News
Upcoming
Exhibition
Carol Robertson + Trevor Sutton
Heaven Earth and Human Beings
2 November – 8 December 2024
Private View 6 – 8pm Friday 1 November
Grey Gallery, 4 Helmsley Place, London Fields, London, E8 3SB
The title of this exhibition takes its meaning from ancient wisdom, believing Heaven = the Circle, Earth = the Square and Human Beings = the Triangle. ( Korean Cheonbu concept of the Dangun era).
London artists Carol Robertson and Trevor Sutton have lived and worked side by side in Hackney for 40 years, producing reductive geometric abstract paintings, prints and works on paper. Both use the circle square and triangle and both artists absorb a take on life re-ordered by careful geometry and associative colour: their work is never entirely disconnected from the real world. Robertson works with a variety of geometric formations but particularly circles, for their ideal power, their aesthetic beauty. Sutton has also worked with many different shapes and forms but is currently using triangles or working within the architecture of the grid. At Grey Gallery they bring together a mix of paintings and works on paper that explore the beautiful geometry of circle, square and triangle.
Open 12 noon to 5pm on the following weekends: 2nd - 3rd, 9th - 10th, 16th - 17th, 23rd - 24th, 30th Nov - 1st Dec, 7th - 8th Dec or by appointment info@thegreygallery.com / 07910359087
Circle image (left): Carol Robertson, Phases #4, 2020, 94 x 94cm, oil on canvas.
Square image (centre): Trevor Sutton, Dream 10951, 2017, 99 x 99cm, oil on canvas.
Triangle image (right): Trevor Sutton, The Shaking Tree, 2022, 66 x 76cm, oil on canvas.
Archive
Exhibition
Nathan Cash Davidson
Sphere of Clarity
9 - 20 June 2024
The Grey Gallery at 12A Vyner Street, London, E2 9DG
Grey Gallery presented Sphere of Clarity, a solo exhibition of Nathan Cash Davidson’s paintings in Vyner Street, curated by Laurence Noga. Two new works about the Russia-Ukraine war and a painting referencing the funeral of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh were shown alongside a survey of ten previously unseen paintings from the last decade.
Nathan Cash Davidson was born in London in 1988 and graduated from Wimbledon College of Art in 2010. He began to exhibit his large vivid paintings in 2007 at a squat in Peckham and thereafter with the dealer Hannah Barry. In 2010 he was the youngest artist to be given a solo exhibition at the prestigious Parasol Unit, one of the high temples of serious contemporary art in London.
Davidson uses imagery from a wide and surprising range of sources; Alan Sugar points from the television screen while Richard the III on his horse trots alongside in a neighbouring work. Characters from myth, history and news jostle for position in these set pieces, the exhilarating juxtapositions are at once confounding and mysterious. The paintings present familiar characters without judgement or hierarchy and once they are removed from context by Davidson's hand a timeless innocence descends on them as they look out from these pictures with a new detachment.
Davidson is also a rapper, the torrent of words typical of that musical genre follows through to his painting. These are intuitive pictures and the imagery comes thick and fast. These new works are Davidson's take on science fiction, the Old Masters and the war in Ukraine among other things. As the age of AI approaches, this work seems prescient and pertinent.
Image: Nathan Cash Davidson, Ukraine Modern Warfare, oil on canvas 120 x 202cm, 2023,
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Made in Hackney 2
11 May - 16 June 2024
The Grey Gallery, 4 Helmsley Place, London Fields, London E8 3SB
Made in Hackney 2, was a show of landscape paintings made in the artist's studio at London Fields.
Most paintings in the world are made inside, locked away from the subject, as were cave paintings 40,000 years ago. A good thing, as many of McFadyen's works measure 2 x 3 metres or more and would be impossible to cart over fields to do the plein air thing, although the pictures in this show are not huge and most are small enough to hang in a house. Canaletto also worked indoors, those gondoliers and clouds wouldn't have kept still for him. But McFadyen's pictures depict British territory, urban and pastoral, and sometimes they depict nothing much. Empty vistas and beaches hang with fleeting images of the built environment viewed from a train travelling at 100mph and others depict Scottish wilderness with a smidgen of city lights peeping in from the wings.
On this island the sea is never far away and neither is the city.
Image: Jock McFadyen, Westhaven, oil on board, 69 x 94cm, 2024
Exhibition
John Deakin, Jock McFadyen, anonymous_bosch23 & Iain Sinclair
Pariah Genius
26 April - 24 May 2024
Swedenborg House, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2TH
Cheerio Publishing, in tandem with their April publication of the mighty Iain Sinclair’s Pariah Genius, announced a month-long takeover of the historic and beautiful Swedenborg House in Bloomsbury for an exhibition of John Deakin’s photographs, Sinclair’s notes and research for the novel, as well as paintings by Jock McFadyen, a film by anonymous_bosch23, and events and talks inspired by the great photographer’s work.
Exhibition
Tom Hunter
Life and Death in Hackney
13 April - Sun 5 May 2024
The Grey Gallery, 4 Helmsley Place, London Fields, London E8 3SB
It’s been nearly a quarter of a century since Tom Hunter made his landmark series Life and Death in Hackney, 1991 - 2001. The work depicts a world completely built over by the London Olympics and the ongoing gentrification of Hackney and adjacent areas. Life and Death in Hackney paints a landscape, creating a melancholic beauty out of the post-industrial decay where wild buddleia and sub-cultural inhabitants took root and bloomed.
To mark this passing of time and place, Tom Hunter showed seven large scale images from the series at the Grey Galley.
Image: 'The Vale of Rest' 2000, from the series 'Life and Death in Hackney', 4ft x 5ft Cibachrome print, mounted on aluminium, glazed and framed.
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen & Jem Finer
Underground
25 Nov 2023 – 18 Feb 2024
The Grey Gallery, 4 Helmsley Place, London E8 3SB
Underground, a two person show. Painter Jock McFadyen RA presents 7 large paintings with accompanying field recordings by musician Jem Finer.
The exhibition features seven large pictures from McFadyen’s Underground series from the late 1990s. These images are culled from various London tube stations. Bank and Elephant border on pure abstraction but are pulled back by the inclusion of familiar signage and iconography. These empty, haunting works are viewed in concert with a visceral soundscape formed of edited field recordings by the musician and artist Jem Finer. Like the paintings, this piece is composed of random sound thrown up by the underground but punctuated by the familiar. Announcements, signals and even a busker draw us back to subterranean reality.
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Red Yellow and Blue: Five pictures
18 Mar - 14 May 2023
The Grey Gallery at Jock McFadyen Studio, 4 Helmsley Place, London E8 3SB
McFadyen opened his studio in London Fields, presenting for the first time together five recent paintings, including large-scale urban landscapes, along with figurative works.
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Tourist without a Guidebook
6 Feb — 11 Apr 2022
Weston Rooms, Royal Academy of Art, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD
Bringing together 20 works spanning almost 30 years, this free display in the Royal Academy of Arts' Weston Rooms explores Jock McFadyen’s fascination with London’s changing urban landscapes.
Further details: royalacademy.org.uk
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen Goes to The Lowry:
A Retrospective
16 Oct - 27 Feb 2022
Lowry Gallery, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ
Scottish artist, Jock McFadyen, displays a range of works spanning 45 years.
Interview
Stark Talk
31 Oct 2021
Edi Stark talks with Jock McFadyen on BBC Radio Scotland.
Length: 36:21 minutes
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Lost Boat Party
11 Jun - 25 Sep 2021
Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh
A major exhibition of over 20 large paintings at Scotland's Dovecot Studios, in partnership with The Scottish Gallery
Further details: dovecotstudios.com
In Conversation
Edi Stark Talks Art
with Jock McFadyen
12 August 2021
In this live, informal conversation, Stark delved into the consideration of landscape and environment that drives McFadyen’s work and his unique, unromanticised reflections on Scotland.
Further details: dovecotstudios.com
Performance
Edinburgh Fringe Opening Event
Little Sparta & Lost Boat Party
6 August 2021
To celebrate the opening of the Edinburgh Festival 2021 Little Sparta performed live their latest album Lost Boat Party.
Further details: dovecotstudios.com
Online Interview
Edinburgh Art Festival Launch Event
with Jock McFadyen & Simon Groom
31 July 2021
Dovecot celebrated the opening of the Edinburgh Art Festival 2021 with a live interview between artist Jock McFadyen RA and Simon Groom, Director of Modern and Contemporary Art at the National Galleries of Scotland.
Further details: dovecotstudios.com
Online Talk
Making The Mallaig Commission
with Jock McFadyen
30 June 2021
Discover all the behind the scenes insights of making the rug commission with Scottish Artist, Jock McFadyen.
Further details:
dovecotstudios.com
Online Talk
In Conversation
with Jock McFadyen
11:00 – 12:00, 12 June 2021
Discover Jock’s approach to painting the contemporary landscape in this online conversation with Christina Jansen, Director of The Scottish Gallery.
Further details: dovecotstudios.com
VIRTUAL TOUR
09 June 2021
Jock McFadyen
Jock McFadyen Goes to the Pictures
The Scottish Gallery presents a 360-degree virtual tour of Jock McFadyen Goes to the Pictures City Art Centre exhibition. Experience the Gallery in virtual reality.
COLLABORATION
09 June 2021
The Mallaig Commission
Jock McFadyen in collaboration with Dovecot Studios produced a major new artwork - The Mallaig Commission, a fine art textile.
Further details: dovecotstudios.com
Article
02 November 2020
Jock McFadyen: Significant Works
by Sue Hubbard
An article on the work of Jock McFadyen...
Read more: artlyst.com
Music
Little Sparta and Sally Timms
Lost Boat Party
New EP
Released 29 July 2020
Listen: bandcamp.com
Instagram: Instagram
Facebook: facebook.com
Print Sale
Charity Fundraising Print Sale
Grey Gallery Covid-19 Artists’ Response
May 2020
Grey Gallery artists donate 20% of sales to a charity of their choice.
Talk
Carmen Fracchia and Michael Ohajuru
'Black but Human'
5 December 2019
Eleven Spitalfields, London
A discussion, Slavery and Visual Arts in Hapsburg Spain, 1480 - 1700.
Exhibition
Peter Abrahams, Greta Kirkwood Andresen, Miranda Argyle, Marc Atkins, Jock McFadyen RA, Liz Rideal, Covadonga Valdes
Seven Artists
15 Nov - 8 Dec 2019
Eleven Spitalfields, London
A group exhibition. Over 50 works on display.
Music
29 March 2019
Mekons
Deserted
New album: CD, 12″ LP
Released 29 Mar 2019
Listen: deserted.bandcamp.com
Twitter: twitter.com
Facebook: facebook.com
bloodshotrecords.com
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Darkness and Light
24 Nov - 3 Dec 2017
The Grey Gallery, London
Graphic works and new digital prints.
Music
May 2017
Waywords and Meansigns
Recreating Finnegans Wake
Little Sparta, with Sally Timms and Martin Billheimer, contribute to the 2017 release of Waywords and Meansigns.
Visit: waywordsandmeansigns.com
Music
Mekons
Mekonville
28 - 30 July 2017
Stonham Aspal, Pettaugh, England
The Mekons announce Mekonville Festival: A unique weekend festival in rural Suffolk.
Music
Mekons
15 July 2017
St John on Bethnal Green, London
An evening of acoustic Mekons music and dark and anticipatory banter in the weeks leading up to Mekonville…
Music
Susie Honeyman
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End
Glastonbury Festival 2016
Susie Honeyman performs in Sir Henry at Rawlinson End.
View more: twitter.com
Music
Little Sparta
2015
Earl Haig Hall, London
Jacksons Ln, London
The Slaughtered Lamb, London
Music
The Revenge of the Mekons
18 Nov 2015
The Bertha DocHouse Screen, London
Documentary Screening and Q&A with the director and past & present Mekons
Music
A Ritual Haunting through Poetry, Images and Music
7 November 2015
Toynbee Studios, London
Readers: Justin Hopper and Shirley Collins; Musicians: Lost Harbours, Jem Finer (Longplayer, The Pogues), Susie Honeyman (Mekons, Little Sparta), Mark Pilkington (Strange Attractor Press, Urthona), Cath Tyler (Phil & Cath Tyler, Cordelia’s Dad); Visuals: Stefan Musgrove and Mark Offord
Music
Mini Mekons and Robbie Fulks in Scotland
9-19 August 2014
Venues:
Belladrum Festival, Beauly
Victoria Hall, Cromarty
Stromness Town Hall, Orkney
Gable End Theatre, Hoy, Orkney
Clark's, Dundee
View more: youtube.com
Music
Sir Henry at Rawlinson End
18 June 2014
Unity Theatre, Liverpool
Visit: facebook.com/SirHenryShow
Music
One Night Stanshall
An evening of Vivian's Meisterwerk Sir Henry at Rawlinson End and also many of Vivian's songs.
8 April 2014
Bloomsbury Theatre, London
Exhibition
Robert Marsden & Jock McFadyen
20 Feb - 29 Mar 2014
Marsden Woo, London
Music
Mini Mekons v Little Sparta
22 May 2013
Aces & Eights, London
Exhibition
Robert Marsden & Jock McFadyen
6 June 2012
The Prince's Drawing School, London
William Feaver in conversation with Jock McFadyen
Music
Little Sparta
The Garden of Disorientation
An Evening of Music and Conversation
23 May 2012
61 Charterhouse Street, London
Visit: facebook.com/events
Listen: bandcamp.com
Follow: facebook.com/LittleSpartaMusic
Listen in iTunes: itunes/little-sparta
Music
Little Sparta
Inspirations in Scottish Landscape
1 May 2012
The Fleming Collection, London
An Evening of Music and Conversation
Music
Little Sparta
Close: Music for an exhibition
New CD, Album. Released on Grey Gallery Records
Released 1 April 2012
Listen: bandcamp.com
Follow: facebook.com/LittleSpartaMusic
Listen in iTunes: itunes/little-sparta
Music
Mekons
I Have Been To Heaven And Back
20 - 29 May 2011
London and Switzerland
Exhibition
Simon Read
Plots & Plans
19 Sep - 2 Oct 2010
Hothouse, London
An exhibition of drawings
Music
Little Sparta
Close: A Journey in Scotland
22 Apr 2010
Chicago Botanic Garden, USA
Little Sparta's music features in the film accompanying the exhibition
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
The landscape with its clothes on
15 Mar - 23 Apr 2010
Clifford Chance, London
Music
Little Sparta
An Evening of Scottish Music and Poetry
22 April 2010
The Fleming Collection, London
Exhibition
Simon Read
Drawn Towards
16 Mar - 22 Apr 2010
The Cut Arts Centre, Halesworth, Suffolk
An exhibition of graphic work by Simon Read.
Music
Little Sparta
The Adventures of Prince Achmed
28-30 Aug 2009
The Grey Gallery at Hawke and Hunter, Edinburgh
Listen: littlesparta.bandcamp.com
Exhibition
Bob and Roberta Smith
This Artist is Deeply Dangerous
As part of 2009’s Edinburgh Art Festival
6 Aug - 5 Sept 2009
The Grey Gallery at Hawke and Hunter, Edinburgh
Read more: aestheticamagazine.com
Reading
Iain Sinclair and Jock McFadyen
2 April 2009
The Grey Gallery, London
Iain Sinclair reads from his new book Hackney, That Rose-Red Empire and talks with Jock McFadyen about their shared subject, the hidden territories of London's eastern landscape.
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Horse lamenting the invention of the motor car…
5 Mar - 26 Apr 2009
The Grey Gallery, London
Exhibition
Richard Wilson
Hot Dog Roll
1 - 31 Aug 2008
10 Old Broughton, Edinburgh
Visit: richardwilsonsculptor.com
Music
Grey Gallery Records
Little Sparta & Sally Timms
New Album. Released 11 Jan 2008, on Grey Gallery Records
Listen: bandcamp.com
Exhibition
Miranda Argyle, Neil Gall, Jock McFadyen, Humphrey Ocean, Simon Read, Bob and Roberta Smith, Richard Wilson and Jessica Voorsanger
Small Wonders
15 Nov - 9 Dec 2007
Eleven Spitalfields, London
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Small Pictures
4 - 28 Oct 2007
Eleven Spitalfields, London
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Kill Matthew Barney
27 Sep - 21 Oct 2007
nomoregrey, London
Exhibition
Jock McFadyen
Pictures of Scotland
10 Aug - 2 Sep 2007
10 Old Broughton, Edinburgh