Roadside Art

Nothing to do on a sunny/rainy afternoon? Want to expand your mind? Frantically needing inspiration for a brief that's due on Monday? Look no further than Bethnal Green. There are tons of little galleries tucked in between houses, warehouses and industrial buildings in the roads in between Whitechapel and Bethnal Green, and newexhibitions.com is a fantastic resource on up and coming exhibitions in the UK. Try to pick up one of their maps in any gallery.

So, back to Bethnal Green. It's a rather quiet place in the day that turns up its seediness dial when the streetlights come on, has a few interesting cafes and pubs, and a large dose of art. The artworks on show range from the quietly pretty paintings on womanly strength by Honey Im, to the crazy and NSFW Ninja Turtle Sex Museum by James Unsworth. Galleries are small and hard to find unless you have either the map that I mentioned above, or a lovely tour guide like I did. Here's a few highlights from my gallery trawl today:

WILKINSON
50-58 Vyner Street E2 9DQ

Ciprian Muresan
2 Sep - 3 Oct 2010

A book on Vemeer written entirely by hand, the Communist Manifesto in pig latin, and a deeply unsettling film that presents a world where choice, security and authority are questioned.

While you're in the gallery, also check out Group Show by Morag Keil on the upper floor.

Dog Luv, 2009

FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS
21 Vyner Street E2 D9G

James Unsworth
Ninja Turtle Sex Museum

This exhibition is strictly NSFKids/EasilyOffendedPeople/ConservativeAsians (lol) because it's full of hyper-unreal imagery depicting murder, sex and dismemberment. The artist's influences include 1960s horror movies, homosexual serial killers, slash fiction and The Ninja Turtles. Beautiful linework forms "delicate" drawings of acts of disembowelment, degradation and desecration, something which you will have to see to know what I am talking about. It's all in good fun, and certainly an eye-opener.

Turtle Power, 2010

GOODEN GALLERY
25A Vyner Street E2 D9G

Sean Branagan
Take me anywhere, I don't care. I don't care.
3 Sep - 17 Oct

A really beautiful and haunting exhibition of "moving" paintings. The artist attempts to breach "The Real" using projectors and lcd screens as vehicles for time, light and movement that emanates from within the work. The paintings at first glance are "paintings", until they bat their eyelashes at you or open up their feet to reveal multi-coloured soles. If you're looking to challenge your viewpoint on what a painting should be, go take a look at this and never think the same way again.

Chicken, 2010

As you can see, the galleries are just a short walk from each other and full of thought provoking art. Spend an afternoon wandering though the small lanes along Vyner Street and you'll find amazing things. There's even a vintage store near Bethnal Green station called Ayako where I got a gorgeous jacket for just £7, and Approach Tavern along Approach Road sells yummy Fruli Strawberry Beer and hearty soups for less than £10.

Leave a comment if you need a guide. :)