The Taymour Grahne Projects’ Holland Park Gallery in London is showcasing the work of James Bartolacci with his new Life Without Night exhibition - from June 12 to July 14. Covid, so it seems, has rendered the club scene a relict from another lifetime. More than a frivolity, clubbing is and remains a space for queer people to genuinely feel safe and be themselves.
Queer nightlife has habitually been about discovering ways to be together. So in the age of social distancing, it’s moulding itself into a modern form, and that not for the first time. The discussion of Queer nightlife is an important thread of James Bartolacci’s work. It takes us on a journey of visceral reflections: from the stroboscopic lights compounded by the humming music vibrating through every ounce of your being at the club to the more private moments in your bedroom with friends. Bartolacci’s neo-expressionism explores the nostalgia of New York’s pre-pandemic queer club life and sheds light on the challenging and enticing portrayal of sex in art today. He depicts unforgettable scenarios of passion, exhibitionism, and self-expression in nightclubs and expressing the depth of pre and post nightclub moments.
Life Without Night exhibition - from June 12 to July 14. Taymour Grahne Projects (Holland Park), 10 Portland Rd, London W11 4LA. Opening times: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm
Chris and David, 2021.
The Last Night, 2021.