Brian McCarty’s ‘War Toys’
On show at the V&A Museum of Childhood, London

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Californian artist and toy industry veteran Brian McCarty is displaying his most recent project ‘War Toys’ at V&A Museum of Childhood. McCarty,with the help of art therapists, worked with children living in areas affected by war and conflict, including the Gaza Strip, Israel and the West Bank.

The children were encouraged to draw images of their experiences of war in order to begin a healing process as a starting point to therapy. McCarty sources inexpensive toys from local markets and shops and recreates the children’s often disturbing drawn images in situ, interpreting them into photographic works, often with direction from the children on setting up the shots. (Via)

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For more info, Please visit V&A Museum of Childhood

Michael Landy’s ‘Saints Alive’
On show at The National Gallery, London

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23rd May – 24th Nov 2013

Saints are more often associated with traditional sacred art than with contemporary work, but Michael Landy, current Rootstein Hopkins Associate Artist in residence at the National Gallery, has been inspired to revisit the subject for this exhibition.

Landy’s large-scale sculptures consist of fragments of National Gallery paintings cast in three dimensions and assembled with one of his artistic hallmarks – refuse. He has scoured car boot sales and flea markets accumulating old machinery, cogs and wheels to construct the works. Visitors can crank the works into life with a foot pedal mechanism.

Towering over you, the seven sculptures swivel and turn, in movements that evoke the drama of each saint’s life. Saints Apollonia, Catherine, Francis, Jerome, Thomas – and an additional sculpture that takes a number of saints as its inspiration – fill the Sunley Room alongside paper collages.

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For more info, please visit The National Gallery.

Artist Show
Eleanor Cunningham at Fairly Square, London

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30th May to 30th July 2013

The faithful transcriber of reality – emerging artist Eleanor Cunningham takes photography to a new age. Her Images hold fascinating traces of physical gestures due to her unique photographic techniques. ‘Nonna’s Window’ is one of four works on show at Fairly Square.

Fairly Square is London’s first fair trade bar and cafe which is becoming an inviting social hub for all, especially ethically-minded individuals and groups, holding a programme of topical ethical discussion events, literature and art events, along with music, poetry and movie nights.

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Fairly Square can be found at 51 Red Lion Street in Holborn, London. A chance to meet the artist will be held at the venue on the 30th May, 7 pm – late.

Pick from the Web
Underwater with Hengki Koentjoro

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Indonesian photographer Hengki Koentjoro has documented the oceans surrounding Indonesia’s 13,000 islands. Inspried by Ansel Adams, the images are captured in a rich, dark, mysterious monochrome. When asked about using monochrome, Hengki says ”It is more pliable therefore more freedom in expressing your idea. With the Zone System by Ansel Adams, you are in the practice of seeing things around you in monochrome or learning to see in black and white. This helps a lot in choosing your proper subject matter and forecasting how it’ll look later on in post production.” Via

 

Artist Show
Hyunjeong Lim’s MA Show at Central Saint Martins, London

tumblr_mf8gsz4qYD1rtt47do1_r1_1280Landscape with with Lady bugs oil, arcylic, chalk on canvas, 66 x 81 cm, 2013

25th May –  29th May 2013

The primary focus in my art practice has been that of evoking, through a visual medium, the sense of fantasy, which is naturally inherent in human beings. I’m especially interested in the notion of unconscious memories and creating imaginary worlds. I try to visualize a mindscape consisting of various creatures with stories that are suggestive to the world of fantasy.

I see the possibility of finding connections in previous art history with my own contemporary practice. I would like to produce a fantasy based surrealistic view of the real world by combining historical painting traditions with my own inner imaginary world.

Hyunjeong Lim Studies of drawing-painting, oil, acrylic, chalk on canvas, wood, canvas board, size variable, 2013

Hyunjeong Lim, Landscapes, oil, acrylic, chalk on canvas, 30x30-25x25-30x30cm, 2013Landscape with Cones, Landscape with two eggs and Landscape with Samar’s pomegranate oil, acrylic, chalk on canvas, 30 x 30 – 25 x 25 – 30 x 30 cm, 2013

Hyunjeong’s paintings are on show at Central Saint Martins, The Granary Building, 1 Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4AA

For more info, please visit Central Saint Martins MA Show

Q&A with Ilona Szalay

riderIlona Szalay studied at Oxford University (BA) and Byan Shaw, University of the Arts (MA). Her work was selected for the Threadneedle Prize 2012 and National Art Competition 2012.

1. Your work is described as looking at the tensions and the balance between ‘violence and control’ and ‘Beauty and fragility’. Is this something you wrestle with when painting?

Yes, the physicality of the painting process sometimes feels like walking a tight-rope – on the one hand there must be a spontaneity and unforeseen dynamism to the image which is all about a relinquishing of control but on the other hand the image must contain a skeleton, something rigorously ’true’, which is born out of visual skill, experience and precision. So, there are pockets of intense control alongside areas of delicious abandonment. More →

The Vice Illustration Show at the Pure Evil Gallery, London

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May 17th – June 2nd

Vice are holding an exhibition at the Pure Evil Gallery, displaying work from some of their favourite illustrators. The exhibition will include a selection of new prints, work that have been featured in VICE and original drawings especially created for the show, which are designed to give an insight into how the people who do drawings for Vice go about doing their drawings. Artists on show include Johnny Ryan, Daniel David Freeman, Kyle Platts, Cei Willis, Nick Gazin, Craig Questions, Jonny Negron, Sam Taylor, Malin Bergstrom and Krent Able.

For more info, please visit Vice

Gavin Nolan’s ‘Mise en Abyme’
At the Charlie Smith Gallery, London

Nolan, Gavin 'Means of Production', 2013 Oil on board 122x92cm

16th May – 22nd June 2013

Nolan’s recent collection represents an enquiry into the life, mind, thoughts and feelings of the practising artist. Taking a nihilistic approach to the notion of portraiture, Nolan undoes many of the modes that have previously underpinned his work, and embraces the abstract in order to unveil his subjects.

By imagining characteristics and simultaneously projecting himself onto his subjects, each painting becomes a representation of an art world type, and most predominantly the artist. The paintings in themselves might be considered a mirror, and we the audience find ourselves between two mirrors infinitely reflecting each other: the painter and the painting. This diaristic approach is revealing then, but also affirms that while elements of an artist’s life and work are universal, there is also much that is fleeting and fugitive.

For more info, please visit the Charlie Smith Gallery

Art Circus Spotlight
‘Pool at Dusk’ by Daisy Clarke

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I’m constantly looking out for images ,like a magpie, collecting ideas that fit a certain ‘tone’. As a child while travelling around Europe I was fascinated by swimming pools, especially neglected ones I remember a pool that was inhabited by frogs and I would have been scared to swim in as it seemed some other creatures territory. I wondered what else was lurking in the hidden depths.

See more paintings by Daisy Clarke