#axme

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Ellen Gallagher: AxMe 

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AxME, an exhibition of works by the African-American artist Ellen Gallagher will open at the Sara Hildén Art Museum on 28 September 2013. Ellen Gallagher (b. 1965) lives and works in New York and Rotterdam. The exhibition consists of paintings, washes and paper cutouts. Her subjects are the difficult past of the African- American people, popular culture, fashion, customs and the special quality of the vernacular language.

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Ellen Gallagher: AxME

Last time I spotted some Tate Modern art was for the Lichtenstein show, which I thoroughly enjoyed and found pleasantly surprising. As familiar as I had been with most of his work, seeing it in person and having the context of an artistic process brought me to a new degree of appreciation and understanding.

This week was different. To my shame, I'd had no idea who Ellen Gallagher was before I stepped foot in her AxME show, nor did I begin to make sense of her work until half way through the galleries. Once the click happened though, this exhibition was bound to become a personal revelation. Here is why:

The massive wig collage pieces in room 2 and their almost abstract grid-like structure. I’d like to see entire walls like this around the city. Also they reminded me of Geoffrey Farmer's The Surgeon and the Photographer show at the Barbican, with his hundreds of assembled puppets.

The eyes. The obsessive, repetitive, yet quirky eye patterns which turn into abstract, almost textural pieces, and which are a central motif of Gallagher's work.

Pieces like Greasy, An Experiment of Unusual Opportunity or Puppy Chow (Rooms 7 & 8, you'll know them when you see them), which are extremely powerful compositions that stand out through materials and execution. I look at them and see wood, wooden floors actually, but then I read that the individual components are vintage magazines covered in blue ink and I am left in awe. Such ownership of material is rare and stands as evidence for creative excellence.

The sea room, with its lovely paintings, cut-outs and drawings of sea creatures which have always fascinated me.

AxME is on until September 1. Tickets £11, Conc. £9.50.

By Sabina Andron