CasildART Contemporary Presents 'The Future Is Now PT.II RE/FORM~ATION

CasildART Contemporary is thrilled to announce the debut of The Future is Now Part II: Re/Form~ation, an innovative exhibition that delves into the profound dialogue between material and form. Opening on 25th July, this group exhibition showcases how artmaking can challenge outdated paradigms and transform everyday objects into powerful artistic expressions.

The Future is Now Part II: Re/Form~ation is open to the public from 26th July - 7th September.

The Future is Now Part II: Re/Form~ation features the work of Christopher Day, a glass artist who, only 4 years ago, was working as a plumber. Day has created a bespoke artwork specifically for this exhibition, which will be unveiled at the preview. The glass sculpture, titled "Unconditional Love," is a symbolic and powerful reminder of the most brutal of circumstances. During the transatlantic slave trade, children were ripped away from their mothers and sold off to the highest bidder. The most horrific images depict enslaved Africans being auctioned off, with children clinging to their mothers in desperation, unaware of the horrors they would face. The material, therefore, does not merely function as part of the composition but beckons the viewer to engage in a dialogue about Britain’s racial past and present, and the tragic legacy of Colonialism.  

CasildART proudly represents Àsìkò, Donald Baugh, Christopher Day, Othello De’Souza-Hartley, Elaine Mullings, Margaret Scott and Theresa Weber. Although working across different mediums including painting, sculpture, photography, textiles and glass, what binds these artists together is the love of their craft and a thorough grasp of the material process and form of bringing an idea into being. 

Sukai Eccleston, founder and curator at CasildART Contemporary, shares her inspiration for the exhibition: In The Future is Now Pt. II: Re/form~ation, we celebrate the boundless creativity that arises when artists push the boundaries of what is considered art. This exhibition is a testament to the ingenuity of artists who use materiality to challenge what we think is real, finding beauty in the discarded to forge connections across time and layering the work with new meaning and context. The artists in Re/ Form~ation are not just makers; they are storytellers, weaving narratives that bridge the gap between the past and the present, paving the way for us to think about traditional structures and expand the possibilities for a better future now!”

CasildART Contemporary is a not-for-profit gallery dedicated to addressing the underrepresentation of Black artists in fine art institutions, commercial galleries, and museums. CasildART Founder Sukai Eccleston launched the gallery with a mission to be a catalyst for change and transform the visual landscape in the UK by inserting Black narratives into the culture. Eccleston believes art has the ability to foster connections and initiate conversations about culture and heritage, and through the CasildART programme her aim is to redress the racial and cultural balance within the UK and international contemporary art scene.

https://casildart.com

Blek le Rat 'War and Peace' at Woodbury House

Woodbury House gallery in London are presenting ‘War & Peace’, the highly anticipated exhibition by Blek le Rat, often referred to as the ‘father of stencil graffiti’.

Featuring more than 50 new paintings and prints, the exhibition aims to give the viewer a personal insight into Blek’s relationship with conflict, one that is heavily shaped by his childhood experiences growing up in post-war France, where family dinners were accompanied by tales of wartime suffering, drawn from his father’s first-hand accounts of combat and captivity during the First and Second World Wars.

The exhibition’s title is inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel, and Blek has drawn inspiration from centuries of conflict – from the Middle Ages to the present day – in the hope of portraying the consistent theme of futile sacrifice that underlines the human condition. 

A highlight of the exhibition, the ‘Stallion of Sacrifice’ series, features a Persian warrior on horseback. The signature stencil work is based on a piece the artist saw on a visit to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, and which he felt perfectly embodied the universal soldier – powerful but, ultimately, vulnerable. For over forty years, Blek has worked in and with dynamic urban landscapes. His artistic process, which sees him navigate these changing, sometimes hostile, environments, is akin to a game of chess where every move reveals new restrictions, opportunities, and narratives.

Of the forthcoming exhibition, Joseph Bannan, Partner, and Curator of Woodbury House says, “Each piece in ‘War & Peace’ is a testament to Blek’s commitment to infusing life into every canvas, drawing viewers into a world where history converges with contemporary consciousness.”

Summing up his hope for the exhibition – to begin a conversation with the viewer – Blek le Rat says, “I am curious to know what ‘War & Peace’ means to you.”

Blek le Rat ‘War and Peace’ is at Woodbury House until 31st July.

https://woodburyhouseart.com

Auguste Rodin 'Faces and Fables' Exhibition at Bowman Sculpture

Bowman Sculpture gallery in London’s Mayfair have announced an extension of the Auguste Rodin exhibition ‘Faces and Fables: Rodin’s Portraiture, Great Commissions, Mythology, and Sculptural Innovations’.

Due to the popularity and press coverage of the exhibition, it will now run throughout September with a brief hiatus in August for the summer. Head down to 6 Duke Street St. James’s, London, SW1Y 6BN to see a vast collection of sculptures by the father of modern sculpture, Auguste Rodin.

This captivating showcase delves into the multifaceted world of Auguste Rodin, one of the most revered sculptors of all time.

Auguste Rodin ‘Faces and Fables’ offers visitors a comprehensive journey through Rodin’s artistic evolution. The exhibition features a stunning array of 30 sculptures from his earliest works through to the final pieces of his career and will centre around themes of Rodin’s portraiture, his most famous monumental commissions, mythological sculptures, and his innovative use of assemblage techniques that epitomize his mastery of the medium and which pushed the boundaries of artistic expression long before such techniques gained widespread recognition in the art world.

Auguste Rodin’s portraiture captures the essence of his subjects with depth and emotion. From intimate studies to grand busts, each piece reveals the artist’s ability to breathe life into clay and bronze and not only capture the visual aspects of the sitter but also incorporate an element of the sitter’s personality. The exhibition will feature two versions of Rodin’s iconic portraits derived from the Monument to Balzac, known to be one of the most controversial sculptures of the 19th century, including a cast of the final study of the work which was originally presented at the Salon of 1898. This present piece is number 7 of only thirteen casts in existence.

https://bowmansculpture.com