Tabish Khan, the @LondonArtCritic, picks his top 6 art exhibitions to see in May in London. Check out last week’s top 5 if you’re after more shows to visit.
Mat Collishaw: Move 37: Aftermaths and Alluvion at Seed130
Bizarre mutant creatures move balletically through the underwater remnants of humanity, including a hospital and a server farm. The work has been made using an AI engine, and with ecological collapse underway and AI use adding to it, there’s a powerful message in the work. In the adjoining room are his AI-generated flower insect hybrids, and it’s well worth seeking out this tucked-away space in the heart of the City of London. Until 31st May, free.
Gretchen Andrew: Facetune Portraits – Universal Beauty at Hope 93
Andrew takes images of Miss Universe contestants, whom many would consider the epitome of beauty. Then she uses the Facetune app’s algorithm to show how it thinks they should be ‘improved’, whether with a smaller nose, narrower waist or bigger behind. These alterations are added to the images through paint, and it’s a brilliant yet terrifying commentary on how social media and apps will never see a woman’s face and body as perfect and will always push them to change. Until 29th May, free.
Matt Golden | Golden Family: Thirty-Three Revolutions at Pi Artworks
Found drums from different eras are piled atop one another to resemble figures. It’s a reference to Matt’s late father, a drummer. While the second room is a tribute to the next generation, the Goldens often take their children on night walks to look at stars. So in a nod to that, they’ve sourced old photos of high jumpers from the era when people used different techniques, and given each a constellation name based on the rough body shape in flight – it’s a playful re-interpretation of these works. Until 17th May, free.
Maurizio Cattelan: Bones at Gagosian, Davies Street
In the smaller Gagosian on Davies Street, playful pieces by Maurizio Cattelan, golden mirrored works shot with a shotgun, are on display. It’s like a Lucio Fontana made for today’s more chaotic, self-obsessed world. Until 24th May, free.
Alighiero E Boetti: Embellishing the Sky at Ben Brown Fine Arts
Boetti created a series of works peppered with planes from fighter jets to commercial airlines. The gallery has impressively gathered many of them, so we’re surrounded by them, right down to the aircraft extending to the wallpaper. I love it when a gallery goes all-in and presents something you’d usually only see in a museum. Until 23rd May, free.
Amoako Boafo: I Do Not Come to You by Chance at Gagosian, Grosvenor Hill
Amoako Boafo’s works have taken over the larger Gagosian space on Grosvenor Hill. These impressive portraits, enhanced by the wooden structures, tables, and chairs in the space, bring us into the artist’s world. Wander in this domestic space and come across the artist’s ‘inhabitants’ that elevate the historic representation of Black figures. Until 24th May, free.
All images are copyrighted and courtesy of the respective artist and gallery. Both Gagosian photos: Prudence Cuming Associates.
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Art Critic for both FAD and Londonist. See as many exhibitions as possible and write reviews, opinion pieces and a weekly top 5 for FAD.
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