New Order II: British Art Today great exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, London.

New Order II: British Art Today great exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, London.

David Franchi – Saturday, 25th January 2014

Virgile Ittah, Regarding The Pain Of The Other, 2013 © Saatchi Gallery, London

“New Order II: British Art Today” presents new interesting artists. The Saatchi Gallery has a long story of supporting emerging artists, and this exhibition is confirming the work that has been done during the last 25 years.

Some of the artists at “New Order II: British Art Today” are displaying their graduating work, others are a little bit more experienced. All of the 13 artists who take part of “New Order II: British Art Today” are talented and producing art in the UK today.

From sculpture and painting, to installation and video, this selection of artists employ a hybrid of traditional and contemporary techniques and materials, which revitalise existing visual languages.

Interesting are the wax figures of the French born Virgilie Ittah, who recently graduate and lives in London. Her statues present perfect heads but the bodies slowly degrade, so the feet are outlined: “My work talks about the mental illness. My father suffers, he is bipolar. The statues represent the dichotomy between the soul and the body. I made no cast but directly use the wax.” said Ittah.

Abstraction returns in the shape of interior décor in George Little’s paintings, with satirical intent in Dan Rees’ plasticine covered panels, or revived in unconventional and contrasting materials in Dominic Beattie’s pieces. Finbar Ward’s paintings are stacked on the floor like minimalist sculptures; and the sensory and sonic are embodied in Hannah Perry’s immersive installation.

New Order II: British Art Today features works by Dominic Beattie, Sarah Dwyer, Nick Evans, Tom Gidley, Kate Hawkins, Virgilie Ittah, George Little, Oliver Osborne, Hannah Perry, Martine Poppe, Mary Ramsden, Dan Rees and Finbar Ward.

Entry is free.

New Order II: British Art Today exhibition opens to the public on 24th January until the 23rd March 2014, at the Saatchi Gallery, London.