Alvaro Barrington presents Grandma’s Land, a major new body of work in which the artist returns to his early experience of life growing up in the Caribbean.
For his third solo exhibition at the gallery, Barrington will take over the entirety of the Kingly Street space in Soho, creating a total environment described by the artist as a ‘universe’. Centred on three monumental, hand-built architectural structures, each installation draws on aspects of family life lived in the region, celebrating its diverse culture and landscape. Both in scale and subject, the project represents an ambitious expansion of themes that have endured since the beginning of Barrington’s career, of interwoven personal and cultural narratives and at their intersection: family, community, love, music and its vibrant materiality, as well as wider inspirations drawn from art history.
Opening immediately following Notting Hill Carnival (27-28 August 2023) – during which Barrington will present a number of collaborative projects – Grandma’s Land will bring together new works conceived for the project that expands on the region’s traditions, alongside several made for this year’s Carnival. These encompass a range of media, including painting, drawing, wallpaper, installation and, for the first time, video. Throughout, Barrington uses traditional and non-traditional materials, such as timber and burlap, that speak to the ubiquitous materials used for housing structures in the Caribbean region, mirroring his enduring concern for how different media can function as a visual tool and exist as a richly layered signifier of cultural and political histories.
As part of the exhibition, Barrington has invited his peer artists whose own diverse practices likewise pay homage to the Caribbean, its diaspora and Carnival culture to participate in the show. Two of the three structures will host works by artists Sonia Gomes and Paul Anthony Smith, creating a richly textured environment, reflecting the essence of collaboration at the centre of his practice. In addition, a new work by filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. centred on the Notting Hill Carnival will be featured as part of the exhibition.
| Duration | 02 September 2023 - 21 October 2023 |
| Times | Tues - Sat 11am - 6pm |
| Cost | Free |
| Venue | Sadie Coles (Kingly Street) |
| Address | 62 Kingly Street, London, W1B 5QN |
| Contact | 020 7493 8611 / info@sadiecoles.com / www.sadiecoles.com |