Continuing a theme which we saw at J D Malet Gallery, three artists at BEERS London focused on the essence of human nature is in the 21st century in the fast-changing environment of this area of London around Old Street, where the human spirit all too often seems have been forgotten in the architectural race for tall buildings that fill their footprint and contribute little to the public realm or the quality of the environment at ground level. The economics of development seem to have reigned supreme over creating great places for people to enjoy.
Star of the show was Dutch artist Jerry Kowalsky’s immense sculpture ‘End of a System’ which reminded us of those huge sculptural remnants found in past civilisations such as Egypt, Greece and Rome, but, when you looked closer, you would have see that the sculpture was made from old cardboard packaging, giving it a variety of contemporary meanings – reminding us of the heritage which has created the modern world, creating a vessel that holds the human soul and brain, and reusing scarce natural materials that 20th century humans seemed to consider would last for ever.
Jerry Kowalsky, along with Iranian artist Morteza Khakshoor and Swedish artist Moley Talhaoui, came together in a joint show around the theme of Humoral Theory – a philosophy going back over 2000 years for the inner workings of the human body in which four humours acted as liquids – blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile. Cheery, but it is one way to understand the inner workings of the human body, brain and spirit which these three artists were exploring in their different ways.
BEERS next exhibition, due to open on 4th April – the abstract Norwegian-inspired landscapes of German artist Jan Sebastian Koch in ‘If Mountains Could Sing’ – is, in the current situation, available to view on-line or by appointment.