The Shared Drive - Issue 02
Hi Everyone, welcome to the second issue of ‘The Shared Drive’! Thank you all for the support from Issue 01. For this next issue, I will be platforming two artists that I have recently had the pleasure of visiting, as well as discussing the real importance of such studio visits, and their necessary place in the art world circuit. I’m also very excited to publish the first of an on-going interview series with artists/gallerists/curators, first up being Maribelle Bierens from Night Cafe Gallery in Fitzrovia.
As ever, I hope you enjoy - feedback always welcome!
J x
This Week: Studio Visits & Spotlights
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of visiting ceramicist Holly Stevenson and textile/installation artist Ludovica Gioscia at Thames Side Studios.
Studio visits occupy a unique space in my experiences. As a curator, I find them to be the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of my role. I approach these visits as a quasi-interview, where the exchange goes beyond my conversations with artists about their work and practices. It's equally an opportunity for artists to inquire about my background, current research and opinions. This mutual exchange fosters the development of trust and understanding, a dynamic that I value highly.
I first met Holly a number of years ago at a PV where I was cooing over a few incredibly satisfying bubble-gum striped ceramic objects. In the midst of my probably over-enthusiastic analysis of these surrealist and playful objects, Holly casually mentioned she was the artist behind them. Since then, I've been a keen follower of her work, appreciating the creativity, attention to detail, and thorough research evident in each of her collections.
During my visit to Holly's studio, she graciously welcomed me into her world of fluid ceramics, immersing me in her imaginative exploration of Sigmund Freud's favoured ashtray and last cigar (illustrated in the accompanying studio snapshots). Holly employs these symbols as part of an analytical metaphor. Her vessels, crafted with meticulous attention to detail, breathe life into the ashtray and cigar, embodying gendered qualities reminiscent of male and female forms—the yonic ovular dish and the cylindrical phallic cigar. This thematic exploration extends to her ongoing shoe series, where she accentuates 'female' and 'male' aspects of flowers, resulting in a whimsical and somewhat disconcerting collection of slightly smaller-than-life-size shoes.
After a brief trip down through the surprisingly verdant Thames Side Studios, I was then welcomed by the fantastic Ludovica Gioscia into her colour-filled and joyous studio.
Gioscia's work, influenced by her Roman upbringing and the Baroque, incorporates elements from her mother's DIY science lab, psychedelic explosions, vintage jewellery auction catalogs, and more. There's a strong presence of matrilineal knowledge-sharing and belief systems in Ludovica’s works. Beyond referencing her late mother's intriguing research, her recent pieces draw inspiration from her new baby, Aria, and the challenges of motherhood and pregnancy. Particularly touching are the childlike joy evident in works like the papier-mâché 'messy play' canvases, which resonated with me emotionally. Witnessing art directly inspired by observing one's child learn and valuing their processes and development is a testament to the importance of supporting artist-mothers.
An Interview with Maribelle Bierens
Maribelle Bierens, known as a collector and notably the Director and Founder of Night Café, has been a familiar presence to me for several years, dating back to her tenure at Where's The Frame, which is still accessible here. Witnessing the growth of the gallery has been truly remarkable, as Maribelle's curatorial vision has introduced me to some exceptionally talented artists. Situated in Fitzrovia, Night Café embodies a multi-disciplinary approach, dedicated to supporting artists directly and showcasing their work in group exhibitions that accentuate the nuances of their individual practices. As part of The Shared Drive's collaborative spirit, I'm delighted to present a brief interview with Maribelle below.
Please introduce yourself and Night Café.
Hi, my name is Maribelle, and I’m a Dutch art historian and curator. Last May, I started Night Café, an emerging gallery with a concept-driven and multidisciplinary exhibition program.
You are a part of the burgeoning scene of new galleries in London. How do you find this as a curator and gallery owner?
I find it incredibly exciting to be part of the scene of new galleries opening up, many of them woman-run. This wave of galleries is positioning London in a new and exciting way, carving a name out as a city with the best emerging art scene worldwide.
What do you hope collectors and artists alike can get from your program?
I aim to run the gallery in a way that prioritises artists, making decisions that help ensure the longevity of their careers and enable their growth the most. What’s most important to me for visitors or collectors is that they find the exhibitions striking and interesting, often by selecting or doing something unexpected.
Finally, would you like to contribute any exhibitions, books, podcasts, or event spotlighted artists to The Shared Drive?
First and foremost, come and see Night Café’s current show ‘lay bare,’ featuring Sonia Jia, Marco Bizzarri, and Marc-Aurèle Debut. Also, Alice Amati’s current solo show by Danielle Fretwell is very exciting. As for books, I highly recommend Mary Gabriel’s ‘Ninth Street Women.’ For podcasts, Alexandra Steinacker’s 'All about Art' is fantastic, and Lucy Donovan’s ‘Girl&Gallery’ new podcast, which is about to launch, is certainly going to be amazing too!
Artist Spotlight(s):
It may come as no surprise which artists are this weeks spotlighted artists..!
HOLLY STEVENSON
Stevenson's work is a nod to the playful and uncanny sculptures of pop art, which have had a profound impact on outdoor artwork and creatively referenced female reproductive themes. Her pieces 'Splash' and 'The Debate' serve as exemplary illustrations of Holly's research focus. Graduating from Chelsea College of Art and Design with a Fine Art MA in 2011, Holly received support from the Stanley Picker Trust and was awarded the MFI Flat Time House Graduate Award, backed by the John Latham Foundation. Notably, she recently showcased her new ceramic installation titled 'The Debate' at Frieze Sculpture 2023, curated by Fatoş Üstek.
LUDOVICA GIOSSCIA
Ludovica Gioscia employs her studio as a laboratory for non-linear ecological experiments, utilizing a variety of materials including ceramics, fabric, papier-mâché, paper, watercolor, and wallpaper, as well as unconventional elements like cat hair, flower-distilled water, emotions, and energy. Raised in Rome during the 1980s, she draws inspiration from the city's architectural diversity and the Memphis design aesthetic. Gioscia's work intersects Electronic Baroque, Memphis, and Arte Povera, resulting in a distinctive artistic fusion.
Ludovica will be exhibiting in MATERIAL GIRLS AND THEIR MUSES: Vitrine Gallery, Curated by Marcelle Joseph (PV: 21st March, 6 - 8 pm)
Contributions to The Shared Drive:
As with last week, in this section I will be showcasing carefully chosen exhibitions, projects, and shows from galleries, artists and curators whom I closely follow. This week, I also will be including the recommendations from Curator Maribelle Bierens. For upcoming newsletters, feel free to reach out via DM or email to share any additional contributions or thoughts!
LAY BARE at Night Café, Sonia Jia, Marco Bizzarri, and Marc-Aurèle Debu.
On till 27th March.
Night Café is thrilled to present ‘lay bare’, a new exhibition bringing together the works of Sonia Jia, Marco Bizzarri, and Marc-Aurèle Debut. In this group show, the artists peel back layers of human connection to the most vulnerable part of intimacy - revealing the interdependence of our shared existences. Informed by their own personal experiences and traumas, the exhibition delves into themes of fragility, memory, and intimacy through the lens of phenomenology, inviting viewers to explore the subjective experiences and perceptions that shape our understanding of human connection
MIRROR, MIRROR, a solo show by Renata de Bonis at Lamb Gallery
PV: 14th March 6-8 pm
Mirror Mirror is the second solo exhibition in London by Brazilian artist Renata de Bonis. With this new body of work, the artist takes us through veiled realms, where flowers bloom amidst landscapes and mundane scenes transcend into quiet reflections. Renata de Bonis invites viewers into a world of ethereal beauty and profound introspection, where grief intertwines with magic, echoing through the glass frame that separates home and universe. In Mirror, Mirror, de Bonis explores the veiled passageways between life's sunlit moments and the shadowy depths of sorrow. Her paintings evoke a delicate dance between the outside and the in, where draped curtains transcend their material form to become sacred veils, revealing the intertwined nature of human existence and domestic comfort.
THERE WAS SALT INSIDE THEM, solo exhibition by Meryl Yana, at Pipeline. On till 20th April.
‘Led by ritual and spiritual instincts, Meryl Yana’s paintings emerge like a soft balm over wounds, stains, leaks and smears. They explore the boundaries between land and woman, dirt and purity. Smaller works hang alongside them, glazed and dripping with moisture… Her work peers into the deepest and most intimate parts of ourselves, a microcosm of a cell so close up it is abstract.’
GIRL AND GALLERY PODCAST - by Lucy Donovan
The Girl&Gallery Podcast is coming back with a new series about what it’s like to actually work in the art world. From opening an art gallery to working in one, Lucy Donovan has invited sme friends to give us their take on what having a career in art means and how you can too.
SHALLOW INVITATIONS, solo show by Danielle Fretwell at Alice Amati. On till 13th April.
Obscured still lifes and veiled canvases beg patience and proximity in “Shallow Invitations.” With the title, Fretwell chooses “shallow” to point to the objects of superficial value she has selected as subject matter, as well as the lack of depth in the work’s pictorial space. Depth is found elsewhere — in Fretwell’s process and the dichotomies uncovered therein. A dance between speed and slowness, concealment and disclosure, and spontaneity and control defines the work. Within this dance, Fretwell explores themes of deception and uncertainty and asks us to question what it means to get to the ‘truth’ both in painting and in the world we currently live in.
NINTH STREET WOMEN, by Mary Gabriel (a lockdown classic for me!)
Ninth Street Women: Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Grace Hartigan, Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler: Five Painters and the Movement That Changed Modern Art. Mary Gabriel explores the tumultuous lives and prolific work of five women practitioners of Abstract Expressionism in the 1940s and 50s. The book is at once a biography of individual artists, and a chronicle of an era of radicalism, experimentation, and bohemian daring that brought together a group of persevering, ambitious women connected by history, gendered location, and a shared ethos.
ALL ABOUT ART - Podcast by Alexandra Steinacker-Clark
A podcast focused on demystifying the art world. Follow Alexandra here to view events and upcoming podcast episodes.