I have featured the wonderful curated exhibitions of Cavaliero Finn numerous times on Pargy, and they never cease to amaze me with what they come up with next! This month sees the taste-making duo putting on a show with a real difference. Beauty in the Everyday – Appreciating Still Life is a thoughtful homage to the quiet simplicity of the Dutch Still life, bringing to our attention, a carefully selected array of accomplished artists and artisans.
I’ve long been a lover of the brooding, intense presence of Dutch still-life or Stileven, and have always thought that re-imagining it is a great way for contemporary artists who are figurative, to be more explorative and conceptual, rather than purely concerned with depicting surface. Juliana Cavaliero and Debra Finn have taken this idea further, by also including high quality works by artisan makers, designers and craftspeople alongside artworks – curating a space which includes actual still lives made from these objects alongside the works of art depicting still life objects.
A good example of a Stileven, is the image below which the CF team have cleverly put together. Within the frame of this image is a tub chair made from pattern depicting illustrations of insects by the upholsterer Sam Edkins. By the side of the chair are porcelain onions and stacked paper plates by Daniel Reynolds, and resting against the wall is a painting by the artist Tony Beaver, whose works elevate humble objects to the status of beautiful centrepiece.
Below I’ve added some images and details of my favourite pieces, which include the picture “Car Boot Sale” by Trevor Burgess – a nod to Manet’s ‘A Bar at the Folies-Bergere’, and the hand thrown and hand finished miniature pots by Ceramicist Yuta Segawa who decorates his pieces using a colour spectrum of over 500 specially developed glazes. Other artists included in the exhibition are painters, Joseph Goody, Susan Sluglett, Susan Spencer, Cameron Fraser, Rebecca McLynn, Caroline Popham and Sue Blandford, ceramicists,Graham Clayton, Jo Davies, Sophie Cook and Fliff Carr, sculptor Rowena Brown and designer makers, Elli Popp and the Galvin Brothers.
Beauty in the Everyday will take place at a nineteenth century, disused furniture factory, Brixton East 1871 (100 Barrington Road, London, SW9 7JF) on Friday November 25th – 10.30 am – 6.00 pm, Saturday November 26th 10.30 am – 6.00pm & Sunday November 27th 10.30 am – 6.00pm.
Still Life chair by Sam Edkins, Bowl painting, oil on canvas, 50cm x 50cm by Tony Beaver and porcelain onions and stacked paper plates by Daniel Reynolds
Collection of Miniature pots, glazed porcelain by Yuta Segawa
Two Peeled fruits, hand built white earthenware, ht. 7cm, diameter 8cm by Danuta Solowiej
Stand Alone III, varnished acrylic on board, 35cm x 38cm by Sue Blandford
Car Boot Sale oil on board, 91 x 115cm by Trevor Burgess
Contemporary art & design gallery, Cavaliero Finn presents: Beauty in the Everyday – a curated collection of contemporary art work in response to the Still Life Genre
Brixton East 1871, 100 Barrington Road, London, SW9 7JF
Friday November 25th – 10.30 am – 6.00 pm, Saturday November 26th 10.30 am – 6.00pm & Sunday November 27th 10.30 am – 6.00pm
