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"It Takes Two Part 2" - James Jessop & Harry Pye at Sartorial Contemporary Art

From:     Eva
Category: Exhibitions
Date:     03 August 2007
Time:     06:33 PM

Review:

I finally made it to Sartorial Contemporary Art in Notting Hill to see “It Takes Two Part 2”. I went
because I’m a sucker for two for one offers and because Harry Pye’s groupish shows provide perfect
occasions to renew relationships with old friends. For ‘It Takes Two’ Jessop made paintings with at
least six artists, Pye with nine. That’s a tenuous [6j + (9 x 3.14) =(2x2)] for autistic-savants.
It’s an enthusiastic, energetic show with plenty of eye-spy games to be had. Most of the paintings’
inhabitants are celebrity duos such as Bogey & Bergman, Bogey & Bacall, Conrad & Russell and Gilbert
& George with the scary twins from The Shining. Harry Pye’s rosy-cheeked face frequently morphs with
his heroes’ features, making it clear that these paintings are multiple self-portraits. They embody
the famous duos’ relationships with each other; Jessop and Pye’s relationships with them, each other
and their artist friends; everybody’s relationship with fame and ‘talent’. Jessop’s paintings use
sloppier paint and involve more sex, death and monsters. There’s also a lot of felt-tip pen action
and some ‘80s rappers. All the works share a similar stylistic spirit borne from mixed abilities and
jerky earnestness. Good value for the tedious trip to this godforsaken part of town.


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