Top Five Exhibitions for 2018
As For Arts Sake celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, we reveal some of the exciting exhibitions coming up in 2018. From collage superstar Joe Webb to the blackly humorous etchings of printmaker Martin Langford, there’s a treat in store for all
1. Natasha Kumar, ‘India – People and Place’
Kicking off our 40th anniversary year we are delighted to welcome British-Indian printmaker Natasha Kumar to our upper gallery with an exhibition of her bold and evocative screenprints and etchings of India. From village scenes to palace views, her work captures the art of the everyday and a deep sense of love for her paternal homeland. In her works we see the country through glorious, vividly coloured snapshots – the sunlight through a diaphanous sari or the steady homeward progress of a woman and her cow. Exhibition runs March 22 – April 8. See more of Natasha’s work here.
2. Joe Webb, ‘Lost & Found’
Our first large-scale solo exhibition of 2018 is an exciting retrospective of acclaimed British artist Joe Webb’s silkscreens and collages. Tracking back to the beginning of his printmaking career in 2012, when he burst on to the art scene winning a Saatchi Gallery competition, this show includes some of his earliest works as well as new limited edition pieces for sale. Joe, who was named one of the Evening Standard’s ‘Exciting Young British Artists to Look Out For’ in 2017, has won an army of high profile fans including Coldplay, who cited his work as inspiration for their ‘Up and Up’ video. His work has also graced album covers by Janelle Monae and Tears For Fears and is much sought-after by private collectors. ‘Lost & Found’ refers not only to Joe’s creative process – finding long-lost images and magazines and reinventing them as artworks, which are often biting satires on contemporary politics and society – but also Joe’s own reinvention from the commercial world of work to finding his way as a working artist. April 27 – May 20. More of Joe’s prints can be seen here.
3. Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers Group Show
We are delighted to host another group exhibition of the esteemed members of the RE – one of the world’s leading artists’ societies – from new and established printmakers including Gail Brodholt, Paul Catherall, Morgan Doyle, Angie Lewin and Gerry Baptist. More than 80 pieces on show will display the broad breadth of the printmaking process, from aquatint to etching, linocut, screenprint, wood engraving and more. A must-see for printmaking fans everywhere. June 15 – July 8.
4. Martin Langford
Semi-surrealist printmaker Martin Langford stages a major solo show at the gallery this coming autumn, bringing together his intricate mezzotint etchings and blackly comic commentaries on the state of the world today. Martin, who studied printmaking at Central St Martins College of Art, says: “My work is about the environment, about pollution, the way we live and about man’s collective greed. I think people are tired of being lectured to about ‘green’ issues but they do still care – with a bit of humour, I believe you can relay a message simply and effectively.” September 21 – October 14. More about Martin here.
5. Louise Davies
The wonderful works of British painter-printmaker Louise Davies round off an exciting year. Louise, whose works explore landscape, colour and line, will be showing a range of her monoprints, etchings and paintings in a wide-ranging solo exhibition. Louise’s art depicts nature and the way the light and weather affects the feelings of the day through the use of translucent colour and fluid, impromptu lines, taking inspiration from artists including Rothko and Miro. November 2 – 25. Browse Louise’s works here.