Welcome to April, to spring, and most importantly to another exciting ArtVehicle.com. This month's edition features reviews of EPIC, a show at the Auto-Italia space on Old Kent Road, Faisal Abdu'Allah's Browning Britannia at BFI Southbank, a postcard from the Dubai Art Fair and Asides 2: On Covers. Artist's pages this month come from Paul Lawrence and Lee Campbell.
Elsewhere in the city, if Peter Doig hasn't managed to put you off painting for life, start your month with the Jerwood Contemporary Painters (171 Union St, SE1 0LN until 18 May), stay south for 'Suky Best & Rory Hamilton: Rodeo' at Danielle Arnaud (123 Kennington Road, SE11 6SF to 11 May) and Robert Barry's first solo show in the UK for 20 years at Ritter/Zamet (2 Bear Gardens, SE1 9ED to 19 April). In south Kensington there's the curatorial calendar highlight that is the RCA's curating students show, with the reassuringly enigmatic title 'Of this Tale, I cannot guarantee a single word' (Kensington Gore, SW7 2EU until 25 April)
Last Thursday's mass opening along Vyner Street and Cambridge Heath Road heralded in yet another crop of new shows and a seemingly unsustainable, unfeasible slew of new spaces (and free-beer opportunities). This ever increasingly presence of galleries in the area, however, doesn't seem to necessarily be driving up the quality of what's on view... A quick round up of the east today goes; sticking with the Jerwoodian theme, head to Cell Project Space, and Sophie Newell's sculptures as part of the Jerwood Artists Platform (258 Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9DA to 20 April), just down the road is the new Keith Tyson space showing 'Hokey Cokey Chokey' by Shaun Doyle and Mally Mallinson; a good view of which can be gained from the top deck of any bus going down Cambridge Heath Road, if only this preview option were always available, I doubt I'll actually bother going in to be honest (Unit 1, 266 Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9DA until 11 May). Going back, the old Wilkinson space has become Monikabobinska and is showing James Brookes' drawings, text work, sound, video and painting - something for everyone it seems (242 Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9DA until 4 May). Back up the road, and much more enticing see Alex Baggaley 'I Cycle Fatal Path' at Alma Enterprises (1 Vyner Street, E2 9DG until 11 May).
A little further out, there's a new project space to visit from George Polke, the space is opening with a series of exhibitions inviting two artists to exhibit for a week every three weeks; each exhibition will end with a discussion salon (3.5 Frederick Terrace, E8 4EW until 13 April). Also in Dalston catch the East End Film Festival (www.eastendfilmfestival.com), especially 'One Day' starring Tanya Franks, Tim McInnerny and Toby Stephens on 19 April at the Rio Cinema. Finally in the East is The Street; the Whitechapel Gallery's year-long programme of site specific artist's commissions focusing on and around Wentworth Street. The first project is Nedko Solakov's 'A Turnover for Many and a Bit of Luck for One', which will give a member of the public the chance to win a specially created art work by the artist worth £5,000. To enter this year-long lottery, members of the public are invited to buy an item from Petticoat Lane Market worth at least £5 (The Shop, 26 - 28 Toynbee St, E1 7QX until 18 May).
Two further mentions go to Art Angel's newest commission by Heiner Goebbels 'Stifter's Dinge' on from 15 - 27 April at P3, Marylebone Road, London NW1- describes as a visual and musical composition and lastly acclaimed dancer Robin Dingeman's directorial debut, 'Me + You = 5' incorporates dance, physical theatre, live art and video in a joyous, witty and touching show previewing on in London on 25 April (The Place, Dukes Road, WC1H 9PY).
Rose Lejeune