Ah summer. For those immersed in art that means group shows, blockbuster one person museum exhibitions and the sleepy aftermath of Art Basel and the Venice Biennale. Summer is also the time to discover fresh names, young spaces and a general sense of enthusiastic newness. Here are ten artists you probably haven't heard of.... Yet.
Iranian-born, Chicago-based artist Lotfi works between sculpture and intensely textured paintings (which are on show this month in a temporary show Indexical Realness at Club Monaco’s store in South Hampton, NY). Her pieces, whether made from papier mache and paint, all explore ideas around abstraction often in earthy, scratched monochromes. A world without narrative never looked more interesting.
Seibel works with wood and paint – drawing on his training under Peter Doig in Düsseldorf and background as a professional guitar maker. The results are quietly brilliant paintings that explore the more serious end of conversations around abstraction. He is currently showing in a group show at a new space with very good taste called Westminster Waste until June 25th.
Young London gallery Union Pacific got quite a scoop getting this artist and their current solo show in their project space in Whitechapel is close to unmissable. It balances Gasser’s incredible collage-like approach to painting, weird little hooded figures and a menstrual-red sculptures. The result is a take on the dystopian that is hypnotically good. The show is on until July 4th.
“Face (After Max von Moos)” (2015)Image courtesy of the artist and Union Pacific. Photography by Oskar Proctor
British artist Spurr’s floor sculptures have popped up in group shows at Cell Project Space and James Fuentes, but this is well deserved solo show in Hackney. It continues her fascination with the placement of objects placed on floors and against walls – in this show’s case found materials from domestic interiors reworked into ruminations on the history of sculpture. The artwork will be showing at ANDOR until June 27th.
From TodayImage courtesy of the artist and ANDOR. Photography by Tom Carter
With one of the most delightfully difficult names in art, Polish artist based in Berlin Pyszczek is brilliant with wall reliefs – with works hovering between pop sculpture and abstract painting. He is currently in a group show RIO at Office Baroque in Brussels and will be showing alongside Donna Huanca at Peres Projects from June 27.
“Playground Structure (Grid)” (2015)Courtesy of Peres Projects
Lorena Lohr (who has shown with Cob gallery and published photo zine Ocean Views) is a young artist with a great skill for capturing the grimy edges of public space and modern life. She takes us to the badly taped walls, stained tables and motel windows with an expert leftfield eye. One to seriously watch.
Royal Academy graduate Stones has a great breadth of approach from video, animation, installation and a penchant for office supplies and house flies. His last show in London was inspired by amateur fan fiction and the writing of 1960s writer-artist Joe Brainard, who gave up art in his 30s. Stones’ film of a moving, wriggling, human-like bloody discarded plaster is hypnotic.
From Joe Brainard Fan Fiction 2015Photography by Gabriel Stones
It’s not just young artists that slip through the cultural radar. One of the great discoveries in the very figurative ‘June: A Painting Show’ at Sadie Coles in London. One the Chicago Imagists who blew up in the 1960s, her cartoon muted-psychedelic interiors and bodies are decidedly fresh and can be seen reflected in current hot painters like Nicholas Party. A lovely shock from the old, showing until August 15.
From JUNE: A Painting ShowCopyright the artist. Courtesy of Sadie Coles HQ, London and Corbett vs Dempsey, Chicago
Cosmos Carl is quickly becoming one of the best online art exhibition projects these days – with temporary links put up for shows from the likes of Rob Chavasse that come then disappear. The latest is an educational-style animation film on antiquity, architecture and form by Icelandic artist Hjorvar, who makes work with a fat dose of information.
“Laocoön/Axis” (2015)Courtesy of Geirthrudur Finnbogadottir
Lloyd-Evans makes brilliant grid-like paintings made with packing cardboard and painted scrawled panels in black, white, grey and sepia. Figurative elements (such as drawings or wrenches and saws) wander in to these at first abstract works which are often exhibited with semi-industrial sculptures. Good stuff.
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