BeAdvisors Art Department has recently started working in ONEROOM Gallery based in Shoreditch, London. A three-floor building with large windows, wooden floors, fireplaces and a very old doorbell announcing the arrival of new visitors is a real oasis for artists who are not afraid of new challenges and art lovers who are looking for an unforgettable experience. The current exhibition the end begins at the leaf curated by Mara-Johanna Kölmel connects Antonio Tarsis' and Anderson Borba's practices in a dialogue about Brazil's ecosystems.
What prompted me to visit ONEROOM were the photos I saw on many Instagram accounts of what reminded me of a golden waterfall falling into the pitch-black ground. I decided not to look closely as I wanted to find out what exactly I was looking at myself. I don't really like coming to an exhibition 'well-prepared'. I love exploring London in search of a new gallery space - especially if it differs from white cube standards. The excitement before seeing new phenomena, meeting interesting people and hearing unknown stories filled me up this time as well when I was pulling the handle of the old doorbell and didn't know what to expect inside. Mauro Mattei opened the door and invited us (me and Liyin Wang) in. As it was our first time visiting that space, Mauro introduced us to the history of the gallery and previous exhibitions that BeAdvistors Art Department organised there. Right before entering the first floor, we received black shoe covers. We were assured that it was not for protecting the work, but our shoes. As it turned out after going upstairs, it was very necessary...
It is not every day that gallery employees encourage interaction with a work of art when the main leitmotif is a strong collision of the viewer with the consequences of monstrous human activities and the struggle with everyday life, which is so far away from the ideal surfaces of London's galleries. The floor of the first floor was covered with charcoal, and along with the works made of matchboxes and wood, the room was filled with sounds of burning wood. The setting sun shining through the large windows plunged me even more into thoughts about Anderson Borb's life in Brazil, about whom Mauro told us while climbing to the second floor.
The second room seemed to be a relief from heavy narrative and space for pure admiration of the artists' works. The carefully crafted sculptures called for close viewing, for the exploration of every cut and burn. Wood, paper and cardboard seemed more... material than ever before. They all had a meaning. They all had a story.
The last floor was the culmination of the exhibition. The golden walls contrast beautifully with the purple backpacks made of matchboxes. The black charcoal filling them brought back the memory of the installation on the first floor.
After reading the press release and finishing the exploration of the end begins at the leaf exhibition I was filled with admiration for the artists' practices but also sorrow over the story their works are telling. I decided not to include detailed descriptions of the works and the subject of the exhibition because I believe that everyone should visit ONEROOM's currently show and hear the stories from across the ocean. After you surround yourself with London's glass buildings, beautiful parks, fragrant florists and fancy restaurants, it's easy to forget that the world doesn't look like that everywhere. Art can take you to a place you've never been and remind you how much you became closed and maybe even ignorant when you don't try to look beyond your small, beautiful and safe world.
the end begins at the leaf exhibition is open until the 22nd January 2022 at 9 French Place!