Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
LOT, Bristol
19 March – 30 April
Reviewed by: David Trigg
Bristol’s Broadmead shopping district may not be the first place you think of as a venue for contemporary art, but that is exactly where the city’s newest art space is situated. LOT is a collaborative initiative led by Bristol-based artists and curators. The ‘Rudiments of Ornamental Composition’ is the response of five artists to the architectural space of the gallery (formerly home to a Poundstretcher shop), the main concern being an interest in the decorative nature of artworks.
LOT isn’t your typical pristine white art space; it has been left pretty much as it was found, complete with damp patches, peeling walls and grotty carpets. It is fitting then that this idiosyncratic space is the context for a show dealing with the decorative. Dominating the downstairs gallery Chris Barr’s striking piece features painted canvases supported by a sprawling timber construction that protrudes out into the space like some sort of mutant easel. In contrast to this are Andrew Bracey’s diminutive wall paintings and Marie-Anne McQuay’s unassuming but beautifully rendered wall drawings. Initially hard to spot, Bracey’s light-hearted pieces reference the building’s previous life by depicting various items commonly found in Poundstretcher shops such as tacky plastic toys and cheap confectionary.
Upstairs, Ruth Claxton’s arresting installation responds to the theme by presenting a cluster of small tables, mirrors and assorted ornaments. However, a closer look reveals that the ornaments have been modified into rather sinister and freakish baroque mutations. Simultaneously attractive and repellent, Neal Rock’s sickly-coloured silicone pieces appear to have been piped directly onto the walls using icing bags.
Whilst not immediately captivating, protracted attention is certainly rewarded by this exhibition with many of the works demanding closer inspection before they can be fully appreciated. Although the space itself is shabby, the show exudes confidence and a professional edge that is a credit to the organisers and artists involved.
Writer detail:
David Trigg is an artist based in Bath.
Venue detail:
LOT
Corner of Penn Street and Broadweir, Broadmead, Bristol BS1 4AW
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