The title Not Bad For London is based on a Jason McLean drawing where a lone tree sits next to a forked river called The Thames. The tree has big googly eyes and a flowing head of hair. But, most importantly, the tree has roots.
Living and working as an artist in London can sometimes have its challenges. We are situated between the dynamics of Toronto and Detroit, in a city where Greg Curnoe, Paterson Ewen, and Jack Chambers became national icons. Perhaps, then, it is the history, and the fact that London is a challenging place to live, that so many artists have chosen to work and stay.
Not Bad For London celebrates a group of young artists who acknowledge this past, but have forged ahead, creating their own identity and relevance. These seven artists are multi-dimensional; they draw, paint, sculpt, make films, installations, zines, and sound art. Working alone or together in collaboration, their art creates an imaginary world based on the places they visit, the colours they see, and the noises they hear. With this exhibition, you are invited to discover how each artist uses their own and their shared experiences to reflect the world in which we live.
Not Bad For London is curated by Jennie Kraehling. Many thanks to Wyn Geleynse.
Contact: 519-439-0451 / info@gibsongallery.com
