Tuesday 5th December: "THE COME UP" by Charles Jeffrey at NOW Gallery

Charles Jeffrey's runway shows are always a work of art in themselves with theatrical set design and performance happening alongside the LOVER BOY muse models.  His clubnight which has self-financed his business has emerged from the basement of Vogue Fabrics and blossomed into a legitimate design house.  That is why I was so pleased to see Lyall Hakaria at the private view for Charles Jeffrey's debut solo show at NOW Gallery because it was Lyall who first told me about his talent.  Lyall not only supported Charles with his nightclub to host parties but also studio and skills for sewing the first collections.  Here he is in character as "Collector" at the opening night of this art show as part of the characters Charles has devised for the project, including himself as "The Artist".  For the private view he addressed the crowd behind a lectern of a myriad of fake microphones for a speech to thank everyone and himself for blessing us with this show!  The whole night was a riot with Theo Adams theatrics, turning the gallery into a pseudo Studio 54 with Josh Quinton spinning disco and confetti canons covering the sculptures in showers of colour.

The shapes that hang from the seven metre ceiling and take up the circular floor space are like Jack and the Beanstalk come alive.  It's Charles Jeffrey's own illustrations given a new perspective out of the sketch book and blown up to a magic, major scale.  He's not just leaving it at that though.  He's inviting visitors to add to the narrative by joining in and drawing directly onto the works.  Calico also hangs on the wall as a blank page for pattern from the hands of all the footfall which he'll later use as fabric in his collection.  This work of art will become a new work of art in the future!  The show "The Come Up" is installed for three months so be sure to check it out and leave your Sharpie shapes on the cooperative canvas!

See archive posts here.