A major public fundraising art exhibition, ART UNMASKED curated by Jack Trodd of Brushes With Greatness, will take over Westfield London’s Vitrine Display this October and remain in place to be enjoyed by all for a year. Conceived by fundraising consultant Rich Woods of Rook International, the project began during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and explores the social, societal, and personal impacts of the virus through art, while looking to a bright and positive post-pandemic future.
The exhibition will culminate in an auction in early 2023, held on and offline, with all proceeds going to Global’s Make Some Noise. The sale of the exhibited artworks will help further Global’s support of small charities across the UK, that provide shelter and safety, support physical and mental health, improve life skills, and prevent isolation. As we enter a difficult winter in a world permanently changed by COVID-19, this exhibition focuses on raising funds for those most at risk and in need across the UK.
ART UNMASKED brings together a collection of 19 unique artworks including pieces by leading UK-based contemporary artists Rob & Nick Carter, ENDLESS, Nathan Wyburn, David Harrison, Jasmine Pradissitto, and Morgan Howell. It includes a wide selection of pieces, diverse in origin, style, and focus; many inspired by the emblematic mask. Taken together, the artworks on show reflect the enduring impact of COVID-19 on all levels of society, culture, and community, while offering a timely moment to reflect on our shared experience of Lockdown and impart hope for a positive future.
Children from local schools within Hammersmith and Fulham will also be invited to participate. Community action specialists ActionFunder will coordinate a competition, offering school children the opportunity to respond creatively to their experience of COVID-19 as we emerge into a post-pandemic future. The winning artworks will be displayed as part of the exhibition, alongside the pieces by leading artists.
Thematically, the exhibition tells a transitional story, moving from the early days of the COVID crisis to the present. A selection of work by Nathan Wyburn, Rob & Nick Carter, Jasmine Pradissitto, David Bray & Ben Oakley, and James Mortimer looks to our experience of COVID-19 during the hardest times, with vivid symbols such as the rainbow, the mask, and a stunning hand-finished digital montage of portraits of NHS workers. Bringing together powerful emerging and established voices in street art, works by ENDLESS and SHEM explore our urban environments and the strength rallied and shown in inner cities during lockdown. This message also carries through the piece by Charlie Haydn Taylor, an interior scene with a longing view out the window of the cityscape below. Morgan Howell’s sculpture stands out as a beacon of resilience, looking to David Bowie’s anthem ‘Changes’ as an ode to moving through challenging transitional moments.
In the work of Ben Edge, David Harrison, Joe Grieve, and James Mortimer, the positive impact of nature on our well- being during lockdowns, as well as the way in which it was thought to ‘heal’ as humanity deserted the streets, comes to the fore. Imagery around folklore, free-roaming, and flourishing fauna creates a restful reprieve and reminds us of positive days during the pandemic and beyond. Meanwhile, a selection of artists offer a brave look at experiences of mental illness, anxiety, and fear which, for many, were exacerbated during the pandemic. Pieces by Molly Kent, James Dearlove, and Henry Glover delicately examine teenage mental illness, escapism, and sleepless nights respectively.Molly Kent
Offering hope and a true light at the end of the tunnel are works by Kris Lamba, Marc Richard, Niamh Birch, and Dessy Beava. Collectively, they speak of resilience, strength, community, and human connection. It is these pieces, when seen in the context of the experience of COVID-19 made manifest by the other artists on show, that hold the overall message of the exhibition.
In its conception, this project by curator Jack Trodd in partnership with Global’s Make Some Noise, Westfield London, and ActionFunder focuses on raising much-needed funds for small charities working tirelessly across the UK and invites us to remember a historic moment we collectively experienced. In the case of ART UNMASKED, the diverse creativity of many exciting emerging and established voices are brought together to bring new artistic encounters to the everyday and spread positivity based on a belief in the power of art to enact change for good.
Stuart Campbell, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at Global’s Make Some Noise, comments: “Global’s Make Some Noise is delighted to be the chosen charity for ART UNMASKED. The funds raised by the collection will make a huge difference to the vital small charities working with people living through the toughest of circumstances at the heart of our local communities. The covid pandemic added extra pressure to small charities when they were already overwhelmed by the demand for their services. The money raised will help them to support more people and continue to provide support for those who need it most.”
Jack Trodd, Exhibition Curator and Director of Brushes With Greatness, comments: “The two years spent curating this project, with COVID 19 repeatedly stalling us, has allowed the evolving collection to truly reflect the long-term impact and growing resilience shown in light of the crisis.”
Katie Wyle, General Manager at Westfield London, comments: “The pandemic affected many of us in ways that we could never have predicted. Throughout everything, ‘community’ stood out and we remained and continue to remain committed to supporting our community, so we are very proud to now be launching ART UMMASKED where local residents, Londoners, and visitors from further afield can reflect on the period through inspiring artworks.”
