Posted on Mar 13, 2023

OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IN BERLIN

1-MONTH STUDIO PROGRAMME

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Following the launch of Roman Road Studios in March 2023 with a first cohort of artist in London (UK), Roman Road is pleased to announce the second cohort under Studio Programme will take place in Berlin (Germany) starting in April 2023.

 

 

Deadline for applications: Friday 24th March 2023

 

Should you be experiencing any problems downloading the application form, please email us at studios@romanroad.com.

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Posted on Mar 8, 2023

OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IN LONDON

3-MONTH STUDIO PROGRAMME

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Advancing on its mission to create a cultural and community-driven space fostering collaboration and cross-pollination of artists’ practices, Roman Road is pleased to announce the launch of Roman Road Studios – an initiative providing a unique opportunity for artists to expand the parameters of their practice through a tailored studio programme.The first Studio Programme will welcome four artists in Bethnal Green, East London, for a period of 3 months starting on 31 March 2023.

 

Deadline for applications: Friday 24th March 2023

 

Should you be experiencing any problems downloading the application form, please email us at studios@romanroad.com.

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Posted on Mar 2, 2023

OPENING | Bury a Friend

Thursday 16 March 2023 | 6 - 8 PM

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We are thrilled to present the second exhibition of our 2023 programme, Bury a Friend, a multimedia group show curated by Marisa Bellani, featuring ultra-contemporary works by Johanna Bath, Sonya Derviz, Jack Laver and Mia Vallance. Throughout the display there’s a prevailing sense of curiosity and catharsis that materialises from the varied pieces, with each artist digging beneath the surface of the visible to unravel or challenge existing forces of power and the endless corridors of our minds. Bury a Friend opens on Thursday 16 March from 6 – 8 PM and will be on display at Roman Road, Notting Hill, until 14 April 2023.

 

Opening: Thursday 16 March 2023, 6 – 8 PM

Exhibition: Friday 17 March – Friday 14 April 2023

Location: 50 Golborne Road, London W10 5PR

 

 

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Posted on Feb 16, 2023

POP-UP EXHIBITION: Pâme at Roman Road

23 February - 04 March 2023

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Roman Road is delighted to host a pop-up shop by Pâme, opening on 22 February from 6-9 PM at our gallery space in Notting Hill. Curated by Pâme’s founder, Taylan Aygun, this pop-up display will focus on a new set of limited edition silk postcards, two of which are by artist Alix Marie, whose work has been previously shown in solo and group shows at the gallery.

 

A large framed work by Alix Marie will also be displayed by the entryway and throughout the gallery a variety of pieces from Pâme’s previous collaborations, as well as their new line of original and antique erotic discoveries, mostly displayed on the walls.

 

Opening Wednesday 22 February, 6 – 9 PM

Continuing until 04 March 2023

Open everyday from 1 – 7 PM

 

Roman Road

50 Golborne Road

London W10 5PR

 

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Posted on Feb 1, 2023

AN EVENING OF POETRY AND PERFORMANCE

Wednesday 08 February | 6:30 – 8 PM

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Roman Road is delighted to host a special evening of poetry and performance

 

with

 

Allegra Handelsman

Dominic Sidaway

Viktoria Tchibor

Alfreda Maxwell

Alina Vergnano

 

Seeking to create a dialogue between the visual and lyrical by exploring the interconnection of art and words, four poets and one musician have created written work, each a response to one of the five paintings in Roman Road’s current group exhibition when i was walking on the edge of a teacup.

 

By creating new poetry profoundly inspired by existing art, which is itself a response to the written word, these performances will throw an echo to highlight the familiarity of the human experience, still with a personal perspective.

 

At 50 Golborne Road

London W10 5PR

 

RSVP essential to rsvp@romanroad.com

 

 

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Posted on Jan 13, 2023

OPENING | when i was walking on the edge of a teacup

Thursday 19 January 2023 | 6 - 8 PM

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Marking the start of Roman Road’s 2023 programme of exhibitions, we are excited to announce the opening of when i was walking on the edge of a teacup, a group show bringing together works by five emerging artists exploring the uncertainties and fragilities of life. The display will feature new and unique pieces by Alina Vergnano, Minh Lan Tran, Harriet Gillett, Channatip Chanvipava and John Fou, which will be shown alongside a poem by Sonny Hall, exploring the interconnection between art and words within a space where sensuous and emotional visual dialogues converge. when i was walking on the edge of a teacup opens on Thursday 19 January from 6 – 8 PM and will be on display at Roman Road’s gallery in Notting Hill until 17 February 2023.

 

Opening: Thursday 19 January 2023, 6 – 8 PM

Exhibition: Friday 20 January – Friday 17 February 2023

Location: 50 Golborne Road, London W10 5PR

 

 

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Posted on Dec 21, 2022

IN CONVERSATION | Daisy Dodd-Noble and Stephanos Georgiou

Thursday 12 January 2023 | 6.30 PM

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We warmly invite you to join us for a special talk event on the occasion of our current solo show Daisy Dodd-Noble: Landscapes from the UK. After a guided exhibition tour with Roman Road’s founder and creative director Marisa Bellani, Daisy Dodd-Noble will be speaking with Landscape Architect Stephanos Georgiou from Dan Pearson Studio and special guests about the British landscape now and next, reflecting on the long-term effects of climate change.

 

 

On Thursday 12 January 2023

6.30 PM: Guided exhibition

tour with Marisa Bellani

7.15 PM: Talk commences

 

At 50 Golborne Road

London W10 5PR

 

 

RSVP essential to rsvp@romanroad.com

Daisy Dodd-Noble, Sequoias and pines at waters edge, 2022. Oil on linen, 90.5 x 120.2 x 4 cm / 95 x 125 cm, with frame, unique. Courtesy of the Roman Road and the artist. © Ollie Hammick

Daisy Dodd-Noble, Sequoias and pines at waters edge, 2022. Oil on linen, 90.5 x 120.2 x 4 cm, unique. Courtesy of Roman Road and the artist. © Ollie Hammick

 

 

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Posted on Dec 5, 2022

ON VIEW | Alix Marie at Deichtorhallen Hamburg

Until 26 February 2023

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We are excited to announce that Alix Marie’s project Styx is currently on show in Europe for the first time. Originally co-commissioned by Photoworks and Ballarat International Foto Biennale in Australia, it draws on the myth of Styx to explore water deities and their contemporary manifestations, the intersection between the body and its representation, alongside experimenting with the expanded possibilities of photography.

Alix Marie: Styx, installation view, 2022. © Henning Rogge

Alix Marie: Styx, installation view, Deichtorhallen Hamburg, 25 November 2022 – 26 February 2023. Courtesy of the artist. © Henning Rogge 

 

 

In this exhibition the deity materialises in two forms; firstly as an immersive installation, which explores the cavities of the body and the ambiguous duality of internal and external space and protective environments. Secondly, the deity takes on a human form via one of the oldest techniques of stage illusion. Embodied by Marie’s long-term collaborator, performer and writer Nina Boukhrief, the goddess’ voice surrounds the space reflecting on death, light and life.

 

At Roman Road, Alix Marie’s work was recently featured in the group show Two Sisters this year, as well as in her solo shows Shredded in 2019 and La Femme Fontaine in 2018.

Two Sisters, installation view, 2022. © Deniz Güzel

Two Sisters, installation view, Roman Road x Working Project, London, 31 May – 30 June 2022. Courtesy of Roman Road. © Deniz Güzel

 

 

Follow the link below to read Crossings, the essay about Styx by Rebecca Lewin (2021).

 

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Posted on Nov 23, 2022

OPENING | Daisy Dodd-Noble: Landscapes from the UK

Wednesday 07 December 2022 | 6 - 8 PM

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We are excited to be working with British artist Daisy Dodd-Noble on her new solo exhibition Landscapes from the UK, coming soon to Roman Road’s gallery in Notting Hil. The show will feature a collection of her latest paintings, teeming with thriving trees and shrubs in idyllic landscapes. Through her practice, Dodd-Noble seeks to disassemble component parts of the traditional landscape – by presenting trees as distinguished individuals – encouraging us to consider our own uniqueness and at once our shared consciousness and interdependence with the natural world. Landscapes from the UK opens on Wednesday 07 December from 6 – 8 PM and will continue until 14 January 2023.

 

Opening: Wednesday 07 December 2022, 6 – 8 PM

Exhibition: Thursday 08 December 2022 – Saturday 14 January 2023

Location: 50 Golborne Road, London W10 5PR

 

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Posted on Nov 14, 2022

WATCH NOW: Bex Massey in conversation with Louis Wise

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On the occasion of Bex Massey’s solo exhibition The truth is out there at Roman Road, writer and editor Louis Wise joined us for a conversation with the artist, to explore the autobiographical aspects of her recent paintings and the inescapable realities and subjections of the LGBT community that inspired their making. In their open and insightful discussion, they drew upon Massey’s interest and investigation into Queer history, ’90s pop culture and the pre-internet era, while reflecting on the impact and role that Section 28 – a reviled law existing from 1988-2003 across Britain that forbade local authorities and schools from promoting homosexuality – played in shaping both their lives, and the artist’s current practice. With a similar law, the commonly dubbed ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill having been passed in Florida earlier this year, are we not witnessing history repeat itself? What can be done to break the cycle?

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Posted on Nov 5, 2022

IN CONVERSATION | Bex Massey and Louis Wise

Tuesday 08 November 2022 | 6.30 PM

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You are invited to join us for a conversation between Bex Massey and Louis Wise on the occasion of our current show Bex Massey: The truth is out there. Writer and editor Louis Wise will be discussing queerness, camp, and the long shadow cast by section 28, after a guided exhibition tour with Roman Road’s creative director and founder Marisa Bellani.

 

On Tuesday 08 November

6.30 PM: Guided exhibition

tour with Marisa Bellani

7 PM: Talk commences

 

At 50 Golborne Road

London W10 5PR

 

RSVP essential to

rsvp@romanroad.com

 

 

 

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Posted on Oct 21, 2022

OPENING | Bex Massey: The truth is out there

Tuesday 25 October 2022 | 6 - 8 PM

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For the second exhibition at Roman Road’s newly acquired space in Notting Hill, we are excited to present The truth is out there, a solo show by British artist Bex Massey. Featuring a collection of large, vibrant and hyperrealistic paintings from Massey’s first autobiographical series, the show teems with reimagined narratives exploring Queer history and identity. The truth is out there opens on Tuesday 25 October and will be on display until 26 November 2022.

Bex Massey, Pilot, 2021. © Deniz Guzel

Opening: Tuesday 25 October 2022, 6 – 8 PM

Exhibition: Wednesday 26 October – Saturday 26 November 2022

Location: 50 Golborne Road, London W10 5PR

 

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Posted on Sep 30, 2022

ROMAN ROAD’S NEW SPACE IN NOTTING HILL

Launching in October 2022

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We are extremely thrilled to announce the opening of our new gallery space in Notting Hill! Roman Road will now be running its programme of exhibitions from 50 Golborne Road, W10 5PR.

 

Marking the launch of our new space with an opening event on 04 October 2022, the inaugural exhibition is Mystical Nature, a group show exploring the world of plants and reflecting on the magical workings of our ecosystems, the plants’ competition and struggles invisible to the naked eye, and their relationship with us. Mystical Nature brings together works by four exceptional artists: Bokani, Daisy Dodd-Noble, Anna Skladmann, and Georg Wilson.

Mystical Nature, Installation View (street view), Roman Road, London, 05 -21 October 2022. © Deniz Guzel
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Posted on Jun 29, 2022

ART IN MAYFAIR | Roman Road x Arthur Sleep

From Tuesday 28 June

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Roman Road is extremely pleased to partner with Arthur Sleep for Art in Mayfair this year,

starting on Tuesday 28 June with Yulia Iosilzon and finishing at the end of July with Ellen Antico.

 

Each week one artist will take over the front window of Arthur Sleep and display one painting

within the extraordinary shoe store and factory, located at 10 Savile Row, W1S 3PF.

 

Yulia Iosilzon | 28 June – 4 July 2022

Drinks reception: Tuesday 28 June, 6-8 pm

 

Daisy Dodd-Noble | 5 – 11 July 2022

Drinks reception: Tuesday 5 July, 6-8 pm

 

Luisa Me | 12 – 18 July 2022

Drinks reception: Tuesday 12 July, 6-8 pm

 

Ellen Antico | 19 – 31 July 2022

Drinks reception: Tuesday 19 July, 6-8 pm

 

 

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Posted on May 25, 2022

OPENING | Two Sisters

Tuesday 31 May

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“Roman Road is extremely pleased to present Two Sisters, a group show exploring the themes of vision, connectivity and resilience at Working Project, Notting Hill. It brings together works by Daisy Dodd-Noble, Michael Dohr, Ariane Heloise Hughes, Yulia Iosilzon, Jack Laver, Alix Marie, Anousha Payne, Rebekah Rubalcava, Elsa Rouy and Anna Skladmann.

 

Two Sisters takes its title from Giorgio de Chirico’s eponymous painting from 1915 which represents two faceless mannequin heads whose absent eyes are signified through the motifs of a line and of open black holes resembling doors (…) Surrealist techniques liberate the imagination and offer promises of freedom for artists with a desire to dissolve the frontier between visibility and invisibility, inner and outer worlds. Symbols, myths, dreams, and magic infuse the work of the artists presented in Two Sisters who each in their own way address phenomena of transformation, transfiguration and transmutation.”

 

Ines de Bordas, 2022.

 

Opening: Tuesday 31 May 2022, 6 – 9 PM

Exhibition: Wednesday 01 June – Thursday 30 June 2022

Location: Working Project, 50 Golborne Road, London W10 5PR

 

 

 

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Posted on May 18, 2022

OPEN CALL | Greenwich Cultural Services x Revive

Applications by July 2022

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Roman Road is pleased to promote an Open Call organised by Greenwich Cultural Services and Revive which offers a grant of around € 30,000 for visual artists and creatives, to make a site-specific work to be installed by June 2024.

 

Revive is willing to commission a freestanding, permanent and outdoor work that will occupy and complement one of their sites; the old Marie Thumas factory, Leuven Belgium. The art piece will be positioned on the front terrace, having a lot of visibility to users, visitors and passers-by, while also becoming part of the identity of the project.

 

Revive is a Belgian company which position themselves as an alternative real estate agency investing in the sustainable transformation of abandoned and contaminated sites. As a company, Revive invests in a responsible way to help urban framework to further develop. Today, they are one of the frontrunners and market leaders in their industry with a key focus on environmental issues and societal challenges, aiming to bring forward solid solutions.

 

Greenwich Cultural Services was established in 2021 by Roman Road’s founder and creative director, Marisa Bellani, together with Rita Almeida Freitas, with the aim of connecting artists and companies to create synergies. GCS was born from its founders’ desire to bring art and artists to a wider audience whilst committing to sustainable solutions. Rita and Marisa, two art professionals, saw the need to respond to social and environmental issues through art. With this objective at the core of the company, they commit to propose a diverse range of sustainable solutions and to working with companies with the same goals.

 

The artwork is to be produced for June 2024 in Leuven, Belgium. Applications are due by July 2022.

 

 

Marie Thumas, Site in Leuven

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Posted on May 18, 2022

Introducing | Greenwich Cultural Services

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Roman Road is excited to announce Greenwich Cultural Services. The project was established in 2021 by Roman Road’s founder and creative director, Marisa Bellani, together with Rita Almeida Freitas, with the aim of connecting artists and companies to create synergies. GCS partners with brands and companies to make contemporary art more accessible and more widely shared, operating around the world to develop strategies that enhance brands’ visibility and bring them closer to their targeted audience. GCS helps develop an increasingly creative work environment for staff to enjoy and shedding a new light on their public positioning.

 

GCS was born from its founders’, Rita Almeida Freitas and Marisa Bellani, desire to bring art and artists to a wider audience whilst committing to sustainable solutions. Rita and Marisa, two art professionals, saw the need to respond to social and environmental issues through art. With this objective at the core of the company, they commit to proposing a diverse range of sustainable solutions and to working with companies with the same goals.

 

For further information or any queries, please email info@romanroad.com

 

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Posted on May 11, 2022

EXHIBITION | Luisa Me: The Crane at the Bottom of the Sea

Wednesday 11 May

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We are pleased to announce that Luisa Me: The Crane at the Bottom of the Sea opened on the 10th May 2022 at Roman Road. For this exhibition the artist duo Luisa Me bring a magnetic exploration of human connection against the daily grind and constant expansion of the city. They present you with interplay between light and dark under an omnipresent, radiant sun, whilst blurring the boundaries between conceptual, representational and narrative art. Visit Roman Road to discover unique works by the duo.

 

Exhibition: Wednesday 11 May – Friday 15 July 2022

 

Location: 69 Roman Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 0QW

 

 

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Posted on Dec 17, 2021

YULIA IOSILZON X ROMAN ROAD OBJECTS ‘FUNGI FOLLY’

Wednesday 1 December

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Roman Road Objects launches with Fungi Folly, a dinnerware collection by artist Yulia Iosilzon. The ceramic objects are an expansion of Iosilzon’s most recent exhibition ‘Paradise Is Not Just a Place’, where she depicts themes of human-animal metamorphosis from everyday life and social protests; conveying the concept of a heightened glorification of nature, which conceals its cruel actualities through the use of childhood cartoons and mythological tales.

 

Roman Road Objects launches with Fungi Folly, a dinnerware collection by artist Yulia Iosilzon. The ceramic objects are an expansion of Iosilzon’s most recent exhibition ‘Paradise Is Not Just a Place’, where she depicts themes of human-animal metamorphosis from everyday life and social protests; conveying the concept of a heightened glorification of nature, which conceals its cruel actualities through the use of childhood cartoons and mythological tales.

 

Fungi Folly is now available on our online store by following this link.

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Posted on Dec 1, 2021

CATALOGUE RELEASE: PARADISE IS NOT JUST A PLACE

Wednesday 17 November

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Roman Road is pleased to announce that the new catalogue of our current exhibition Paradise Is Not Just a Place is now available in our online store.

 

Including a foreword by Roman Road’s founder and director, Marisa Bellani; Anna Souter’s essay After the Garden; sketches of the exhibition plan; and images of the artworks found in the gallery, the catalogue has been carefully stylised and designed.

 

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Posted on Nov 10, 2021

IN CONVERSATION: ANNA SOUTER IN CONVERSATION WITH YULIA IOSILZON & ANNA SKLADMANN

Wednesday 17 November | 7.15 PM GMT

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Roman Road invites you to a conversation between writer, researcher, and curator Anna Souter and artists Yulia Iosilzon and Anna Skladmann.

 

Throughout the evening, speakers will discuss our current exhibition Yulia Iosilzon & Anna Skladmann: Paradise Is Not Just a Place in the context of cross-disciplinary processes, the exhibition as ecosystem, and their art historical references from Hieronymous Bosch to Anna Atkins. They will also explore their shared interest in the politics of plants and cultural constructions of paradise.

 

Following the talk, the public will be invited to participate in a Q&A session.

 

The event will take place at 69 Roman Road, E2 0QN. For any further enquiries, please contact us at info@romanroad.com.

 

To compliment the talk and exhibition, Anna Souter’s essay After The Garden is available in both written and audio formats:

 

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Posted on Nov 10, 2021

EXTENDED | YULIA IOSILZON & ANNA SKLADMANN: PARADISE IS NOT JUST A PLACE

Until 10 December 2021

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Roman Road is pleased to announce that due to high levels of interest, we will be extending our current exhibition Yulia Iosilzon & Anna Skladmann: Paradise Is Not Just a Place until 10 December 2021.

 

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Posted on Sep 23, 2021

After The Garden by Anna Souter | Plants & Their Symbols: Paradise Is Not Just a Place

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Roman Road is delighted to provide you with a beautiful descriptive essay to complement Paradise Is Not Just a Place. Written and narrated by Anna Souter, After The Garden discusses selected plants and their symbols, featured within the works of Yulia Iosilzon & Anna Skladmann in the show. 

 

The discussion weaves together different ideas around Bosch, feminism, vegetal ontologies, the Garden of Eden, and the cultural tropes that emerge around different plants within the works in the show. 

 

Immerse yourself into Paradise Is Not Just a Place at Roman Road, whilst listening to the careful descriptions of the plants showcased in the exhibition. 

 

The essay is available in both written and audio formats:

 

 

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Posted on Aug 9, 2021

Lily Lewis ‘Safe Places’ | New Display at The Columbia

Commencing Monday 9 August

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Lily Lewis’ works are now on display at The Columbia. Curated by our creative director Marisa Bellani, ‘Safe Places’ is now available to view in the Artist Room commencing the 9th August 2021. Lily Lewis’ display is accompanied by a digital catalogue, outlining Lewis’ intention and theme behind the works. To access and read the catalogue, please follow the link below

 

Lily Lewis ‘Safe Places’ Digital Catalogue

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Posted on Jul 27, 2021

Opening | Yulia Iosilzon & Anna Skladmann: Paradise Is Not Just a Place

Thursday 16 September | 6 – 9 PM

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Roman Road is pleased to present Paradise Is Not Just a Place, an exhibition by artists Yulia Iosilzon and Anna Skladmann. The exhibition will feature a selection of Iosilzon’s latest paintings and ceramics and Skladmann’s photography. To attend the Paradise Is Not Just a Place opening on 16 September please email info@romanroad.com.

 

Opening: Thursday 16 September, 6 – 9 PM

Exhibition: Friday 17 September – Saturday 06 November 2021

Location: 69 Roman Road, Bethnal Green, London E2 0QW

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Posted on Jul 23, 2021

This could be us by Yulia Lebedeva

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We are thrilled to share with you all the photography series This Could be Us by Yulia Lebedeva, accompanied with a text written for the project. Yulia has just finished her residency with Roman Road at The Columbia. Her works will be exhibited during the residency group show Still Journey in September. Stay tuned for more information!

Yulia Lebedeva This could be us: Rome, 2021
Yulia Lebedeva This could be us: Rome, 2021 
Yulia Lebedeva This could be us: Provence, 2021

Yulia Lebedeva This could be us: Provence, 2021 

Yulia Lebedeva This could be us: Santorini, 2021 

Yulia Lebedeva This could be us: St Tropez, 2021 

 

This could be us

 

Appropriating the stylistics of postcards, Lebedeva muses on what people now need to feel happy and connected. This could be us is translating our natural yearning to connect with people from our past, present and future. It picks up on words that have not been spoken yet and invites you into a made-up holiday that you almost feel like you have taken with your friend or lover. 

 

The project consists of carefully curated leisurely visuals that are reminiscent of holiday cliches that have been elevated to an art form with a slight patina of decadence, that the current visual social media culture has ascended upon us. 

 

No longer just a term of opprobrium for mannered art or immoral behaviour, decadence today describes complex cultural and social responses to modernity in all its forms. 

 

Shaw M (2019) Decadence and the Urban Sensibility. In: Desmarais J & Weir D (eds.) Decadence and Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 82-97.

 

Each visual is titled in a holiday kitsch font with the corresponding locations that are not their actual locations yet are presented as very much believable lies. The moments themselves are borderline lies as well. The vibrant photographs capture beautiful, almost too perfect, moments that would not have existed had they not been photographed by the artist. It is real, yet it is fake. This penetrates the idea of people living parallel lives through the carefully curated and conceptually approved photographs that illustrate a prosperous and carefree life, which does not necessarily correspond to the actual offscreen image of us.

 

Each postcard is signed by hand by the artist on reverse, with the intimate message for the receiver, thus inviting us to participate in the artist’s lie. There are no faces portrayed apart from artists’ own, creating an intimate feeling as if indeed, this could be you and her about to embark on this journey. 

 

 

This journey invitation comes just at the right moment as many are still affected by the pandemic in so many aspects of our lives. Lebedeva’s exceptional cheerful and escapist execution tone is exactly what we need after almost two years of bleakness and uncertainty.

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Posted on Jul 12, 2021

In conversation with our artists in residency at The Columbia

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We are pleased to update you on the progress made by our artists in residency. Last week was the halfway mark of the residency so we caught up with the artists to ask them some questions and take a look at their works in progress. Take a look to see and read how they are going!
First off, we spoke to…

 

Yulia Lebedeva

What’s something you want to work on next? 

 

“It’s going to be a book, a lifestyle coffee table  book, about leisure and elevating leisure to an art form. I really believe that leisure is the future. We are doing less and less manual work, finding automated substitutions for it, the ultimate idea is to arrive at the place where you work less. It’ll be an accumulation of my visuals featuring all things leisure and hedonistic strives, exploring the personal commodities of my modern day muses. My subjects are always people that I know: it’s personal. I do see them as sublime goddesses, I really like the idea of elevating women and making them feel better about themselves. Even though there is a bit of decadence in the photos I think it’s done with humour — a good kind of decadence. I think it’s ok to enjoy life and I want people to feel at peace with themselves. Even though most of my work involves people, I don’t think it is direct portraits of them, it is rather situational photography that translates  my excitement and vision of that particular moment.”

 

Photo: Photograph from Yulia Lebedeva’s Goddess series. Follow @ylebedeva to learn more about their practice.

 

Juls Gabs

How would you describe the aesthetic of your work? 

 

“I would say it comes from the digital era: Google, Pinterest, Netflix mixed with the London Art Scene. The subjects are contemporary topics that are shaping our world: diversity, queer, equality, black lives matters… among others. The composition comes from traditional paintings, I am especially influenced by Romanticism and Pre-Raphaelite movements. However, my palette belongs to the digital world: pastels from Tumblr and fluorescent from Windows Paint. My digital experience does not stop at the colours, I create Virtual Reality environments in all of my paintings. This is a realm that not only allows me to expand my imagery and to stretch the concepts, but ultimately it contrasts this ideal painting with the world that we all live in.”

 

Photo: close-up from “Evasions of the Psyche” by Juls Gabs. Follow @julsgabs to see more of their practice.

 

Bex Massey

Have you used the residency to try something new in your work?

 

“Yes, I’m using the residency to look at expanding the depth of field in my paintings. Before I embarked on these three months my work had a much flatter aesthetic and would probably be best described as ‘Pop Art’. Likewise, due to the relatively short time frame I have also changed my process as this tenure would usually only establish the research phase of a given project. I am therefore using my Instagram story archive as my image library and have created an algorithm to select which date I tackle. I am also mimicking the Instagram story ratio via stretcher dimensions. This is the first time I have worked with such a narrow canvas, and it is certainly making the expanded landscape much trickier to assimilate. Exploring my ‘virtual’ connectivity since the outbreak of Covid 19 and National Lockdown’s has also been a shift in theme as my work usually discusses intersectional feminist issues. Although exploring our isolation and diminishing mental health since the pandemic feels like a pertinent departure at present.”

 

Photo: zoom-in shot of a work-in-progress by Bex Massey. Follow @masseybex to see more of their practice.

 

Ben Cullen Williams

Where do you find your inspiration and how do you stay motivated during the restricted period? 

 

“I find my inspiration from walking, looking, traveling, observing cities and the natural landscapes. I’m interested in reading technological and scientific studies, questioning the relationship between what I see, what I read and how they link. My compulsion is to just make, I’ve got to be constantly making things, a desire or need to be constantly making. Through making it helps me understand the world and understand aspects of the world in a conscious or subconscious way.”

 

Photo: prototype of a work-in-progress by Ben Cullen Williams. Follow @bencullenwilliams to learn more about their practice.

 

Ariane Hughes

Have you adapted to the theme of human connectivity in your work to respond to the residency?

 

“I guess I have because I’ve gone through the archive in my camera roll and chosen images of people in my life, or used images they have taken of me to develop my current work. I would say it’s more about  ‘Lost Connections’ with people in my life, its personal to me. Another element is the digital age, in relation to that I wanted to look at the digital image, across a few of the images I’ve made I’ve blurred the image to make it look like film stills, or to make it look like a moving image- the loading image. In recent year my work has always been in focus, this is softer impressionate approach.”

 

Photo: zoom-in shot of a work-in-progress by Ariane Hughes. Follow @arianehughes to learn more about their practice.

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Posted on Jun 14, 2021

Opening | Jack Laver & Jordan Hemingway: Strange Dreams

Thursday 24 June | 4 - 8 pm

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Roman Road in partnership with The Columbia is pleased to present Strange Dreams, an exhibition by artists Jack Laver and Jordan Hemingway. The exhibition will feature a selection of Laver’s latest paintings and Hemingway’s photography. To attend the Strange Dreams opening on June 24, please email rsvp@thecolumbia with your name, phone number and preferred time slot (4-6 pm or 6-8 pm).

Opening: Thursday 24 June, 4 – 8 PM

Exhibition: Friday 18 June – Saturday 10 July 2021

Location: The Columbia, 95-99 Lancaster Gate, London, W2 3NS

 

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Posted on Jun 14, 2021

Daisy Dodd-Noble | Currently on at The Columbia

17 May - 17 August 2021

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Daisy Dodd-Noble first exhibition of large format works curated by our director, Marisa Bellani is now on display at The Columbia. Daisy Dodd-Noble’s presentation is accompanied by an essay about the relationship between her practice and nature written by Anna Souter. To access the digital catalogue with Souter’s essay please follow the link below:

link

 

Exhibition: 17 May – 17 August 2021

Location: The Columbia, 95-99 Lancaster Gate, London, W2 3NS

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Posted on Jun 14, 2021

Artist Residency | Roman Road x The Columbia

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The Columbia and Roman Road are pleased to announce the artists of the 2021 Art Residency Programme, who are taking part in the 3-month residency for visual artists, creatives, photographers and videographers. The overarching theme of this residency focuses on ideas of human connectivity and the permeability and convergence of creative thought. We seek individuals who explore notions of 21st-century human relationships and interactions through their processes and/or conceptual research. Please meet the artists below!

 

Ariane Heloise Hughes

Hughes’ paintings navigate the tenuous threshold of the subject/object dichotomy. Through her blending of contemporary and traditional imagery, amalgamation of figuration and setting, she challenges this rigid paradigm. Throughout her practice, the female nude is a recurring subject as it personifies the subject/object dualism within the Western Canon of Art. Ariane hopes to conceive of a new visual vernacular for desire. One that operates outside the norms of conventional beauty and ‘the gaze’.

Ariane Heloise Hughes, ‘You Can’t Have Your Cake’, 2021

Ben Cullen Williams

Cullen Williams is a London based artist who works between science and art, linking the human to the non-human and working across, performance, film, installation and sculpture.

Ben Cullen Williams, ‘Living Archive’ 2019.

Bex Massey

Massey’s practice incorporates figurative painting and installation. She uses collage, traditional making techniques and modes of display to discuss ideas surrounding value-the hierarchy of image, highbrow versus lowbrow and material worth. Reoccurring themes surrounding this ‘value’ are intersectional feminist issues, the post-digital terrain and British subcultures.

Bex Massey, ‘Pilot’, 2021.

Juls Gabs 

Digital and Crypto Artist, Jul Gabs explores new existences in the digital era. Her most recent work featured a virtual display of flamingos in Google Maps. During this residency, Juls Gabs will further explore the idea of digital loopholes, Virtual Reality and the comparison between the cryptocurrency market and the art market, particularly NFTs.

Juls Gabs, ‘Bolsa de Limones’ 2020. Digital painting.

Yulia Lebedeva

A still and moving image artist, Yulia Lebedeva is driven by colour and motion and captures the excitement of now. Lebedeva’s work is rhythmic, feminine and self-evolving. Taking inspiration from artists such as Hassan Hajjaj and Cindy Sherman, her images grow from an intimate setting of one’s personal commodities, capturing the utopian dream-like setting with a steady yet playful ambience. While being a member at the residency, she plans on exploring other ways of presenting her photographs by creating collages or creating a lifestyle book.

Yulia Lebedeva, ‘Sunny Side Up’, 2019.
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Posted on Dec 8, 2020

OPEN CALL: 2021 Art Residency Programme at The Columbia

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The Columbia and Maris World are pleased to announce the launch of the Winter 2020/21 Residency Programme, offering 3-month residencies for visual artists, creatives, photographers and videographers.

 

The Winter 2020/21 programme is the second in a series of residencies at The Columbia. As part of the programme, we will be offering six creatives the opportunity to share a studio space and create new works that will be exhibited in a final showcase at The Columbia. During the programme, residents will have the opportunity to discuss and receive expert guidance on their new projects through group and individual sessions with Marisa Bellani, founder and principal consultant at Maris World and creative director of Roman Road.

 

For more information or details of how to apply, click below:

 

Deadline for applications: Monday 15th February 2021

 

Should you experiencing any problems downloading the application form, please email us at info@romanroad.com.

The Columbia, 2020. © Carla Borel
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Posted on Nov 24, 2020

LIVE STREAMING: Jack Laver in conversation with Marisa Bellani

Tuesday 01 December | 6 PM GMT

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In this live streamed conversation from the artist’s studio, Jack Laver will be speaking to Marisa Bellani about his inspirations and influences, and the symbolism and abstraction in his latest pieces of work.

 

This talk is the second episode of Maris World’s new Artist Series and will be live streamed on YouTube.

 

For more information about the artist and available works, please email us.

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Posted on Nov 3, 2020

LIVE STREAMING: Yulia Iosilzon in conversation with Marisa Bellani

Thursday 12 November | 6 PM GMT

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Coinciding with Yulia Iosilzon’s presentation of new works at The Columbia, the artist will be in conversation with Marisa Bellani, creative director at Roman Road, on Thursday 12 November 2020 at 6 PM.

 

This talk is the first episode of Maris World’s Artist Series and will be live streamed on YouTube.

 

Yulia Iosilzon, display curated by Marisa Bellani, Artist Room, The Columbia, 21 September – 21 December 2020. Courtesy of Roman Road and The Columbia. © Martin Eito
Yulia Iosilzon, display curated by Marisa Bellani, Artist Room, The Columbia, 21 September – 21 December 2020. Courtesy of Roman Road and The Columbia. © Martin Eito
Yulia Iosilzon, display curated by Marisa Bellani, Artist Room, The Columbia, 21 September – 21 December 2020. Courtesy of Roman Road and The Columbia. © Martin Eito

Yulia Iosilzon’s new works will be on display in the Artist Room at The Columbia until 21 December 2020.

 

For more information about the artist and available works, please email us.

 

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