Kaleidoscope/London exhibits views of the city that Londoners know and love in this first solo exhibition led by a female artist at Guildhall Art Gallery. Anne Desmet’s latest work takes inspiration from her experience undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The exhibition explores a fragmented view of the world through a toy kaleidoscope. Desmet’s new works feature digital collages derived from her earlier wood engravings, linocuts and hand-drawn lithographs highlighting London.
Desmet’s artistic process is meticulous and intricate. In the second exhibition room, a video plays where she explains the process behind her prints. Understanding this makes the exhibition even more interesting as you recognise the multiple layers of creativity and intention which go into each piece.
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The St. Paul’s series highlights its beautiful architecture throughout different times of the day, from dusk to dawn. Yet one in particular stands out, London’s Secret Stars, which depicts a laser cut of the cathedral, and like the title suggests, features stars in the background. This piece was made from a wood engraving print on black paper and presented in an LED light-box.
In her other works, dizzying kaleidoscope prints depict the streets of London at all angles, with a pop of red in the form of a London telephone box in Changing London. Triangular, circular and hexagonal shapes draw you in and you get lost in the hypnotic patterns.
Kaleidoscope/London runs from 12 April to 8 September. It’s free for a self-led visit or £10 for a guided tour. Located at Guildhall Yard, EC2V 5AE.
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