.

The only downfall of Free Range is the obvious chaos factor. There are so many colleges exhibiting, so
many students showing and so, so much work on show. Frankly, it’s a senses override. Still, each
allocated plot of the Truman Brewery has its star talents, alongside those must see pieces, all of which
are well worth taking the time to find. With colleges like Ravensborne, Central St. Martins and Camberwell, talent is strong. One graduate from Goldsmiths, Aowen Jin, has already been commissioned to paint the Queen – so it’s Brick Lane to The Palace for this student. Who knows where the others might end up? Probably somewhere on Redchurch Street.

Kirsten is a true supporter of the arts and we appreciate her passion and knowledge. She has good taste in spirits as well. To keep up to date with Kirsten, visit www.artstarpress.blogspot.com and get an even closer look at the UK art scene and beyond.