I first met artist James Pimperton in 2011, during his first solo exhibition of his work in London at George and Jørgen. I was fascinated by the hyper-real non-spaces depicted in his paintings. His fictitious landscapes were recognisable yet entirely obscure, possessing traditional painterly skill in a futuristic way; quite unlike anything I’d seen before. Their dream-like qualities inspired me to select him to exhibit in a small exhibition around the theme of Utopia at a local-run gallery in Kentish Town. 

Back then he was living in Leicester, but three years on he’s a Londoner. I met up with James at the Chelsea College of Arts Summer Show, as his Fine Art MA came to a close.

Camden’s Roundhouse was recently home to Utopia, a reimagined sensory city experienced through a series of walk-through environments. Created by filmmaker, writer and artist Penny Woolcock and renowned Glastonbury Festival stage designers Block 9, the series of installations, projections and sound pieces brought to our attention the substance of the city; the voices that we would otherwise miss. Recognising that ‘most of the time we just pass each other’, Woolcock spoke to a number of Londoners about their lives and experiences, encouraging them ‘to tell stories which were unique to them, but somehow told a bigger truth’. With an overwhelming number of voices combining to disorientate the senses, visitors had to get close to each speaker, and give the stranger’s voice their undivided attention; quite uncommon for London.

German artist Carsten Höller - ‘the guy that makes the slides’ - is no stranger to London, having installed ‘Test Site’ in the Tate’s Turbine Hall in 2006.  Nine years later he’s back, whipping up a media frenzy with his current exhibition ‘Decision’ at Southbank’s Hayward Gallery and triggering the age old question ‘but is it art?!’ from critics and the general public.

BBC’s Arts Editor Will Gompertz thinks not, imploring us to question more what is and what isn’t art. With the idea that anything can be art no longer an avant-garde concept, he sees ‘Decision’ as no more than a collection of ‘fairground type rides that happen to be in an art gallery’. The main concern seems to be whether in 2015, contemporary art is being reduced to nothing more than entertainment. However, a recent panel discussion led by Ralph Rugoff, Director of the Hayward Gallery, raised an important point: since when were art and entertainment ever separate? The title of this blog takes inspiration from the very name of this discussion.

Japanese electronic composer and visual artist Ryoji Ikeda first came onto my radar last summer thanks to Spectra, his light and sound installation which lit up Victoria Tower Gardens in August. Spectra bore some resemblance to the United Visual Artists Barbican exhibition Momentum of the same year, which used pendulums to choreograph light, sound and movement, distorting the visitors experience of space. Similarly Umbrellium, part of last years Digital Revolution exhibition at the Barbican,allowed participants to shape, manipulate and interact with luminous forms. Preceding the examples above, the 2013 Light Show at the Hayward Gallery showcased the experiential and phenomenal aspects of light like never before, remaining to date one of my favourite exhibitions.

The power of light and sound to create atmosphere and shape spaces is clearly not new - it dates back to the 1960s in fact - however Ikeda brings the immersive, sensory experience to the public in unusual ways...

To celebrate International Women's Day  (Sunday 8 March) the world’s largest all female street art and graffiti festival proved that street art isn’t just a mans game by giving Leake Street Tunnel a new face. 

Femme Fierce: Reloaded saw over 150 of the biggest names in street art from around the globe add colour to the renowned ‘Banksy tunnel’ to highlight the problems facing being a girl in today’s world, and to celebrate womanhood.

Part of an annual festival organised by Ayaan of Street Art Agency, the takeover saw talent sprayed across the walls of Leake Street tunnel in the form of impressive public art murals...