With the Gasworks gallery closed for now (reopening on 1 Oct) and Newport Street Gallery closed for the foreseeable, you might be feeling a tad culture deprived. We would like to share with you a little gallery in Elephant and Castle that has recently come to our attention, The Drawing Room.
The Drawing Room is a space to discover both historic and contemporary drawing in an open and accessible manner. They have an impressive art library and (probably not right now) have a series of talks, artist led projects, and hands on learning. The show currently on until the end of October is called ‘Not Without My Ghosts: The Artist as Medium’ and features work by Victor Hugo, Yves Tanguy, Sigmar Polke and William Blake, with many newer artists who, unlike those guys, are still very much of this mortal coil.
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of the metaphysical, occult, and communicating with higher powers to 18th and 19th century society. This was not missed by artists and writers, who often considered themselves to be mediums who could communicate with the dead and other spirits. The output which resulted from this communication was strikingly at odds with prevailing artistic tradition at the time, which was increasingly concerned with learned artistic forms and rigorous training. The exhibit moves into the 20th century by examining current artists who continue using the concept of the unseen to grapple with the ambiguities of the world around us. Quite prescient given how 2020 has unfolded.
Not Without my Ghosts is totally free but it’s best too book first. It should be noted that most of the works in this exhibit are sketches and drawings, so don’t go in expecting a blockbuster experience. But on the bright side, after the show you might find a way to have a nice chat with your auntie Vera who popped her clogs back in 2015.
