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Best of Britain's young artists in Saatchi show
By Louise Jury, Evening Standard 24.06.08
Curators: Kay Saatchi, left, and Catriona Warren are presenting the Anticipation show
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It is the cream of art college shows brought centre stage in the West End.
Selfridges is presenting an exhibition of the best of Britain's young artists curated by Charles Saatchi's former wife Kay, and Catriona Warren, formerly of Art Review magazine.
The pair have spent weeks viewing studios and graduation exhibitions and have brought what they regard as the best works to display in Oxford Street.
More than 20 artists will feature in Anticipation, which is the follow-up to a show first staged a year ago in the small private gallery of collector David Roberts. Like last year, the curators hope to sell the art, with prices ranging from £600 to £15,000. All the proceeds go to the students.
Ms Saatchi, an American who originally came to London to run a gallery, said: “It's a concentrated way for people to see the cream of the degree shows without having to tear around.
“Last year we sold £100,000 worth of art for the artists, which made a big difference to a lot of people because they could continue to work instead of frying hamburgers.”
Ms Warren said of the bigger venue: “We'll get more people coming in who won't necessarily have seen shows like this. We're putting up explanatory texts to give people more information.”
Among the works are an inflatable bouncy castle bunker by Jeni Snell, inspired by the notion of children playing amid the ruins of war, a sculpture by Nick Hornby, which shows a lifesize slice of a 727 jet, and an 18ft black Union Jack by Royal College of Art student Svein Moxvold, who is the oldest artist in the show at 60.
Hornby, 28, said of the space: “The main concern I've got is how this room is going to compare with a Prada dress outside. It's a surreal comparison.”
Jodie Carey, 26, one of only two artists to be selected for both Anticipation shows, said dealers and collectors knew who she was thanks to last year. Bettina von Hase, Selfridges art consultant, said the store hoped to bring the experience of a gallery to shoppers who might not otherwise have considered buying ar t. “Art-buying can be formidable but this is exactly what we're trying to address,” she added.
Anticipation opens on Thursday and runs until 3 August. Admission is free.
Reader views (3)
very nice and creative i made a scupture and its in downtown, RIGHT NOW!! im so happy if u wanna see it go to google then type artist martha scuptures in the south
- Martha, las angelas united states of america
that is a very silly comment to make my friend, all artists desire to receive the best financial backing that comes their way regardless of nationality, perhaps you need to rethink your ideas and review your notion of the so called art world you think we brits are given on a plate!
- Stevo Taylor, London
There are many more interesting contemporary artists in the US of A And they need financial backing much more than you Brits.
- Ken Boe, Miami Arizona USA
