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Review Nov 03 2008 « | »
IBID Projects - new temporary space The new temporary gallery attached to IBID Projects is housed in a small former textiles factory on Hoxton Square.......

Tom Wright

The new temporary gallery attached to IBID Projects is housed in a small former textiles factory on Hoxton Square. The exterior has been cleaned up nicely, new paint and a crisp logo stands it effortlessly amidst the sea 'cleaned-up vintage' in the area. Inside however, it is little different from the hive of semi-illegal fabric workers and seventies wood panelling of its past. Whether a reactionary statement against the 'white cubes' of modern gallery space (incidentally The White Cube is on the same square), an incisive comment on post-industrial decline or just credit-crunch chic; the insides are a mixture of exposed architectural innards and frankly dangerous design.

This is great though. It may have been a dark dark night on a dark dark street when I visited but there is an uncomfortable air about the place. TVs flicker images to empty rooms, dark curtains lead to blacked out spaces and solitary images hang like relics to a former occupation. The real joy comes from these forgotten pieces; unmarked and transitory, their imagery varies from nostalgia to vandalism and they loiter like squatters in abandoned corners.

There are some well known contemporary artists on show here; David Adamo, Christopher Orr and William Hunt are a few. However, what can be seen is far from their best or most ambitious work. The small and select pieces do though, work brilliantly together and in their surroundings. Particularly successful, are the images by Chisolm and Orr referencing an emotive and recognisable past, along with the abandoned nature of Adamo's top floor sculpture.

The choice of art has undoubtedly touched the core resonance of the space and it will be interesting to see where IBID Projects takes its temporary gallery and whether it can - or wants to - move on from the discomforting nostalgia that furnishes it.

The exhibition runs until the 23rd November, for more info, click here.

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