A few of the best North London galleries pushing the artistic boundaries. Words: Mark Kebble
1. Highgate Contemporary Art
The picturesque Highgate has a gallery it can be proud of. With an eclectically engrossing exhibition schedule, Highgate Contemporary Art showcases the work of artists both locally and internationally. Their next exhibition is a case in point, running until 11 October. Following a successful exhibition in 2012, local artist and prominent psychiatrist and psychotherapist Morris Nitsun will be launching his new collection of paintings at the gallery, which continue to reveal his natural skills of observation and sensitivity to a wide range of subjects.
26 Highgate High Street N6 5JG; 020 8340 7564; highgateart.com
2. Candid Arts
It’s little wonder that there’s always something happening at Candid Arts, given that it is located in two Victorian warehouses totalling 23,000 sq ft and offering 6.500 sq ft of loft-style exhibition space. Add to that 20 artists studios, film screening rooms, rehearsal spaces, a banquet room, as well as a café with an outside courtyard and what you get is a hive of activity. A little advance notice, but the Islington Contemporary Art & Design Fair is always a highlight of their calendar, running on 21-22 November and 28-29 November. Bookmark those dates now.
3 Torrens Street EC1V 1NQ; 020 7837 4237; candidarts.com
3. James Freeman Gallery
This Upper Street favourite exhibits contemporary painting, photography and sculpture by artists from Europe and Asia. Founded over a decade ago, their exhibition schedule presents a combination of curated group shows and solo exhibitions with both represented and invited artists. Running until 3 October is Artefacts, an exhibition about how contemporary artists use antique objects and historical sources in their work, before a group exhibition of paintings runs from 8-31 October.
354 Upper Street N1 0PD; 020 7226 3300; jamesfreemangallery.com
4. Pangolin London
Unique in that it is one of the capital’s few galleries dedicated to sculpture, Pangolin London aims to engage with the past, present and future of sculptural developments. With an intimate gallery setting as well as the open spaces of Kings Place, Pangolin London is able to display both monumental and small-scale sculpture to great effect. Next up is the godfather of British conceptual sculpture, Carl Plackman, whose artistic oeuvre encompassed sculpture, drawings, installation and photographs. Obscure Territories runs until 17 October and is well worth checking out.
Kings Place, 90 York Way N1 9AG; 020 7520 1480; pangolinlondon.com
5. Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art
Located in a building that is as interesting as the work it shows – a Grade II-listed Georgian building that was restored with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund – the Collection is known internationally for its core of Futurists works, as well as figurative art and sculpture dating from 1890 to the 1950s. Up next, however, is More than Meets the Eye: New Research on the Estorick Collection, which opens on 23 September and will present the findings of works belonging to the Estorick Collection. 39A Canonbury Square N1 2AN; 020 7704 9522; estorickcollection.com
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