Last weekend I was assisting my friend and mentor Cleo Mussi at her stand in
Collect at Saatchi Gallery. She, along with a small number of other artists, was awarded a large stand in the Saatchi Project Space gallery and she asked me to go along and assist - very exciting. Although my schedule was fit to busting point, I couldn't refuse helping out a friend and getting to see what it was all about.
Collect is an annual show curated by Crafts Council and takes over the entire Saatchi Gallery for a long weekend, and there is so many strange and wonderful things to see; the unexpected, the ostentatious, the aspirational. Of course I am biased when it comes to Mussi's work but there was something so very refreshing about the Project Space. It felt like it has its feet on the ground, but was still engaging and challenging. Apart from unusual mosaics there was also some fantastic screen printed ceramics, dynamic furniture and a textiles artist, and textiles are currently thin on the ground so that was great to see.
Mussi selected only her main pieces from her latest body of work
All Consuming for this particular show, however this wasn't a full representation of her entire practice, as I was earnestly telling any clients who would listen. She works on a wide scale - from small insects, to guard dogs, to astronauts and these characters all play a part in her narrative. The large mosaics shown here were assembled in a long line and were like some hieroglyphic from the future instead of the past, addressing ecological concerns. Here were some of my favourite bits from the show.....
If you didn't get to visit
Collect then the next chance to see Mussi's work is at
The Museum in The Park in Stroud from 19th July - 27th August, to see the full collection of
All Consuming. She will also be at
Bovey Tracey from 6th - 8th June. Alternatively you can always contact the artist in person. Visit her website
here to get the full picture....
