"I was annoyed that the statue had not an ounce of life"
spittle is a breaking (contemp culture focused) news bulletin for all you curious London(art lov)ers, spotlighting the fantastically diverse and heterogeneous facets of London’s art and art-adjacent scenes
All submissions welcome at spittlesubmissions@gmail.com
Clockwise from top: Flora Bradwell seen at Slade MA show; statue of Princess Di by Ian Rank-Broadley; Paul Rego at Tate Britain.
This Week
💦 Degree shows are back (and booked up!)
💦 Paula Rego makes it reign at Tate Britain
💦 Diana statue *dull and lifeless* according to Angela Bowman
Events, 07-14 July
This week sees the city’s penultimate degree show opening, as CSM MA students finally get to showcase their work, we’ve been impressed with this year’s offerings so far, so are excited to see what this show has in store. Timothy Taylor and Pippy Houldsworth both open group shows relating to how our bodies navigate an increasingly isolated world; countered by a very physical offering from Performance Exchange.
Don’t miss:
🧊 7 July | Opening 6 - 10pm | Away With Words (CSM MA Fine Art degree show), Candid Arts Gallery, EC1V 1NQ [Angel] | Exhibition runs through 11 July. Free
🧊 8 July | Opening 6 - 8pm | IRL (In Real Life), Timothy Taylor, W1J 8BG [Green Park] | Exhibition runs through 21 August. Free
🧊 8 July | Opening 4 - 8pm | Dancing in Dark Times, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, W1B 4BT [Piccadilly Circus] | Exhibition runs through 6 August. Free
🧊 9 - 11 July | Performance Exchange | Free
Exhibitions of the Week
Paula Rego at Tate Britain, Weds, 7 Jul 2021 – Sun, 24 Oct 2021.
This impeccably curated show - the artist’s first major show in London since 2004 - proves Rego has legend-tier status. Untitled No.4, 1998–9, (pictured in the header) from the artist’s series dealing with the traumatic reality of abortion, is one of many privately-owned works returning to public view. A must see!
Jenkin Van Zyl at the Royal Academy Schools Show, now closed, but available online.
“Roll the dice for me, baby…” Situated in a Genzken-esque reconstructed aeroplane, Van Zyl’s gesamtkunstwerk exhibition was a holiday to the underworld, simultaneously recalling queer nightlife, Doctor Who villains and video gaming stress—nightmares are labour intensive. Turner prize nomination, please.
Slade Degree Showcase, 5 - 17 July, 2021.
It’s a stellar year for Slade - give yourself time! Look out for rising star Victoria Cantons’s self-portraits; Paula Turmina’s peachy paintings; Holly Buckle’s queer neon soundscape; Bichsaem Kwon’s fishy tableaux; Ellis Parkinson’s trompe-l'œil security gate; Sophie Mei’s dystopian blown glass sculptures and Ella Laurie’s stainless steel business cards—super chic.
Hot Links
🌚 Shadow ban paranoia and gamer guild economies - Joshua Citarella talks us through the basics and we’ll never tire of the hearing about the murky mechanics going on behind the scenes at Instagram...
🖌️THE PAINT HAS DRIED - Nate Freeman has left his gig as the Perez Hilton of the art world and his artnet job is up for grabs! Apply here but take your time, there’s only been 4 applicants in the same number of days.
🐰Creepy bunny museum makes national news - Jamie Lee Curtis Taete launches headfirst into ‘an occasional series celebrating offbeat museums’, and visits The Chamber of Hop Horrors in one of this week’s most bizarre reads.
🎞️ In the mood for Wong Kar Wei - The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) finally re-opens, screening the filmmaker’s works in 4K from 7-15 July. Also announced: Wei himself will be curating a sale at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October.
⚽ Art and football collide – spittle’s favourite Martine Rose has collaborated with Nike on an England football shirt with the crest of the Lost Lionesses, UK pioneers of Women’s football, on the reverse. At £135 quid, sadly its probably not coming home.
🍲 In mixed emotion news, we hear that Bistrotheque is taking over The Rochelle Canteen’s former beloved outpost at the ICA.
Parting Shot
Bronze Diana’s limp and lifeless hair proves unpopular with impassioned member of the public, Angela Bowman:
Love,
London’s beating ‘art
<3 <3 <3 <3