A Young Person Recommends... TPG New Talent

Frames hanging on a wooden wall with sculptures in front.

A Young Person Recommends... TPG New Talent

On Photographers
Anisa Maharjan reviews TPG New Talent which ran from 14 Jun - 6 Oct 2019 at The Photographers' Gallery. 
 
TGP New Talent is currently displayed in The Photographers' Gallery. It is an annual exhibition that sets out to support emerging artists to showcase their work. The eight artists are: Alberto Feijoo, Giovanna Petrocchi, Rhiannon Adam, Miguel Proença, Adam Jalloh, Seungwon Jung, Alice Myers and Chiara Avagliano. They are all diverse and from different countries which I like because we get to see lots of cultures and a range of materials and concepts. This is interesting as there are different pieces of art in one exhibition and the variety of themes all contrast each other. The exhibition is full of photographs, sculptures, audio and even tapestries.

As you first walk through the exhibition the art flows through two rooms seamlessly. The first thing I noticed was the small sculptures by Alberto Feijoo which are all laid out together on a table. The sculptures had a simple structure and resembled a building to me. The abstract sculptures were bold and brightly coloured which caught my attention. The contrasting in colours like orange and blue were used to cover the whole sculpture which made them eye-catching and stands out.

My favourite artwork in this exhibition was by Seungwon Jung. The huge hanging cloth down the middle of the ceiling made me stare at it straight away. I really liked how it was a camouflage pattern and it looks like water or grass. It looks like something different depending on your personal perspective. This makes you look and think more closely about Jung’s work. Also, I love Seungwon Jung's tapestries that are hung on the wall and from afar it looked like a painting but as I got close and noticed each individual string it seemed like water to me. I liked this piece because it seemed surreal and I loved the different tones of blue used. It's calming and peaceful to look at and reminded me of being at the beach because there were even little rocks at the bottom of the art. It was little details like that which I thought was successful.

Something that also caught my eye was the lake by Chiara Avagliano. You have to look really close to see all the small meticulous details then you will realise how realistic it is. Each separate layer is intricate and it's even filled with water. All the artists have different themes and pieces of work but being in one place they all compliment each other because they all have colour. However, I think you can also see a significant difference because they are all different materials and concepts.

The final piece that I would recommend is the photographs by Miguel Proença. The photos are inspired by ancient practices. I love the photo of the traditional pagan costume because it's rainbow coloured, it seems unconventional to our society but cool. The idea of wearing a mask and costume made me wonder who is actually under all of the disguises. It also made me question what sort of message Proença is trying to portray. I think that the fact that the child is wearing a costume could mean that they are representing their culture but it could also be a search for your own identity with deeper emotions about showing your true ego. I also like how the six photos are hung together because they are all quite dark-toned images and it gives it a sense of mystery.

Overall, I would recommend this amazing exhibition for everyone. Not only is there a mix of media and materials but there is also a mix of culture and messages that all eight artists are displaying. I believe that there is at least one artwork that everyone will like because there is a variety of styles. Finally, this exhibition will allow your insights on society's issues to deepen and it will allow you to be exposed to new cultures. It is not only educational but also quite amusing to visit.

- Anisa Maharjan

Frames hanging on a wooden wall with sculptures in front.

TPG New Talent

13 Jun - 05 Oct 2019

A group showcase of the eight artists selected for the inaugural TPG New Talent (TNT) mentoring programme.

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