Mayfair's galleries have a strong run of exhibitions this May. FAD Magazine's art critic Tabish Khan, who writes as the @LondonArtCritic, has chosen five shows in the area, all closing by the end of the month. Here is what he picked.
Nengi Omuku
Omuku takes figures from contemporary and archival images of Lagos and sets them alongside greenery, a comment on the loss of green spaces as the city urbanises. She paints on Samyan, a hand-spun cloth rooted in Yoruba history, referencing traditional crafts at risk of disappearing as countries develop. Khan praises the way the pieces are hung so visitors can walk among them and see the backs. Until 30th May.
Jack Milroy
Milroy carefully cuts images of planes, birds and plants out of books so they appear to break free from their source material. In some works the books are intact, in others the images emerge from crumpled pages, and in others shredded paper spills out. Khan calls the works technically brilliant and playful. Until 31st May.
Architectural paintings
Different schools of art and architecture meet in meticulous paintings of ribbed vaults, arches and gargoyles that do not denote any known structures. Each piece uses a limited colour palette, which gives it a 3D effect. Khan says the artist has created his own world. Until 22nd May.
Raw plaster sculpture and works on paper
This show of an artist's latest work includes signature raw plaster sculptures. The centrepiece is a dog on a packing crate with its puppies scrambling on top. There are also works on paper, with bears returning alongside a new set of colourful snakes and crabs that Khan says have a touch of Warhol about them. Until 23rd May.
Brook Andrews
Drawing on his Indigenous Australian heritage, Andrews incorporates symbolic items such as Echidna quills and a wedge-tailed eagle feather. His work focuses on rituals and their relationship to the local population and the land. It includes books on the Western view of the world that are covered and must be uncovered to be seen, reversing the way the Western gaze has dominated history. Until 30th May.
Dates are as reported by FAD Magazine, so check with each gallery before visiting.
Photo: No Swan So Fine, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
