The Birthday Party

I think it is safe to say that the past year has turned the Art World on its head, completely. The crisis exposed the art world’s massive vulnerabilities, and made everyone incredibly reliant on platforms such as Instagram. None of the traditional ways of doing business worked – hence, the cascade of people onto platforms that showcased artists works in a new and engaged way, often providing potential collectors new and innovative insights into how emerging artists work, especially under pressure. 

What this ‘new normal’ has taught us, more than anything, is that digital platforms such as The Artists Contemporary are vital. They support emerging artists directly, showcasing works that relate to the moment we are all living in, and provide an artistic escape from the realities of our bedrooms.

London-based artists and curator, Anna Woodward, created The Artists Contemporary a year ago exactly, and has cultivated one of the most artist-driven communities out there. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the first annual Birthday Party exhibition features some truly outstanding emerging artists. The curation of the show, despite it being solely online, is masterful. The exhibition is a sprawling survey of 13 emerging artists: Julia Bennett, Georg Kitty, Pippa El-Kadhi Brown, Megan Rea, Claude Vergez, Rob Lyon, Flora Bradwell, Selby Hurst Inglefield, Cecilia Reeva, Olayinka Salami, Kristy Chan, Harriet Gillett and Kate Burling. Positioning these works together as the winners of a hotly contested open call, the exhibition lends critical ballast to a small but incredibly worthy selection of artists. 

The works of Olayinka Salami are particularly compelling…