Bermondsey Project Space: Stuart Semple 'Dancing On My Own' (until 7th September 2019)
With an exhibition title such as 'Dancing On My Own', which shares its name with Robyn's track, arguably the biggest LGBTQ anthem of the past decade, I felt compelled to explore what the show was all about. (To nip this train of thought in the bud, the show has nothing to do with any of this.) It's a solo exhibition of Stuart Semple's work from 1999 to 2019, who is labelled as a "post-YBA" artist dabbling in activism. Reading this in the curator's statement has got me revisiting the capacity of artists to be genuine activists within the restricted space of the gallery. Visitors to commercial (or similar) galleries tend to belong to limited demographics, which is an issue I've been thinking about for years; this is one reason why spaces in residential areas are so important and must market themselves as public places. If these ideas aren't engaging with all members of the community and wider public, I'm not sure how appropriate the word …
