Every kingdom has its royal family; every monarch has its crown, and with it an array of glittering crown jewels: one of Bermondsey’s is ARTHOUSE1. A lesser known SE1 gallery, this Grange Road palace of art has supported established and emerging artists since 2013. Part home, part exhibition space, it provides a masterful Georgian backdrop for displaying contemporary art.
Raising the
royal orb is Bath based painter and printmaker Ione Parkin. Her collection of predominantly oil based
paintings encapsulates all that is best about contemporary art: sophistication
and sincerity; straightforwardness and seduction.
Reminiscent of autumnal and gaseous or water-type
scenes, her paintings reach out and invite an automatically tactile response.
However,
West Yorkshire based ceramicist James Oughtibridge’s sculptures are the kingly
sceptres of this exhibition.
Standing
tall, twisted and proud, it’s criminal not to touch or stroke them. Whether used practically or admired as objects of beauty, his sculptures are tantalisingly attractive pieces of art.
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In common with most local galleries, there is a noticable absence of Bermondsey born or based talent, something that must be addressed if local art for the people is to survive.
However, take the
family to see the art (the magnificent
house the gallery's curator are thrown in for free). Then tell your friends that you’ve
been to one of the few remaining royal palaces in Bermondsey. And, thank God that Southwark Council didn’t
label this building a slum back in the sixties and demolish it, too!
More information:
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| All Images © ARTHOUSE1 |
ARTHOUSE1, 45 Grange Road, Bermondsey, London SE1 3BH
Open to the public during exhibitions Thursday to Sunday 3pm - 7.30pm
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