Billboards and Talismans
I Have Never Stayed So Long Anywhere xxx by Bethany Hadfield
My favourite art exhibitions to see in London this June ☀️
As we wave goodbye to May, warmer days are on the horizon, “Espresso” is playing on repeat, and it's finally starting to feel like summer. Whether you’re in the mood for some creative inspiration or just browsing, here are the must-see art exhibitions to check out during your next gallery hop 🐇
Reflections on Double Glazing by Bethany Hadfield
Billboards and Talismans, Huxley-Parlour
In her first solo exhibition with Huxley-Parlour, Bethany Hadfield presents a new series of large-scale paintings that explore the blurred line between the digital and the physical.
Employing digital 3D rendering software, Hadfield creates futuristic compositions that feature geometric patterns and shimmering surfaces. What I love about these paintings, in particular Yawning (2024) and Strawberry Boba and Ginger Beer xxx (2024), is that at certain angles they resemble biomorphic shapes and bodies of water. There’s something very unsettling about digital forms mimicking nature’s elements, which Hadfield successfully captures through her recurring motifs.
The show runs until July 6th.
Maureen by Kathryn Kerr
Phosphor, Project Native Informant
The east London gallery brings together works by Kathryn Kerr, Antonia Kuo, and Leslie Martinez, as they examine ideas of transformation and belief.
The exhibition's title, “Phosphor,” draws a link to alchemy, mirroring the artistic process itself. Like the glowing material, Kerr, Kuo, and Martinez transform the obscure into something vibrant and illuminated.
The viewer is invited to consider the materials and techniques used, from paint texture to brushwork. In one particular piece, Primordial Halo at the Ragged Edge (2024), Leslie Martinez creates a large abstract work using canvas scraps, used studio rags, plastic film stuffing, paper fragments, acrylic paint, and more. In many ways, “Phosphor” is an ode to transformation, a reminder that even the most mundane objects can become something extraordinary.
The show runs until June 29th.
Heavy Blood by Naomi Rincón Gallardo
transfeminisms Chapter II: Radical Imaginations, Mimosa House
In the second iteration of the touring exhibition, Mimosa House showcases a group show that interrogates the many issues faced by women, queer, and trans people worldwide. The current exhibition features works by Martine Gutierrez, Juliana Huxtable, Naomi Rincón Gallardo, and more.
Together, these artists reimagine icons of the past through the lens of dystopian futurism, feminist, and queer empowerment. They challenge traditional narratives, exploring themes such as religion and mythology.
As women's rights face unprecedented challenges, “Transfeminisms” offers a powerful vision: a world transcending limitations of gender, race, religion, and patriarchy.
The show runs until June 29th.