Claire Barrow: The Bed, The Bath and The Beyond

Review by Candy West

Photography by Sarah Lee and Etienne Gilfillan

That the rain was busy washing Hackney Road clean as Claire Barrow’s fans and supporters crammed into M.Goldstein Gallery for the opening of her art show “The Bed, The Bath & The Beyond” on Friday night, was somehow on-theme.

The gallery was packed with guests who had come to discover how fashion designer Barrow's unique vision has translated from clothes and accessories into highly conceptual art. This vision manifests itself across large-scale canvasses, cool white neon and multiple A4 paper sheets. There really is a sense that her ideas cannot be contained into one area of creativity... rather, here is a mind that gushes originality and finds many outlets for its expression.

“The Bed, The Bath & The Beyond” runs from 17th-24th April. All works, ranging from small drawings to large canvases and neon light pieces are for sale.

M.Goldstein 67 Hackney Road, London E2 8AJ
Open hours 12-6pm daily
www.mgoldstein.co.uk
Sales and enquiries nathaniel@mgoldstein.co.uk

Barrow’s first solo show merges the imagery and reflective surfaces of modern bathroom ablutions with traditions like baptism and the washing away of sins in the quest for godliness.

A flimsy toilet roll unravelled and draped just above head height wafted perilously and delicately (see above). Guests arched their heads back to examine the art above them as they realised each segment was exquisitely illustrated with sexually charged, feral characters, like a twisted, modern day Bayeux Tapestry.