Your Reviews...
Shows you like - or don't

Artworks That Ideas Can Buy

Wilkinson, London

Artworks That Ideas Can Buy, A project by Cesare Pietroiusti. Is a wonderful cross roads of curational and artistic practice, with the main force of the work being a transaction of ideas, the pieces in the show can only be bought with good ideas by visitors. This both underlines and undermines the nature of the commercial artworld.

Sung Hwan Kim

Wilkinson Gallery, London

Sung Hwan Kim: Pieces from 'In the Room', didn't really do it for me, the references we to esoteric, the style to familiar. I will give it more time and see if any more connections are made in my brain. I have a feeling though, that my first impressions are right.

Luke McCreadie

Supplement gallery, London

This neat little gallery is a hubbub of emerging artists. Luke McCreadie's exhibition takes a wonky look at drawing as a means of expressing things about the world. The pun is cenral to the work, something that perhaps shows the artist's age; perhaps comedy is a way of avoiding responsiblity.

I Am By Birth A Genevese

Vegas Gallery, London

Vegas Gallery is quickly becoming my fave artist-run-like gallery in London. The artworks are usually breezy or bright, but they always have this vibrating energy to them, I Am By Birth A Genevese by Swiss artist Alexandre Bianchini and French/Swiss artist Pascal Roussonhas exactly the same feel to it. Huge amounts of work are in this exhibition, 160 artists! Amazing.

UNSEEN GUY BOURDIN

The Wapping Project, London

On until the 4th July, The Wapping Project presents work by Guy Bourdin (1928 -1991). A visit to the project is interesting in it's self. Guy Bourdin, is a natural choice for the site, his narrative photography, adds another dimension to the space.

Tracey Emin: Those who suffer Love

White Cube, Mason’s Yard, London

Tracey Emin: Those who suffer Love, is the name of the show. It comes from a work by her, 'Those who suffer Love' which is scrawled in neon in her scratchy drawing style. Her drawings, bring a bit of reasonableness to her work, they are like the artistic counter point to her 'bed' for instance. Waldemar Januszczak says that neon sign is the cheese sandwich of the artworld. Emin has made a few cheese sandwiches here, with the picnic brightened by a few pickle drawings.

MICHELLE DOVEY : NEW LANDSCAPES

Gimpel Fils, London

Cutsie landscapes and Pin hole photos, can only be the work of Dovey, eccentric and erratic. A fine exhibition.

Nana Funo

Tomio Koyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

"Scab on Flower,"Is a successful piece of work by Nana Funo, it is decorative and yet powerful. At only 26 years old, this is a striking and mature show.

Satoshi Ohno "PROPHET"

Tomio Koyama Gallery

Satoshi Ohno creates wild works of art. The make the eyes pulsate, and the heart beat quicken. Often featuring prisms, landscapes and wastelands, Satoshi Ohno's works are an adventure.

PANDA MALIN-HEAD

autoitalia, London

I like how honest this show is it doesn't try ans pretend that it is anything it isn't..."brings together works made by their friends". The work is enthusiastic and original, I loved it.

Mihael Giba

Gallerji NANO, Zagreb, Croatia.

Using flash animation and technology, Mihael Giba transforms monitors into monochromes, and technology in to tasteful abstracts. The work also deals with the monitor as a medium in its own right, not as secondary to painting.

Michael Raedecker

Camden Arts Centre, London

Raedecker made a splash a few years ago mostly because, shock of shocks, a man was using fabric to create work. This wasn't that interesting at the time, and felt just a tad gimmicky. Now it feels very tired, and so does the work.

Richard Serra

Gagosian; 6-24 Britannia Street London WC1X 9JD

Even if you don't like the artist, you have to respect his vision. This show has one piece of work in it "Fernando Pessoa" (2007-08), and consists of a huge piece of weather proof Steel, which is 9 meters long. You know when an artist is made it when they feel fine to show just one piece of very minimal work, it has a certain ballsy -I-don't-care-ness about it especially in our must have everything yesterday culture.

Basil Wolverton

Gladstone Gallery, NY

Basil Wolverton's work from the 1950's is the result (one assumes) of the post-war America, what matters now? What is beauty? What is good? Who are we? The drawings are twisted cartoons, boils, people with faces like assholes, ugly girls and general filth and disfigurement. I LOVED IT!

Huang Yong Ping

Gladstone Gallery, 530 W 21st Street.

Huang Yong Ping's huge sculpture/installation 'Tower Snake, 2009' evokes a madmax or Indiana Jones setup. You are expected to walk in up and through the sculpture. It feels like a twisted jail. Conflicting the architecture and the perceived exoticism of both East and West culture, Huang Yong Ping has created a genuinely unsettling sculpture, where ever you are from.

Sean Edwards

Limoncello

Bruce Springsteen's album ‘Nebraska’ (1982), is used here as the starting point for a single piece of work. ‘Nebraska’ (1982) or so the story goes is BS's attempt to break free from the restrictive but sucessful mould he found himself him. The conclusion that we are induced to find is that the artist is trying to side step his own mould of producing work.A brilliant and inventive show, naturally.

Marianne Vitale | Boiler Quake at Dawn

IBID PROJECTS

On first impressions I didn't like the work, but like a scary shadow the wierd figurines stayed in my thoughts all day..what exactly were these things?

Oren Slor

Brown, London

Her photographs remind me of Jeff Walls, although her setups are more effortlessly natural, they still have that slightly surreal edge. With Jeff wall that comes through with the wooden poses, with Oren Slor, it is hard to tell. Perhaps it is the focus of the series, women in NY, gives it that slightly pervy edge.

Maurice Cockrill

Adam Gallery, London

A nice piece 'Well You Needn't' feels like cut paper glued over a photograph, the different layers giving the work depth. Abstract as they are, the work doesn't require the audience to work hard, they are easy on the eye and occasionally brilliant.

PIETER LAURENS MOL

hidde van seggelen, London

The work would be a lot better if the artist took ten steps back, allowed the dust to settle, before making too many decisions. The work is too forced, and as a result doesn't look that natural.

SAUL FLETCHER

Alison Jacques Gallery, London

I am not sure I understand the work, but it is very exciting! Energy and mayhem!oh... and fields???A lovely exhibition in a lovely gallery.

Slump City

SPACE - London

I guess there must be hundreds of artists thinking how can we make best use of the recession? Everyone is telling us times are great to make art! A golden opportunity! Tessa Farmer, Laura Oldfield Ford and Karen Russo, have taken the 'downturn' and made it into a rather wonderful exhibition. www.spacestudios.org.uk

PETER ABRAHAMS DOUBLE – SPACE

Eagle Gallery

I was forced to meditate on objects and I liked it. Their shimmery steel curves, their fine utilitarian forms. Wow, what a fetish I have newly acquired! And to think for a mere snip at £2000, I could stare endlessly at a shiny steel bucket. Bravo!

Banksy

Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

Expect to see many many more museum shows of Banksy, the ques were out the door, and then the it continued to get into the gallery bit of the show. Scattered throughout the building were Banksy interventions, which made you look at everything in a "Where's Wally?" kind of way. I like the way that it made you question everything, and brought to life some of the stuffier elements of the museum. A great gig for Banksy, Bristol and the Museum, even if at times Banksy's work falls into it's own cliche.

Poor. Old. Tired. Horse.

ICA (INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS), London

It is interesting to note here the return to words as expressive, dare we say, 'human'? after what seems like years of words as the bread and butter of hard edge white cube Conceptual Art. An event to look out for is the Dan Graham on the 7th July.

BA degree show

UWE (Spike Island)

The impressive space gave these young artists the right context in which to display the work. Out of the usual 'rabbit warren' of university studios, the work was allowed to breath to great effect. A wonderful array of work.

Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie

Arnolfini, Bristol, UK

Lapdogs of the Bourgeoisie is a stunning exhibition full of conceptual delights, with work by Neil Cummings, Annika Eriksson, Dirk Fleischmann/Michele di Menna, Chris Evans, Liam Gillick, San Keller, Hassan Khan, Natascha Sadr Haghighian, Marion von Osten and Anup Mathew Thomas. The work asked questions about the role of class in art in a constructive and critical way.

POI: Moving Mapping Memory

Cornerhouse Manchester

Point of Interest is the linking theme of this eclectic and highly engaging exhibition. The detail and layering within some of the challenging work on offer is intricate and informed, Eimer Birkbeck's sound installation creates a sonic Marseille that provides a rich and diverse encounter with it's rich heritage while Joe Duffy's Zizkov Pan does just that, it pans from, through and around the landmark tv tower offering a fractured insight into lived experience, surveillance and spectral aspects of the city, ideology and memory. In many ways these works link to Robert Strongitharms work centered around a Latvian Exile which is fragile, ephemeral and beguiling in it's aesthetic but also the experience offered to the participant. There are other works here that deal with technology in an entertaining and informed way making the gallery accessable to all ages whereas the most controversial piece is Richard Charnock's 'An Exploration of Consciousness' which includes a rabbit called Bob...who was stolen recently! An intriguing turn of events that will no doubt cause conspiracy theories.

THE SOCIAL LIVES OF OBJECTS

CASTLEFIELD GALLERY

Castlefield returns to more object based work, quite literally, in this recent exhibition centered around the re-interpretation of the jetsam flotsam of our cultural detritus. The work by the three artists share many similarities, and at times it is hard to see where the seperation lies with two of the artists. However, some of the work is playful and engaging with hints of a more sinister narrative lurking underneath...particularly in Dallas Seitz work. The downside of the work lies in it's attempt to seek a conceptual and theoretical relationship to academic writing, this acts as a poor excuse to produce some work that is extremely pretentious, naive and wouldn't look out of place in a foundation art course.

The Social Lives of Objects

Castlefield Gallery, Manchester

Featuring the work of Hilary Jack, Lisa Penny and Dallas Seitz, this exciting collection of object d'art, is a mix of surrealistic influences and a knowing Lo-Fi assemblage. Great stuff.

POI: Moving, Mapping, Memory

Corner House, Manchester

This is a very poor show, POI I assume stands for Point of Interest, of which there is very little here. Part of the show includes a rabbit hutch, "An Exploration of Consciousness" (2009) by Richard Charnock. The rabbit was apparently stolen and replaced with a Duracell Rabbit. Which is far more interesting than the work could ever be. a POI is that the Duracell rabbit has now been taken as evidence by the police.

Between Tracks – Manchester

International 3, Manchester

The UK leg of Between Tracks (the other is is Swizerland) exhibiting artists include: Andrea Corciulo (CH), Dave Griffiths (UK), Candice Jacobs (UK), Aurelio Kopainig (CH), Alexandra Maurer(CH), Haroon Mirza (UK), Aleksandra Signer (CH) and David Sherry (UK). Performances: David Sherry (UK) and Andrea Vogel (CH). The work was varied and interesting. Alexandra Maurer's work described the in equality in sexual relationships, but has a very "art" video (looked a bit too much like art)that went along with it, which I thought watered down her comment.

PRIXDEROME.NL 2009

De Appel , Netherlands

As big as the Turner prize, Prixderome, is a show that everybody looks forward to, it isn't presented in the media as [mock]shock like its UK counterpart, it is a serious prize. This years finalists are, Rossella Biscotti, Nicoline van Harskamp, Ólafur Ólafsson i.c.w. Libia Castro (1973,IS / 1969 ES) and Sara Rajaei.

Bill Owens / Altamont, Riots & new suburbia

Reflex Art Gallery, Amsterdam

‘the American way of life', is presented here with all the idiosyncrasy left it. It charts the rise of the suburban middle class that would set the tone of America for the next three generations.

CARY KWOK

HERALD ST, London

Kwok's slightly disturbing drawings of shoes from various eras, are magically designed, and beautiful in the sense that shoes are beautiful, designed objects of desire. A fantastic show.

ANDY COLLINS

Corvi Mora, London

Pastel, in its proper sense is blandness and acceptability manifested as colour. Andy Collins is work is so bland, and very, very uncreative.

TRENTON DOYLE HANCOCK

James Cohan, NY

maybe there are eyes and a forehead, maybe it is a strange elephant, maybe its is an odd 'M'. The motif repeated through out the exhibition, made me scratch my head, which is a good thing. where was it all heading? What does it all mean? I am not sure that I completely understood why, but I still enjoyed the ride.

Thomas Steinert

Mummery + Schnelle, London

There is something about photographs that the historical importance of the things depicted over takes the work itself, how can we look at this work outside of its historical importance?

CRIS BRODAHL

THE APPROACH W1, London

occasionally they reference a Magritte type of surrealism, a metal hook becomes a nose, but maybe more precisely they have a weathered look as if the pieces were that old. If i see anymore shows with triangles painted over portraits, I will cry. Aside from that a good show.

Within The Menagerie Melissa Pokorny Julia Whitney Barnes

The Front Room Gallery, Brooklyn NY

The term 'Work As Standard', is a phrase use to marginalize and ridicule artworks that look to much like 'ART', it isn't precisely a judgment on the quality per se, but the ambition of the work. Needless to say, the exhibition here is 'W.A.S'

Go Figure

Gagosian, Madison Ave, NY

A wicked, enthusiastic show, with 'Go Go's' trademark artists. Its is great to see such works together, outside of museum institutions.

YAYOI KUSAMA

Gagosian, Beverly Hills

YAYOI KUSAMA, I have never heard of this artist before, the gallery would like us to believe that she was second only to Andy Warhol, since this fact has to be stated, it is obviously not true! Either way a pretty show.

Nicolas Moulin

Site Gallery, Sheffield

Berlin-based artist Nicolas Moulin began a 3-month residency at the University of Sheffield, and completes this venture at site gallery. Interested in architecture (how many artists are not? I hear you cry.) Described as 'brutal', I found the work romantic for a time that no longer exists.

A42D

Bloc, Sheffield, UK

All drawings are unframed on A4 paper, I always enjoy seeing so much work in one night. I also think it is good for a gallery once-in-a-while to have a conceptual clearout, sweep the floor and have an A4 drawing exhibition.

Stephen Carley

Stephen Carley's studio, Sheffield, UK

Experiment is the key to development, Local artist Stephen Carley has taken this a step further by reinventing the space of invention 'the studio' into a space to present art. It is great for an artist to be so forward thinking in these times of cynicism and commerce.

At Play 1

South Hill Park, Bracknell, Berkshire

The Bracknell Gallery has been transformed into an area where the Child meets the Adult and vice versa. At Play 1 encompasses the elements, that we as children have all experienced and as adults we forget. The ideas about play: making magic and being transformed, passing time, messing about and making a mess, being yourself and pretending to be someone else, having secrets, making dens and creating make believe. This hands -on exhibition entices the viewer to use their imagination, their emotions, their visual eye, and their sense of adventure and tempts them to get involved. At Play 1 is co-curated by Cally Trench and Dr Outi Remes. This exhibition has an international influence of artists, including Marco Cali, Susan Eyres, Marcin Gajewski, Rosie Gibson, Judy Hill and Sophie Loss, Cathy Hart and Esther Jervis, Aaron Head, Pernille Holm-Mercer, Ingrid Jensen, Liz Whiteman Smith, Philip Lee and Fedor Pavlov-Andreevich. It is a multi-media exhibition where the viewer can gaze into a fish tank and see a film of the artist, Rosie Gibson, looping continuously underwater, skimming the surface to take a breath at the top of each revolution, creating magic from the mundane while integrating the breath of her brothers ‘scuba diving’ apparatus: Hence the title, My Brother Breathes for Me. Siobhan McAuley’s, Faster Faster, invites the visitor to ride a bike, Sam Mogelonsky’s, Build Your Own Hedge Maze! encourages the construction of a maze, Ingrid Jensen’s Curation Play invites the viewer to rearrange the inner shell of a miniature gallery and Artopoly, a creative interpretation of the timeless board game Monopoly, fantastically constructed by Liz Whiteman Smith. The standing figure with an animal head and unrealistic human form is called Shape Shifter, created by Cathy Hart and Esther Jervis, takes the viewer to another world, the world of sinister, dark magic, story - telling and even make-believe. The figure is attached and glued to the floor and wall, creating a sense of being from the present and yet giving off the appearance of the underworld. In contrast Susan Eyre’s beautiful, serene and colourful scenes, Restricted View (Summer) and Restricted View (Winter), shows the viewer the contrast of the real world from the outside and as they are seduced to peer in through the peephole, where they gaze into a world of peace and tranquillity, where their imagination can run riot and they are allowed to be wherever and whoever they please. In merrygoround, Marcin Gajewski, captures play through the concept of video looping. It is the stillness of the scene contrasted with the revolving image of play that reaffirms the viewer that play can ignore the world around it and the outside world can ignore the innocence of play. The individuality of play is strengthened as visitors enter the gallery and are received by a two-sided, life size, photographic image of an adolescent girl who is approaching adult hood and yet captures the frivolity and innocence of play in Taking a Position by Judy Goldhill and Sophie Loss. The sheer knotted size and sharpness of colour of Pernille Holm-Mercer’s installation Skipping Rope leads the eye to the more gentle and fun-filled, site-specific installation, Sandcastles that have been playfully scattered around this versatile space by Kay Sentence that remind the visitor that play can be created, pursued and inspired in many ways and forms and that it has no age barrier. At Play 1 has gathered the essence of play through the eyes of an adult and a child and has presented it in a manner that is thought provoking and entertaining.

FACING DEATH

PHOTOFUSION

Portraiture has never been so haunting, some of Pol Pot's victims are photographed (before death one presumes)at a secret torture and interrogation prison, codenamed S-21. A bleak reminder of a not-to-distant past.

MATHEW HALE : DER MOND V LE MONDE

PEER , London

The un-creative, creative person. Yes, yes, they are 'welldone' but how many times do we see collaged photographs and magazines that are a bit weird, but not interesting. BORED TO TEARS.

GRACE O'CONNOR :

PAUL STOLPER, LONDON

The exhibition is entitled 'Trinkleyville', and the works are sweet and sugary, and mix a contemporary, slightly dream like portraiture, and a docu-tainment style focus. Brilliantly observed. Thumbs up!

Worthless

37 Endell Street, Seven Dials, London, UK

Supposedly somewhere to take your old tat and get it revamped by some hip young artist, possibly even someone famous! (I've heard the name Gavin Turk bandied around) Do come along and witness this happening, they cheered in the London Lite. So me and my companion arrive, are looked up and down by some pretentious art school posers, get totally ignored as we are not deemed cool enough. We have a look around at the "art" which genuinely would be embarrassing at GCSE level. Don't quit your day jobs guys! Oh, you don't need one, daddy pays.

Diane Arbus

Timothy Taylor Gallery

From 20th - May 27th June 2009 Timothy Taylor Gallery is showing a major retrospective of over 60 photos by the incredible and internationally influential Diane Arbus. Every one a total gem, she really knows her way a round a camera and the streets. She shoots with real heart and pathos. Don't miss it.

Madness & Modernity

The Welcome Collection, Central London

Excellent show about the connection between mental illness and modern art. Loved the innovative installation of the exhibition. I was blown away by the model of the progressive Austrian mental institution, it was really something to behold. Also work by the amazing Egon Schiele which is always a treat!

Francis Alÿs: Fabiola

National Portrait Gallery London

This exhibition consists of hundreds of portraits of the same fourth-century Christian saint. In theory this seems like it might be quite a dull idea but it's a disconcerting sight, row upon row of her red hooded profile. When all the images are so similar the differences really pop out at you, this is a haunting and intense show.

Gordon Dalton. When Life Gives You Lemons, Suplex Those Lemons

Keith Talent Gallery, 2-4 Tudor Road, London E9 7SN, UK

Even the press release states all that is on offer in this show is disappointment and that pretty much sums it up. Dalton grasps at some vague ideas but never quite manages to quite fulfill them, leaving the viewer feeling frustrated and confused. I guess that was the point?

Imi Knoebel: ICH NICHT (not me)

Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin

Exciting exhibit of Knoebels huge primary paintings. They are rather imposing, even overwhelming but I could not take my eyes off them. A fine example of why the abstract art is still relevant.

Jonathan Monk

Lisson Gallery, London

Musing the iconic nature of Jeff koons; Monk creates a melting/deflated bunny rabbit, and various mirrors, trivialised by being surrounded with lights, in the style of a makeup mirror. The strange thing is that the bunny could be a new Jeff Koons piece, maybe the connotations are too obvious in the current climate, objects losing value etc. Either way, it is a strong exhibition.

LISSON PRESENTS 4

Lisson Gallery, London

Including London's latest hot ticket, Ryan Gander, this is a commanding show. Also featuring recent works by Fernando Ortega, Santiago Sierra, Wilfredo Prieto, Allora & Calzadilla and Ceal Floyer. I love the Lisson for producing such a dynamic show and not shying away from making a big statement.

SKINFLINT

THE ARTHOUSE GALLERY, UK

"Artists using meagre means in their practice". Robyn Appleton, Cat Bagg, Joe Doldon, Ralph Dorey, Dave Hanger, Nicholas Mortimer, and Rachel Price. I think there is probably too much work here, but I am trying to avoid 'changing rooms' style criticism for today. The work if fair and the exhibition is great start for some of these artists.

JOHN SUMMERS AND JOHN TINEY

Studio1.1, London

OVERLORDS OF FUTURE KARMA, is the title. I love the work by John Tiney, usually bright and lovely colourful, pop-sick. A great exhibition by two aspiring artists.

Mat Collishaw - Insecticide Gravure

Haunch of Venision, London (Editions)

Mat Collishaw, is a kind of artist that is always just below the radar. His new edition, insecticide Gravure, contain photographs of squashed insects that appear to look like cells, or something horrible. What ever it looks like, as art is certainly looks like a more honest version of Damien Hirsts butterfly paintings. It won't ever be as famous, but maybe that is ok too.

Andy Warhol Drawings

Walsall Art Gallery, UK

You think you know Andy Warhol then Boom, you have a whole other perspective to deal with! These, cute drawings, when ANDY WARHOL was andy warhol, of cute boys and shoes, shows a rather soft and unfiltered Warhol. The thing I can't get my head around is how the hell did a guy draw shoes in one breath and screen print crash scenes in the next?

Pot Luck

Walsall Art Gallery, UK

This was such an exciting exhibition; bubbling pots of chocolate, massive Hirst prints, cars, pots, sausages oh and a full sized Chinese takeaway! A real inspiration.

Richard Long One thing leads to another – Everything is connected

London Underground

60,000 prints handed out. If i was being very cynical (which of course i wont') then surely this is just good advertising for longs Tate show. Re-brand flyers as art and whammo! Suddenly we are more interested...or are we?

JUNE OLIVER BARRATT

BEARDSMORE GALLERY, LONDON

As if modernism never died, we have here, a more polished version of moderist sculpture, shining back to us our own post-modernity. Yes, some of the forms our nice, but my over-riding feeling is this is too much, too late.

Don Joint

FRED, London

I loved the way the works were framed here, it gave the work a more, rugged edge. The Mummy (2009), was the best work in the show; a daft use of Egyptian styles made me smile from ear to ear.

Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Collection

Mori Art Museum, Tokyo

A wonderful collection of work is on show here. We have many great name artist including the inspired work of Carsten Höller and Olafur Eliasson. One criticism is that the although it is a fine collection it is only of big names, you can here a shopping list in your head when you go round. The exhibition and collection could be improved with having some surprises, by some surprising (less well known)artists.

AILLEURS

FIVE YEARS, London

This rather wonderful exhibition features Marcel Dinahet, Ron Haselden, Lizzie Hughes, Lucy Reynolds and Hugh Stoddart. Lucy Reynolds work is very poetic, and defiantly the best of the bunch.

TALK SHOW

ICA (INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS), London

There so much going on here, it is great to see the ICA still pushing the boundaries in terms of the exhibitions it puts on, but also the forms of these things loosely described as exhibitions. Great stuff guys.

GERHARD RICHTER PORTRAITS

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, London

He effortlessly describes our relationship with images and our reliance on photography of the mediation of truth. Often cut from magazines, we are reminded of their slipperiness literally with the blurring of paint, which in turn reminds us that we are looking at paintings, not photos.

Alice Neel

David Zwirner, New York

Ruth Nude 1964, it typical of Alice Neels style; stylistically clumsy work which says as much about the artist at the sitter, the outline of the nude is a heavy black mark, if we were in a life drawing class she would be told to do it again, but thankfully we are not and so we can enjoy Alice Neels quirky style in the full.

ANRI SALA: “Purchase Not by Moonlight”

Marian Goodman Gallery, NY

Some mildly interesting video works here. I think the exhibition is trying to do to much, and it would be great if there were fewer works individually displayed in different rooms.

MOOT

CONTEMPORARY ART SOCIETY,LONDON

The fourth Rotate exhibition features Dan Ford, Mark Harasimowicz, Sara MacKillop, Pat O'Connor, Richard Paul, Seth Pick, Rachel Reupke and Magali Reus. I really liked the work in the space, the office environment was strangely challenging and made the office works into performers, i don'tthink this was the point but i liked it all the same.

John Kenny

3 Bedfordbury Gallery

Colonialism, is the first word that comes to mind in this exhibition, it seeks a sort of exoticism that doesn’t really exist. I think there is a moral argument to be made here, who or what owns these images? Is it right to capture these peoples images?Is it purverse to look at cultures as aesthetic products?

JÜRGEN MÖBIUS

ADAM GALLERY, LONDON

One assumes that the artist listens to the dark side of the moon in his studio and needed a title for his exhibition; THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON. Unfortunately, we do not have anything ground breaking as the Pink Floyd Album here, and like listening to The Dark Side of the Moon in your studio, is a little stylistically retrospective.

Nobuyoshi Araki “69YK”

Takaishii Gallery, Tokyo

Araki’s work oscillates from mild porn to abstraction and back, very much in the theme of the macho artist, Pollock etcetera, we can expect some peacock strutting flamboyancy on the year of his 69 birthday.

Siobhan Meow at Umbrella Haus

Gallery

Finally being able to view Ms. Meow's exquisite little Cat Icons from "Her Children Of Bast" series in person, up close, is a rare and delightful treat which I took my good time absorbing and savoring. The Portraits of Feline Persons from Her Hospice for Abandoned and Abused Cats buzzed and glowed with the sinuous, crackling energy of a fuzzed up electric Blues Guitar solo played full blast through a tiny, distorted old tube amp! I needed to memorize the sensation these paintings left me with to keep myself asthetically nourished in the great cultural wasteland New York City has become in the twentyfirst century. Ms. Meow takes her job as a painter with a serious good nature and love of craft. Her lush colors seem to be applied with lipstick but she assures me it's just Oil Pastel and Graphite, a medium she prefers for both its immediacy and intimacy. Her Cats gaze down upon us with iridescent eyes full of wisdom and love like so many Buddhas. Absent is the irony and contempt towards the viewer that is the hallmark of most contemporary art today, replaced with Ms. Meow's honest empathy and compassion for Her subjects and her art. As I sit in the gallery space basking my eyes in the Feline eminence, the portraits become landscapes, each cat becoming a cluster of mountains, the fur, foliage; its eyes, the sun and the moon and I realize what a truly great Artist Siobhan Meow is and wonder why no other painters I know of today pack as much soul sating satisfaction in their work as She does. I realized it is just that love and compassion she has for those abandoned Cats that overflows into and informs Her Art. That each painting is a byproduct of her love and joy and grief that comes with her true vocation as a trusted human servant in a temple dedicated to the Children of Bast. Each Icon is a Prayer!

Breakfast of Champions

YINKA SHONIBARE SPACE, LONDON

Based on Kurt Vonnegut’s 1973 science fiction novel, this lively show is both timely, and a good use of the new Shonibare space.

The Edge of Vision: Abstraction in Contemporary Photography

Aperture Foundation

I felt that 'The Edge of Vision: Abstraction in Contemporary Photography' was a great victory for curator Lyle Rexer. It showed the breath and depth of abstraction, and its importance in photography. An awesome show. Bill Armstrong, Carel Balth, Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin, Ellen Carey, Roland Fischer, Michael Flomen, Manuel Geerinck, Shirine Gill, Barbara Kasten, Seth Lambert, Charles Lindsay, Edward Mapplethorpe, Chris McCaw, Roger Newton, Jack Sal, Penelope Umbrico, Randy West, Silvio Wolf, Ilan Wolff

CAMILLA LYON & JANE WARD

ROOM, London

Camilla Lyon and Jane Ward are names to look out for in the future. Their current show at room artspace, is entertaining and beautiful an extended musing on utopia and dystopia. WONDERFUL!

Charles Ray

Matthew Marks Gallery, NY

I don't think I have ever been so bored. This is conceptual art at it's most egotistical and self-referential, it is also extremely forced. A very poor show.

Nam June Pak

James Cohan Gallery, NY

Nam June Pak, will be remembered as a pioneer of Video installations. The artworks such as 'Beuys Voice, 1990' are humorous and sharp, the experience lively and enjoyable. I hope to see a large retrospective at Moma ...soon...!

Thomas Joshua Cooper

Haunch of Venision, London

There is nothing wrong with these images, nice shots of the Antarctic. But they are just so dull, using long exposures, the artist captures every photographer cliche in just a few images. HOF: We expect more.

DAVID RATCLIFF

Maureen Paley, London

Ratcliff's work is a combination of spray paint, and Acrylic. They have the look of photocopied sheets, with the copier set to 'very dark'. I think the graininess of the images work well and gives it a grumbling awkwardness that I love.

Maurizio Anzeri

Rifle Maker, London

His works on old photographs cover well trodden ground, sewing into photographs with attractive - but - meaningless thread work. His sculptures have got something more to them, although again, sculptures made out hair is stock amateur artist territory.

Lee Maelzer Invisible Stoic

Carter Presents, London

It never ceases to amaze me how many different ways galleries write about art that has trees in it. "Maelzer's trees are both majestic and complex. She takes them apart as pure matter, then reconstructs them as pure paint". What ever that means! Aside from feeling like the Press release wasted a few precious moments of my life, the work is inviting, honest and (the word that is never written in press releases) Pretty.

Richard Hamilton

Gagosian; 17-19 Davies Street London W1K 3DE

I would like to see a Richard Hamilton retrospective at Tate mod. I think he is undervalued as an artist. The man is incredibly creative, and always inventing and re-inventing art. The Gagosian show is slick and impressive.

Clay Perry

England & Co, London

Romantic portraits of artists from the 60's, funny to see yoko acting out and it is nice to remember (with rose tinted glasses) the past. But in terms of actual 'art' interest, there is little.

CINDY SHERMAN

SPRÜTH MAGERS LONDON

Surprising how many times you can do the same thing and still make it interesting. This new body of work by Cindy Sherman, still manages to surprise. The women in these images are complete with bad make up, and look perhaps a cross between low budget Italian porn and Italian soap opera.

Ulysses Davis

American Folk Art Museum, NY

If you ever grow tired of the mainstream American Avant Guarde, then check out the wonderful American Folk Art Museum. The carvings of Ulysses Davis are inspired outsider art. http://www.folkartmuseum.org/

Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Francis Bacon is one of the finest British painters the world has ever seen. His spectacular retrospective, is one of the first in NY for 20 years, it is magnificent tribute to an inspired individual.

JOEL CROXSON

DICKSMITH GALLERY, London

Mostly, a very standard show of abstract paintings, some break from the rain comes in the form of paintings that look like flags, including skimpy poles. Otherwise, creatively uncreative.

FRIEDEMANN HAHN : FILM NOIR.

Flowers East, London

Hahn's artworks are often Naively endearing, using film as subject matter to make paintings, but not in a cool-ironic Pop way but a lovingly, train spotter like way.

RACHEL GOODYEAR

Pippy Houldsworth, London

One of the most wonderful, lyrical artists about, the works are odd, (grannies kissing bears!!), lots of sexy underwear, over sized birds. Loved it!

Boarderland 2009

DAY + GLUCKMAN

Rather predictable 'investigations' into 'landscape: from the urban and artificial to the natural and wild'. Yawn, someone wake me up when this show is finished, oh it is, thankfully.

British Surrealism & Kitchen Sink

The Mayor Gallery, London

Eileen Agar's An Exceptional Occurrence, 1950, is the best work in this exhibition, some suprises, especially the weird surrealish, in that they are a lot darker, than mainstream Surrealism Dali et all. Interesting me thinks.

drawing 2009

drawing room

A wonderful fund raising idea, A4 works of paper by loads of artists. Jake And Dinos's appears to be drawn on the letter that was sent to them. Great stuff. Including artists; Peter Blake, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Gary Hume, Douglas Gordon, Liam Gillick, Antony Gormley, Mona Hatoum, Michael Landy, Peter Liversidge, Christopher Orr, Cornelia Parker, Peter Peri, Eva Rothschild, Thomas Scheibitz, Raqib Shaw, Gavin Turk, Cerith Wyn Evans, Martin Westwood

WAITER WAITER, THERE'S A SCULPTURE IN MY SOUP

Pump House Gallery

Mel Brimfield, one of Ceri Hand's folk, effortlessly combines art and comedy. Often done badly, the tension between art and comedy is often best left, untouched. This exhibition is the subtlest accumulation and presentation of works on the subject. Great.

Van Dyck and Britain

Tate Britain, London

The exhibitions sections make the work manageable, and even the most hardened philistine would find it difficult not to admire the work in some form. A lovingly curated exhibition.

Turning Wood into Art

sarah myers cough

When anybody uses the term, 'international' artist, the alarm bells start to ring. If they were really 'international', it would hardly be necessary to use the term. The word 'International', belongs to a whole vocabulary of words that are the mainstay of bad press releases, a sort of wonky, amateurish language that attempts to sell things above their natural set. Needless to say, the exhibition also is pretentious and tries to hammer home it's own self-made importance.

Gladstone Gallery

Victor Man

Whoah! Scary works are on show at the Gladstone Gallery. Victor Man creates situations that leave you unsettled. Paintings, sculptures, lots and lots of black and concrete. The works are strongest because your uncertain to why they are unsettling.