Berntson Bhattacharjee is pleased to present their inaugural London exhibition, Selfhood, a group show of new works by five emerging female artists; Emily Platzer, Katy Stubbs, Mary Stephenson, Olivia Sterling and Yulia Iosilzon. The exhibition draws inspiration from Danish philosopher Kierkegaard’s writings on the concept of selfhood, which is the ultimate form of true individuality. The pop up exhibition will be held in May 2021 in a converted Church Hall by Brompton Cemetery in the heart of West London.
Bringing together painting and sculpture, this exhibition spotlights the exceptional talent of these young artists. All schooled in London, they give an insight into the current movement of this city’s art scene. Through their different practices they explore the theme of Selfhood, tackling issues that are deeply personal, such as family, femininity and racism. The topic of Selfhood is today highly relevant; constantly facing distractions and with the noise of society around us, it is difficult to remain grounded. Kierkegaard suggests that the practice of making as well as viewing art can be the best way to remain centred and true to ourselves, each painting bringing us closer to Selfhood.
About the artists
Emily Platzer (b. 1989) paints expressively, creating rounded abstract shapes almost resembling figures, which have a spiritual quality to them. The deep, rich colours she uses are mixed herself using traditional techniques and powder pigments. She is based in Paris and completed her MA in Painting from The Royal College of Art, London in 2019. She has since exhibited at Mana Contemporary with Palazzo Monti and had her first solo exhibition with Ione & Mann in London in January 2020.
Katy Stubbs (b. 1992) is a London based ceramicist and illustrator. Inspired by the tradition of Ancient Greek pottery she combines classical shapes with humour and unexpected contemporary references. Her works are filled with details, constantly surprising the viewer. She studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York and is now represented by Alma Zevi gallery. After a residency in Venice with them her first solo show was held in London in October 2020.
Mary Stephenson (b. 1989) is based in London and currently attending The Royal Academy Schools. After gaining traction with her My Man series in 2017 following a feature in the New York Times, she has taken part in numerous exhibitions including a recent solo show in 2019 at After Nyne Gallery in London. Her large scale oil paintings employ dark humour and surrealism to explore our own constructed identities.
Olivia Sterling (b. 1996) graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2020 and is based in London. Despite the pandemic she has had a busy year, her work being featured in both Saatchi Gallery and White Cube’s graduate exhibitions, as well as a solo show with Guts Gallery, London in October. Her paintings explore race in conjunction with what it means to be British, using domestic scenes to show acts of micro-aggression.
Yulia Iosilzon (b. 1992) is a painter and ceramicist based in London. Creating large scale whimsical works painted on silk she draws inspiration from fairytales, theatre and mythology. Yulia is based in London and graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2019. She has exhibited her work internationally, with solo exhibitions in London, New York and Moscow. Awards include Bloomberg New Contemporaries in 2019 and Audrey Wykeham Prize in 2017.
