To Newport Street Gallery!
Which is possibly the best free art gallery in London. Quite a claim.
Making the short visit over to Vauxhall never disappoints. NPG is the perfect size for an afternoon of art. Four main spaces, lofty and fun.
Art should always be fun. That’s not something I can say after a visit to The National Gallery.
The current NPG has a collab exhibition between three of my FAVE artists: Shepard Fairey, Invader, and yep, NPG owner Damien Hirst.
What’s the point in owning and investing in a central London gallery space if you can’t show off your own talents?
Triple Trouble (hat tip to the Beasties) is curated by Connor Hirst. Nepotism ahoy? Who gives a shit. This is bloody ACE exhibition that is well thought out and presented.
As you would hope for three anarchic artists, there’s no real order or flow to the galleries. You just wander around, and pick and mix what you will.
The photo of Sid was a favourite of mine; also the giant ashtray that was full of thousands of fag ends. You can still smell the tobacco; I still had the urge, 35 years after quitting.
The real fun at Triple Trouble is the collabs. Invader has 3D models of his signature pixel look suspended in formaldehyde. Hirst’s polka dots takeover some Andre prints produced by Shepard Fairey.
The pixels work really well in this vast space. Up close and it’s difficult to pick out the detail. You need to take a few steps back for them all to make sense.
My only moan was that I seemed to be stalked by an old fella throughout the gallery. Whenever I wanted to retreat to take in the wider picture, he was standing behind me.
Whatever.
Triple Trouble is the best exhibition yet at NPG. I always seem to say that, but I think I genuinely mean it this time. Repeated visits are needed.
