Interview: Subtitle Labs on their Pop Up Exhibition – ‘Passports Please’
We caught up with Jason from Subtitle Labs to talk about the exciting ‘Passports Please’ exhibition launch event.
Passports Please | Subtitle Labs | 3-5 March | Pi Artworks, 55 Eastcastle Street, W1W 8EF, next to Oxford Circus Station
Picture: Women Going Gold 2019 Charlie Spot – Courtesy the artist and Subtitle Labs
Tell us about Subtitle Labs and how it came about.
Founded in January 2022, Subtitle Labs is a nomadic, emerging art platform that provides opportunities and mentorship to creatives and collectors through international pop-ups, virtual gallery spaces and exclusive original and limited edition works. Subtitle seeks to discover, encourage and invest in emerging artists of all disciplines, enabling them to showcase the best version of themselves in an often intimidating art market. Through these exhibitions Subtitle will empower artists to remain independent and be in control of their own narrative. The shows will enable artists to collaborate with other creatives and collectors, whilst being free to work alongside whomever they choose.
By creating a network of emerging artists Subtitle is building a community of collectors who can grow alongside the artists, collect their works and create a bond that goes beyond the investment of the pieces. Each artist is carefully chosen, interviewed and selected based on the quality of their work and their passion. Every year each artist can nominate another artist to be a part of a subsequent show, thereby creating a chain-link of artist mentors and mentees. Throughout the years artists will be able to reach out to other artists from their chain-link for mentorship and advice on how to navigate the perils of the art market – creating a community, within a community.
10% of our original works and 100% of the prints are being donated to charity at our show.
What can people expect to see at ‘Passports Please’ exhibition?
People can expect to see art from ranging from seven leading contemporary artists, ranging from neon lights, to fine art painting, sketches on paper, interactive mirror art to street photography.
Eve De Haan (Half a Roast Chicken) the UK’s leading neon artist, who has exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery and worked with the Tate will showcase works through bold neon catchphrases and short snippets of text to evoke collective emotions of self-belief and empowerment in her audience.
Ofunne Azinge, a Nigerian British painter, who recently won The Arts Club Award 2021 at the Royal Academy of Arts, will be exhibiting two new paintings inspired from various aspects of her life including the socio-political effects of migration, nostalgia and the complexities of her upbringing.
Tyler Lurks, a recent graduate from Central Saint Martins, work is inspired by a non-western conception of repair in which accepted historical narratives are reopened and then transmuted through painting onto salvaged offcuts of wood. Within this he will explore the concepts of empathy within humanity. Why Reuben? – an anonymous graffiti artist – has grown a cult following in 2021 in East London and will showcase the complexities of a diverse heritage.
Coral Garvey is an American Korean multidisciplinary artist living in London with work that has expanded into globally branded campaigns for Adidas. She will be showcasing her dystopian-tech-noir fine art collection “The Invisible Rules”, which explores personal and cultural identity. Charlie Spot, a British based mixed media artist, who has exhibited at the former Rubell Museum in Miami, will be exploring the continuous identity persecution of minorities across continuous generations in his mixed media photography.
Who or what inspires you to create exhibitions like this?
The inspiration came from seeing many emerging artists not having a platform to showcase their talent and be recognised. There are many artist who also need motivation to showcase their works and mentorship to give them the confidence to grow. Subtitle was therefore created as a safe space where everyone is welcome to explore their talent, be themselves and be seen by the wider public.
What would be your advice to artists just starting out and wanting to show their work in London?
Contact us! We are here to help. At our events we showcase their works and connect them to leading gallerists, event organisers and collectors with artists to ensure that they can continue to grow after the show.
What are your favourite London haunts? (To see new work, to eat, to party
To see new work I love going to the Royal Academy Summer Show to explore new talent. Hoxton Gallery in Shoreditch is also a great space to see emerging artists.
For food I always go to Delamina in Shoreditch, a beautiful eastern Mediterranean restaurant with a friendly environment.
To party, Laylow in Notting Hill is always fun as they showcase new musical talent regularly.
I am Joint Editor at To Do List. I like free, cheap & offbeat London, especially: cabaret, art, theatre, pop-ups, eating out, quirky films, museums, day trips, social enterprise & much more.
