Wounded by Lorna Simpson
Here are three London exhibitions to see this November
October has become synonymous with Frieze Week, as art lovers flock to London to wander the booths of leading contemporary galleries, sneaking off to Frieze Masters for a moment of peace and quiet. This year was as frenzied as ever, with an exciting debut of new satellite fairs popping up across the city: from Paraíso (London’s first Latin American art fair) to Fair Play and London Invitational. For those still fresh off Frieze and looking for more art to see, here are three exhibitions you don’t want to miss this November.
Limbs bright with speed by Sophie Birch
The eye lives in this texture […], Alice Amati
Alice Amati presents a new solo exhibition by British painter Sophie Birch: the artist’s first with the gallery. In this new body of work, Birch takes inspiration from her residency in Rome to create hazy painted compositions that serve as emotional portals. Drawing from Carl Jung’s Memories, Dreams, Reflections and elements of Giorgio de Chirico’s architecture, Birch weaves together enigmatic narratives across her exhibition, inviting viewers to embrace that which is constantly evolving.
The show runs until November 20th.
delicacy by Johanna Bath
Love You, Bye, Soho Revue
This upcoming group exhibition is centred around platonic love. Now, I could write a whole essay on the importance of female friendships, but once again, the Substack girlies have already beat me to it. Love You, Bye explores a full spectrum of emotions tied to platonic relationships, whether it’s grief or jealousy. From figurative paintings to fluffy sculptures, the show features works by emerging talents, including Harriet Gillett and Johanna Bath. This one is truly for the bell hooks fans—if you find yourself in Soho over the coming weeks, definitely stop by and see the show.
The show runs until December 19th.
Previous & Ongoing by Lorna Simpson
Previous & Ongoing, Hauser & Wirth
Constellation by Lorna Simpson
In this solo exhibition, Hauser & Wirth bring together new works by American photographer and multimedia artist Lorna Simpson. I had the pleasure of attending the artist walkthrough, during which Simpson spoke of her practice and sources of inspiration, particularly vintage Jet and Ebony magazines. A highlight from the show was a painting titled “Constellation”: a portrait of four women looking up at the sky, their skin replaced by a constellation of stars. This artwork brought to mind Simpson’s 2021 collaboration with Rihanna for Essence, in which the artist continued her Of Earth & Sky collage series, using similar collage techniques to combine magazine portraits of Black women with celestial imagery. Through her large-scale compositions, Simpson layers a wealth of imagery that speaks to the world we live in today, toeing the line between reality and imagination. If you missed her solo exhibition at Punta della Dogana in Venice, this is a rare chance to see works by Simpson IRL in London.
The show runs until December 23rd.