Ana Vukadin

Stepping into In Two Minds is like strolling into someone's cosy Georgian living room: complete with a fireplace, its bow windows let in copious amounts of natural light - a welcome exception to the unspoken rule of most galleries, where artificial lighting and absence of windows reign virtually uncontested. The works of art are elegantly hung on panelled white walls and blend seamlessly into the space - there is nothing sterile here.

Curated by Rowena Chiu, In Two Minds features the works of David Spero, Stewart Cliff, Henry Krokatsis, Yukako Shibata and Kirk Palmer. The central concept tying together what are essentially very different pieces is the notion of transition. In particular, Chiu is interested in the stillness which embodies an almost imperceptible dynamism - much like the hovering wings of a hummingbird which appear still when they are in fact teeming with energy.

The best examples of this dynamism are, perhaps unsurprisingly, the four works which have been commissioned for In Two Minds: both Krokatsis and Shibata's pieces emanate a quiet energy. Inspired by Tibetan monks, Krokatsis has created two striking stencil paintings by using smoke from votive candles to 'paint' the stencils. The result, an image of a nun and a pope, is captivating yet fragile; the stencils' undefined contours mesmerise the viewer.

Shibata's two minimalist sculptures are playfully complex. Beyond (2006) and Colour of Shadow II (2009) appear at first sight to be simply white, but the viewer soon notices warm colours emanating from them. The two pieces are, in fact, carefully hand-painted by the artist at hidden angles in feminine almost kitsch neon colours, creating a meditative kaleiodoscope of light.

In fact, In Two Minds, as the title suggests, plays subtle optical tricks on the viewer. The initial glance that attempts to pigeonhole does a double take to notice instead a myriad of details that show an altogether different picture. From Krokatsis's use of smoke as paintbrush, to Cliff's semi-abstract plastic air-freshener which, painted in thick oils, resembles at first glance an amphora, to Spero's balancing acts with balls tipped on precarious spots in abandoned spaces, they all challenge our notion of stillness.

Palmer's Murmur (2006) provides the perfect finale to the show. Set in a cosy room cloaked in dark curtains and equipped with snug pouf cushions, the black and white video shows shot after shot of lush, bamboo forests in the hills of Kyoto. At first, they appear to be entirely still, but slowly, as the wind gathers force, the trees start swaying, culminating finally into a sensuous, hypnotic dance.

In Two Minds is at Eleven Spitalfields until 29 November 2009.