Exhibition: Adam Benmakhlouf
Have you ever walked into an exhibition and just thought 'Oh my God, YES!' ?
This is exactly how I felt when I entered the gallery 16 Nicholson Street where Adam Benmakhlouf is currently showing in solo exhibition Les Pavés, La Plage. Maybe I'm biased because I know Adam and have seen his work and artistic practice grow and blossom over the past four years at art school, but the work he's presented in this show just hit all the right markers for me.
The ground floor of the gallery is where Adam's current studio is - signalled by a table in the corner covered with stuff he's working on. When I went to see the show this was a half finished painting and various pieces of wood. Also in the room is a large blue painting with the word 'WANT' inscribed into it... perhaps a nod to what awaits in the upper floors of the building.
The first floor is filled with carefully positioned temporary walls leaning (almost posing) against the walls of the actual room. On the temporary walls Benmakhlouf has positioned and attached both framed and unframed paintings of sensually posed figures, creating this multi-layered staged effect of posing-painting-upon-posing-wall that made me question whether the painting itself was the work or each wall panel in its entirety. I opted for the grey-washed latter.
The tactility of these paintings only emphasises the sensuality of the figures in them - just look at the topless reclining male in the white briefs! The washiness of the paint only adding to that feeling of wanting I mentioned previously. You really believe the artist is lusting after these images of men whilst at the same time creating a dialogue about the artifice and staging of such images - whether or not that be a criticism from the artist I'm not sure.
I couldn't resist a selfie in this mirror - it happens every time I come to 16 Nicholson St.
On the second floor of the gallery were two tables each holding slabs of different materials (concrete, plaster) that Benmakhlouf has engraved to create imagery of a torso holding a foot, and again a posing figure - this time head and limbs cut off with two orange M&M-like sweets acting as nipples. These hunks (excuse the pun) of material contrast against the tables themselves; one a smooth green painted MDF cut to look almost figure-like itself, the other covered in yellow industrial-strength sandpaper - each giving the slabs a different feeling of weight. For me the slabs on the green table seem to almost float, whilst the sandpaper ones feel a lot heavier - but then I think that has to do with the sandpaper table being such a solid form compared to its partner.
By far my favourite piece in the show is this slab above with its inset painting on a hand-shaped piece of wood, complete with coffee cup ring and blue writing saying PUT ON and the presumable date of its creation. The difference in textures between the painting to the concrete to the colour blue to the yellow sandpaper it sits on - every part of this is enjoyable to look at for me.
Last but not least is the video work WORKING BIRTHDAY - a chatty DIY tutorial from Adam Benmakhlouf himself and friend and artist Holly Moffat showing the viewer how to make a wooden frame for a painting. Their conversation quickly trails off into friendly chit chat and laughter before the final framed painting is revealed. It's one of those videos that just warms your heart to watch and listen to - again, perhaps I'm biased on this one... but Adam and Holly's laughter really is contagious.
With the show closing this Sunday 3rd of September and the gallery open 12-6pm till then, I'd recommend you make time to see it. I honestly can't wait to see what Adam does next, both as a friend and as a fan of his work.
Congratulations on the show Adam, it's a good 'un!
- Melissa x