Double Feature - Artemisia Gallery
The turn from sunny to thunderstorm on the day I went to Double Feature at Artemisia kept me lingering longer, taking it all in, mulling over my thoughts as I parsed through the over 100 works on show at the High Street gallery. The name of the show points to the theming of: “Diptychs, duos, partners & pairs” though for some of the artists, this through line was lost. A few took it as a real chance to place two works that intentionally spoke to each other together - Shell Spangler’s duelling portraits are a great example of this – while others used it as an opportunity to simply show more work. The more incongruous moments are when artists have taken the liberty to put on show more than just the pair- notably, multiple artists have either four or six works on display. Celebrating the gallery’s two year anniversary, the exhibition felt less celebratory and more reflective of the liminal space occupied by galleries that rely on submission fees and exhibition rentals.
This is not to say there was no good art on display, there was, you just had to hunt for it. Highlights of the show included: Lindesay Dresdon’s abstract mixed media linoprints, a beacon in a sea of unmoored abstract works; Claire Humphry-Hunt’s textile works, almost reminiscent of vedic scenes; and Minor and Major by Zephyr, kinetic sculptures that entranced me, an anchor point in a full gallery. Many of the fabric based and embroidery works stood out, part of a larger trend over the past few years, a resurgence in art forms often relegated to “craft” being the few that were pushing the envelope or exploring new and interesting ideas.
Spaces like Artemisia occupy space both within and outside the traditional gallery system, and this can change show to show. including the likes of Red Gallery, No Vacancy, or fortyfivedownstairs. They provide an important place for emerging artists to display on their own terms, but often do not provide the ongoing support or feedback that some artists need to hear. Double Feature has works that are at wildly different stages of artistic development and skill, and this does the artists at both ends of the spectrum no favours. I am not saying that these galleries don’t put on good shows - they certainly can - but perhaps potential sales and submission fees can come at the cost of curation. Double Feature is the embodiment of this - a great concept, with some major highlights, but those highlights can feel like hidden gems.
Double Feature is on at Artemisia Gallery & Event Space until 29 March 2026.