Condo returns to London once again after a brief hiatus due to the pandemic, having become one of the standout events in the city’s gallery calendar. Founded in 2016 by Vanessa Carlos (director of London-based Carlos/Ishikawa), Condo was conceived as a large-scale exchange project that encourages the expansion of gallery programs beyond borders. Taking its name from “condominium,” galleries in host cities share their spaces with other galleries from around the world, providing a rare opportunity to share resources and hold experimental exhibitions. Condo has had many editions over the years, with exchanges taking place in cities such as New York, São Paulo, and Shanghai. This year’s London edition features the participation of 50 galleries in 23 spaces across the city, marking the beginning of the year with an influx of fresh creative energy.
Arcadia Missa presents Bridget Donoghue (NYC) and High Art (Paris) – Foyer – John Russell. Foyer’s ominous press release warns of angels, the dead, and the living. Visitors may find themselves in purgatory as Russell humorously transforms Arcadia Missa’s Mayfair space with this site-specific intervention. The new work recalls his previous piece, Well, a large-scale vinyl print of lava erupting through the floors, perfectly installed at Bridget Donoghue’s gallery in NY in 2021. This is a work that must be experienced in person to truly appreciate it.
Soft opening, welcoming LambdaLambdaLambda (Prishtina) – Portals – Heinz Frank, Sharona Franklin, Vedran Kopljar, Hanne Lippard, Hunter Longe, Emile Rubino, Dardan Zhegrova.
Bringing the youthful spirit of Kosovo to Hackney, LambdaLambdaLambda gallery advocates for artists from Kosovo and the Balkans. Portals is a collective exhibition that explores openings in various forms, from the cracks of Hunter Longe’s wall-based relics, hinting at connections to other worlds, to the playful photography of Emile Rubino, which transforms the domestic familiarity of the humble washing machine. Also mentioned is the hypnotic clock made of spoons by Sharona Franklin. Hanne Lippard’s mirrors also trap us in the loop of her digital curses. Portals invites us to look into the void, presenting works that allow us to see from alternative perspectives.
Carlos/Ishikawa presents works by Libasse Ka, which will mark his first major solo exhibition and his first presentation in the UK. Inspired by the geometric figures of Mondrian and the painter from Ghent Mario de Brabandere, Ka’s abstract paintings have a playful freshness, experimenting with color and form. New York-based gallery Chapter will exhibit the work of Cheyenne Julien and Stella Zhong. Zhong’s paintings are charged with existential uncertainty, composed of spheres occupying voids of unlimited potential; the darkness and scale of the works force us to shift perspective towards the minute. Julien’s work portrays intimate themes inspired by her personal relationships, highlighting the interdependencies of bodies and their contexts, with highly saturated and dreamlike-looking paintings. Vienna-based gallery Galerie Kandlhofer showcases the work of Richie Culver, a multidisciplinary artist who explores gender, class, and the alienating impact of technology on our lived experience, known for the humorous lyricism of his text-based canvas works that offer poignant social critique. Culver will also present a performance titled “Exit Strategy,” which will take place throughout the opening weekend.