December 16 2004, Thursday, 1pm-7pm
"SOULMATES" UNVEILS NOT ONLY OBITUARIES OF MUSICIANS & ROYALTY, BUT RECENT - MAINLY FIGURATIVE & NEWSWORTHY - WORKS (ACRYLICS, GRAPHITES & OILS) BY THREE ARTISTS: GRETTA; MENDES & VINE, AT KENSINGTON-BASED "SARTORIAL CONTEMPORARY ART" IN EIGHTEENTH CENTURY HOUSE
Today is the
last day to attend an interesting, and – the more one views it,
entertaining, art exhibition in the heart of Kensington. It is called
"Soulmates" and features the works of three artists: Gretta Sarfaty
Marchant (known as Gretta); Hugh Mendes and one of Charles Saatchi’s
favourite artists, Stella Vine. Visitors to Sartorial Contemporary Art,
a gallery housed principally on the first floor of an eighteenth century
Georgian house halfway between Kensington High Street and Notting Hill,
will find their figurative and newsworthy works refreshing, as we did,
when we spent an enjoyable four hours at the exhibition’s opening
reception, late last month. Looking through the wonderfully produced
press releases (amongst the best we have seen in the years we have been
writing art reviews) which Elaine had prepared for this exhibition, we
are at pains as to know where to start. But since it is near Christmas,
and we are all in buying mood, let us look at what good-valued artworks
there are on offer – if not already sold, from about lunchtime today.
Let us start with Mendes’ newsworthy works, which include fine
interpretations of newspaper and magazine photographs and texts, plus
obituaries (of mainly musicians and royalty). Prices for his graphites
on paper range from only £235 (4) up to £435 (1). His oils on canvas, of
which there are a dozen and a half, range somewhat higher - from £300
(1) up to £1,200 (1). Vine also has oils on show, twelve of them to be
exact – both on board and on canvas. They range from £1,200 (5) up to
£2,550 (5). Last, but not least, Gretta has nine works, ranging in price
from £2,500 unframed (3) up to £4,000 unframed (3), with a wide variety
of European framing options available. How does the, ‘Dutch ebonized and
tortoiseshell receding profile frame in the 17C style’ sound? Wonderful!
Now, imagine it around
her acrylic on canvas, "Happy Family 2004" and you have an ideal family
Christmas present, for someone near and dear. Would you not agree? Go along and
discover more. As for our particular favourites, they have to be: (a) Mendes’
oil on canvas, "Puppet Pair" (35cm x 45cm, £1,100), showing two well-known front
bench politicians, both finely-painted above the inseparable and quarrelsome
duo, Sooty and Sweep; (b) Vine’s oil on board, "Marianne" (51cm x 61cm, £2,550)
– well, I am red-blooded and any picture of a slim girl stoking her hair
(possibly thinking of her future soulmate), whilst clad the way she is, would
turn any right-thinking male on! …quickly moving on…the next favourite has to be
(c) Gretta’s acrylic on canvas, "The Entertainer I" (31cm x 23cm, £2,850). It
portrays another pair, though this time it is neither politicians nor puppets,
but a pair of musically-talented Irish Leprechauns! Needless to say, the
artistic "ceilidh," which we are telling you about here, can only be appreciated
if you go along and experience it for yourself. So, DO visit, now or sometime
today – maybe lunchtime, or even later in the evening. Remember, the gallery is
open until 7pm every weekday.
MENU A: Free
B: 27, 28, 328, etc
E: (see website)
L: Sartorial Contemporary Art, 101a Kensington Church Street, London, W8
N: 020 7792 5882
T: Notting Hill Gate (Central, Circle & District lines)
W:
http://www.sartorialart.com/
