Ah, April! That magical time when we decide not to stop hitting the snooze button, and the sun, acting like a particularly eager stagehand, turns up the spotlight. Meanwhile, the art world, not one to be left behind in the dust of spring’s sudden sprint, is riding high on the momentum from Hong Kong‘s Art Basel, eagerly awaiting the artistic extravaganza at the Venice Biennale.
But fear not, for those who find Venice a bridge too far to cross, London, as ever, offers a creative feast right on your doorstep. In our Five Exhibitions to See in London in April, we provide a nice selection of expressions to keep you engaged this April. So, put on your most comfortable gallery-hopping shoes and prepare to be dazzled.
First up, we stop over in East London at Guts Gallery for Alfie Rouy‘s debut UK solo exhibition, ‘Earth Eater,’ a highlight of our Five Exhibitions To See In London In April 2024. This exhibit explores impermanence, planetary evolution, and the opportunity to find hopefulness in dark times.
The exhibition invites us to behold both the anguish of life and the potential to find positivity and pleasure in moments that feel full of pain. Rouy has titled this collection of works ‘Earth Eater‘ to convey a double meaning. The title refers to both the cycle of consumption in which Earth’s inhabitants feast on what the planet provides and how Earth itself is an eater – feeding off all that exists upon it. This exhibition aims to show how this relentless exchange allows both to mutually develop and change.
At our next stop in our Five Exhibitions to See in London in April 2024, we enter the magical world of Catalan artist Marria Pratts at London’s Carl Kostyál. Her debut exhibition promises to be an enchanting mix of monumental paintings. Pratts is known for her massive black paintings and drawings of cartoon characters—Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Felix the Cat, Batman, and the entire Simpson clan—which will leave you in awe.
Next, our journey through the Five Exhibitions to See in London in April in 2024 takes us to PM/AM in London, where we’ll immerse ourselves in the art of Vanessa Garwood.
Garwood’s unique approach involves a minimalist palette of black, white, and grey, through which she vividly captures the stark contrasts of life. Her pieces blend this visual simplicity with a dynamic presence on the canvas, infusing humour and satire. This combination creates an inviting atmosphere, making her candid portrayals of life’s challenges relatable and thought-provoking.
Then we head over to Hoxton’s Moosey for a group exhibition curated by Lisa Boudet, a key part of the Five Exhibitions to See in London. ‘MORE THAN NOW‘ features 25 international emerging artists exploring the concept of psychological safety through diverse perspectives and mediums. Free from the shackles of judgment, their creativity takes flight within a massive installation of parachutes, symbolizing a safe landing – a space for artistic expression and experimentation.
The last stop on our tour of the Five Exhibitions to See in London in April 2024 is at arebyte with Maria Than‘s ‘Homage To Quan Âm.’ This exhibition delves deep into the intricate layers of personal identity, cultural assimilation, and the evolution of self-discovery. Drawing inspiration from her upbringing in a Vietnamese-British-French Buddhist family, ‘Homage To Quan Âm‘ serves as a visual and emotional exploration of the complex journey from refusal to acceptance and understanding.
And that, art lovers, concludes our Five Exhibitions to See in London, a tour brimming with an eclectic mix of expressions and themes. We hope this whets your appetite for a month of cultural indulgence; enjoy!
Our Five Exhibitions To See In London In April 2024
Alfie Rouy: Earth Eater
Guts Gallery is excited to present ‘Earth Eater’ Alfie Rouy’s debut UK solo show, which explores impermanence, planetary evolution, and the opportunities to find hopefulness in dark times. The exhibition is an invitation to behold both the anguish of life and potential to find positivity and pleasure in a moment of time that feels full of pain. This latest peek into Rouy’s practice sees him question and grapple with the elements of esoteric writings, contradicting theories of science, and use of the media as a tool to confuse, divide and ultimately spread fear.
Alfie Rouy: Earth Eater
22nd March, 2024 – 16th April, 2024
Guts Gallery
Unit 2 Sidings House
10 Andre Street
Hackney
London, E8 2AA
MARRIA PRATTS: SOME WIZARDS IN SAVILE ROW LONDON
Carl Kostyál is delighted to present a new body of work by Catalan artist Marria Pratts, her debut at the gallery in London. Ghosts, mice and melting clocks are just some of the familiar tropes in her painterly arsenal that appear in these monumental paintings. “Twenty years ago, on a grey November day at the start of the millennium, I stepped into the frosty studio of the celebrated painter Joyce Pensato (1941–2019).
A legend in the making, Pensato worked in an industrial nave located in an urban wilderness called East Williamsburg, Brooklyn—Bushwick before Starbucks, Hermes and cafés crowded with Chads and Brads in gray fleece vests. Known for massive black paintings and drawings of cartoon characters— Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Felix the Cat, Batman, the entire Simpson clan and the manic protagonists of “South Park”—Pensato, or “Fizz,” as her friends called her, held forth on the radical freedom her location gifted her.
MARRIA PRATTS: SOME WIZARDS IN SAVILE ROW LONDON
22nd March, 2024 until 20th April, 2024
CARL KOSTYÁL
12A SAVILE ROW
LONDON
W1S 3PQ
Vanessa Garwood at PM/AM
With a background in oil based portraiture, Vanessa Garwood’s practice has since expanded to incorporate other mediums and disciplines, widening the scope for creative expression of her subject matter. With her palette reduced to black, white and grey, her exploration of life’s dramatic contrasts takes on a visually literal representation, embodying the dynamic interplay on the canvas.
Despite this aesthetic restriction, her work is replete with humour and satire, offering an approachable tone to her honest depiction of the trials of existence. A switch to acrylic paint has had an equally significant influence on Vanessa’s work, inspiring a more immediate intuition that narrows the window for contemplation.
52 (Vanessa Garwood)
27th March, 2024–28th April, 2024
PM/AM
37 Eastcastle Street
London
W1W 8DR
MORE THAN NOW: Curated by Lisa Boudet
The group exhibition at Moosey’s Hoxton gallery showcases 25 international emerging artists, curated by Lisa Boudet. The work is found within a massive installation of parachutes, symbolising a safe landing – a space for artistic expression and experimentation.
For anybody who ever felt hesitant to experiment or to be themselves, ‘MORE THAN NOW’ welcomes you. 25 artists will explore the concept of psychological safety through diverse perspectives and mediums, taking off the shackles of judgement and letting their creativity take flight. As ever, Moosey Gallery prides itself on platforming ‘proper emerging’ artists. By working closely with curator Lisa Boudet, a long-time champion of new creative talent, ‘MORE THAN NOW’ encourages these 25 artists to go beyond their boundaries and embrace the risks and challenges that entails.
MORE THAN NOW: Curated by Lisa Boudet
28th March, 2024 – 20th April, 2024
Moosey Hoxton
4 Rosewood Building
Hackney Road
E2 8GY
MARIA THUY HIEN THAN: HOMAGE TO QUAN ÂM
arebyte’s new exhibition, Homage To Quan Âm by Maria Than, delves deep into the intricate layers of personal identity, cultural assimilation, and the evolution of self-discovery. Quan Âm, the Viet name of Bodhisattva (Buddhist deity) of Compassion, Mercy and Medicine, has been the favourite goddess of many, including Maria.
Drawing inspiration from Maria’s own experiences growing up in a Vietnamese-British-French Buddhist family, the exhibition serves as a visual and emotional exploration of the complex journey away from refusal, and towards acceptance and understanding.
MARIA THUY HIEN THAN: HOMAGE TO QUAN ÂM
28th March 2024 – 19th May 2024
arebyte Gallery
Java House,
7 Botanic Square
London City Island
E14 0LG
Art Plugged is a contemporary platform inspired by a relationship with the broader arts communities. We provide our audience with curated insight into the world of art, from exhibitions to artist interviews and more.
