Shizaru is delighted to announce a forthcoming solo exhibition by British artist Adam Ball. ‘In the Beginning’ will showcase a selection of paintings, cuts outs and light boxes, which represent one years investigation into the hidden order of the interior labyrinths of creation. Ball’s vibrant and radiant works implore meticulous and labour intensive methods to create a finished piece. Pattern and textural elements are used to engage the viewer to the surface, transforming and reworking the original source material. Informed by concept and process, the works suggest a type of re-birth and regeneration: a new beginning of both source material and content. Emanating with silent-energy and an imbedded luminosity, the works reflect the energy and life of an ephemeral world and reference the infinite expanses of nature. Optimistic and contemplative, Ball illuminates the gallery with his dream-like imagery frozen in time and memory, providing an opportunity to deliberate various themes of creation on a minute and cosmic scale. ‘In the Beginning’ will be on display at Shizaru from 30 March - 19 May 2012.

The launch of Walter Hugo: A Moment In An Instant World drew a creative crowd as many of the sitters for Hugo’s various portrait series attended including Polly Steham, Sara Rouke and Gemma Cairey. Other guest included Alex Zane and Fredrik Ferrier. On the exciting opening founder Benjamin Khalili said, "It’s a fantastic opportunity to see the models and sitters alongside Walter’s glass plate ambrotypes. The comparison is an ideal testament to the elaborate process Hugo practices." Demonstrating that Hugo captures the true essence and eerie beauty of the sitters, the subjects are identifiable rather than altered and retouched into something they are not. Combining the intricacies of historical techniques with fresh direction and modern development, Hugo’s work focuses on visually charming and enticing the viewers into thought and momentary escapism. Boldly commenting on the idealism of contemporary society, his work is known for carrying themes through his ‘sets’ or ‘series’ juxtaposed by his personally developed scientific methodologies. Constantly evoking relationships and questioning between all elements involved in his work has made his style distinctive. The display at Shizaru features Hugo’s room sized camera that showcases not only his methodologies but is set to house his series ‘Theories’ Part II accompanied by a video installation. In the video, Hugo is seen during the final process for his series ‘Theories’ Part II. The exhibition will be on display until March 24.

Following on from the ‘Collect Contemporary: Photography’ book launch, Shizaru is delighted to welcome in 2012 with a solo exhibition of Walter Hugo’s titled ‘A Moment in an Instant World’. This phenomenal display is the culmination of Hugo’s intense focus upon obscure photographic systems. On exhibit will be his new series ‘Theories’, which consists of a series of one-off glass plate portraits of models that adhere to classical beauty from a selection of tightly curated models. He has rejected the retouching associated with contemporary photography and instead drawn something ethereal from his subjects using the camera in a manner that is totally unique. Hugo’s purpose built room-sized camera and monumental extra-large format lens enables him to capture every detail to reveal the true landscape of flesh - naked and raw. Last week, Shizaru visited Walter Hugo’s studio in anticipation of the launch and managed to get a few sneak peeks of the series. For your chance to view Hugo’s room sized camera and the rest of his ‘Theories’ series, ‘A Moment in an Instant World’ will be open to the public from the 16th February, running until the 24th March.

Shizaru is thrilled to host the forthcoming book launch for two of the most anticipated books on collecting to come out in recent times. Published by Thames and Hudson, ‘Collect Contemporary Jewelry’ and ‘Collect Contemporary Photography’ stand apart as unique guidebooks written by the foremost authorities in their fields. Following on the heels of the Art Rocks: Contemporary Jewellery exhibition at Shizaru Gallery (Nov 24 - Feb 11th 2012), international Jewellery specialist and exhibition curator Joanna Hardy will be present to launch the book, which profiles 40 of the most established and exciting contemporary jewellery-artists, and further advises and educates the reader on how to invest wisely in the rapidly growing jewellery market. Jocelyn Phillips, Head of New Photography Department at Bonhams and author of ‘Collecting Contemporary Photography’ will also be in attendance. The book, which profiles 40 established and emerging photographers and aims to provide guidance to perspective collectors in an age when there are more photographic artists, both professional and amateur, than ever. Both works, published by Thames and Hudson, are part of the Collect Contemporary series offering expert information from specialists in various fields.

Shizaru is delighted to announce that it will be extending its current exhibition - Art Rocks: Contemporary Jewellery - until Saturday, 11th February at 5pm. We've achieved critical acclaim from both national and international press (have a look at the 'Press' section), with collectors flying in from around the world specifically for the show. Look out for Kevin Coates' Notebook of Pins on exhibit for the first time since his residency at the Wallace Collection, as well as Shaun Leane and Daphne Guinness' Contra Mundum (pictured here), also on public exhibit for the first time. Curated by Joanna Hardy, the exhibition has included various private lectures and specialty events such as the highly anticipated book launch for 'Collect Contemporary Jewelry' (authored by Joanna Hardy and published by Thames and Hudson) on February 9th.

Shizaru is proud to announce artists Kelly McCallum, Bouke de Vries, Soheila Sokhanvari, Adam Ball, and Petroc Sesti will be showing alongside some of the world’s most influential artists from both past and present in the 15,000sq ft Grade 1 listed Regency mansion at 2 Cornwall Terrace. The exhibition, curated by Victoria Golembiovskaya, is one of the largest and most significant art exhibitions held during Frieze Art Fair, hosting and juxtaposing an unusual variety of works from artists as diverse as Claude Monet and Damien Hirst. 'House Of The Nobleman, The Return' explores ideas of the sacred in art, design and contemporary thought, serving as an ideal platform for Soheila Sokhanvari’s 'Thou Shalt Not Worship Graven Imagery' and Bouke de Vries’ stunning interpretation of the Madonna, 'Like a Prayer'. Also featuring is Petroc Sesti’s 'Event Horizon', as well as a selection of Kelly McCallum’s taxidermy masterpieces, providing a sampling of the works currently on display at her solo show currently on at Shizaru. ‘House Of The Nobleman, The Return’ is open from October 14th to 23rd, at Boswell House, 2 Cornwall Terrace, The Regent’s Park, London NW1

In only a matter of days, Kelly McCallum will kick off our contemporary exhibition programme with Plumage and Paradise and we can’t wait. Working on an unprecedented scale, the show will include a series of pieces that will challenge our conceptions of the idyll and encourage us all to look twice at things - for all may not be as it seems on the surface. McCallum has expanded her creative repertoire for this exhibition, inviting viewers to participate in a story that embraces outward presentation, display and attraction - as well as taking them on a darker, subjective journey to hidden internal landscapes that challenge initial perceptions. Alongside an ‘aviary’ of birds (Plumage), the Paradise series will include deer, a polar bear and fox with innovative ‘windows’ into the animals that depict pastoral scenes, underwater landscapes (complete with specially created silver and gold and sea creatures) and overspilling ‘drawers’ brimming with dirt, flowers and other symbols of life. Following our VIP Private View next Thursday evening, the exhibition will be open to the public daily from Friday 16 September between 10am-6pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

Following on the heals of Amy Winehouse's tragic passing, Shizaru has received one of Bouke De Vries' seminal early works, 'No, No, No', on loan from the Zabludowicz collection to include in its current launch exhibition. The piece seems to have anticipated Amy’s tragic fall - here we find Amy is quite literally battered and broken. The bell jar is emblazoned with Amy’s famous ‘No No No’ which, with the recent tragedy of her death, has been turned on its head from a statement of defiance to a prophetic warning - indeed her own words have come back to haunt her. Amy is of course a pioneering pop culture icon and she will go down in history as a defining figure in our contemporary society. Like the piece suggests, we are all haunted by our own conscience - here Amy is positioned with her back to the moral battle, and yet, within it she is trapped. The glass shaped like an altarpiece, evokes the biblical and suggests the universal. We feel a connection to the piece as it captures in its entirety the human struggle we all face. When we were approached by the Zabludowicz Collection about De Vries’ piece we knew that this seminal piece needed to be on view for the public - whether as a memorial, a warning, or an extraordinary work by one of Shizaru's star artists - we decided to clear out the front window of the gallery and dedicate the entire display to her. Overlooking Mount Street, she’s already caused quite the stir. Everyone has an anecdote to share. Having already a number of Bouke’s pieces in our current exhibition (which lasts until mid-Septembet), we are lucky to be able to exhibit his current works with this formative early piece, and we are delighted to be creating such partnerships with institutions such as the Zabludowicz Collection whom, like us, desire to share these great works with the wider public.
Further coverage can be found in the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/delphine-hervieu/amy-winehouse-s-musing-re_b_915357.html