Food + art + knitting = one of the best exhibitions in ages!
Fun. It's something that is often missing from the art world, particularly in those central London commercial galleries where the goal is simply to sell. All pin-stripes and pie charts, that's no fun. Well last week, I dusted off my Oyster Card and boarded a bus going out of dearly beloved Hackney and straight to posh old Fitzrovia. And boy, what fun it was!
My destination: The Rebecca Hossack Gallery on Charlotte Street for the private view of Kate's Café, an exhibition of work by artist/knitwear designer Kate Jenkins. The show sees the gallery transformed into a charmingly dainty English café. There's tea pots on the table, cupcakes, éclairs, gingham, and generous servings of Moscow Mules (ok, not a classic café cocktail – but what would a private view be without plenty of sauce?).
But wait a second – what's this? That cupcake isn't made of sweet spongy goodness: it's been knitted. I can't drink that tea: it too is knitted. Sitting alongside the real thing are Jenkins' exquisitely detailed knitted versions – so lifelike that at first glance it's hard to tell the difference. Around the walls are framed knitted depictions of all manner of English foods – a Full English breakfast, sardines on toast, fish and chips, a jar of anchovies. There's even ketchup and a pot of 'stitchberry' jam!
This is such a fun and quirky show: it combines great technical skill with an eye for amusing detail: a box of 'PG Stitch' bears the tag 'Pyramid Wool Bags – Contains Wool', whilst a bottle of champagne is labelled 'Veuve Crochet'. And the sense of fun emanates from the works into the whole way the exhibition has been set up. The front door has been covered in a blackboard with prices chalked up on it. Inside, visitors are encouraged to chalk up their own punning appreciation of the show – one wit describes it all as 'purl-fect' whilst another can scarcely 'be-weave' their eyes. I'm ashamed to say I can't think of anything funny to add, despite trying my darnedest…
With the smaller wall-mounted works starting at around £600 and cupcakes from only £25, this is also fun that's affordable – even for poor, impoverished Arts Editors like myself. Only trouble is I kind of want to buy all of it. Oh well.
Kate's Café is at Rebecca Hossack until 26th June 2009.
Kate Jenkins runs Brighton-based knitwear company Cardigan Ltd.
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