SOURCE took an evening’s jaunt to the Lock In Brighton (near Norfolk Square), to view the private opening of The Phony Art Collective’s eclectic Open Call exhibition.
Phony curators Brandy Flakes and Richard Matthews had put out an open call to all artists in Brighton requesting physical works that could be presented at the Lock In space.
They describe the event as follows: “Open Call presents over 190 artists and offers a contemporary platform for all, free from concerns of submission rejection, or the need to adhere to rigid requirements. Inspired by O’Flaherty’s gallery in NYC, Open Call stands by its name in every sense. It promises to let you have your own experience, feel included, and know that everyone is on an equal footing. The idea that you must theorise philosophically, or speak correctly to blend in with the art world is gone. We are all in the same sinking boat. So join us whilst we stay afloat.”
Phony did an excellent job including so many artists with the space available to them (a garage turned into an exhibition venue tucked down a side street off Western Road). They even used a car inside the garage space as a way of displaying further artworks. No stone was left unturned in the hunt for individual pieces as we looked through the exhibition.
Whilst the achievement of curating so many pieces should be lauded, it was easy to miss some of the works that artists had submitted, requiring a second, third, or fourth lap in order to truly appreciate everything on display. A lack of labelling meant that the experience was truly different to traditional exhibitions, however this also meant we weren’t able to immediately find any details about a piece that you were interested in. That being said, the curators were on hand to provide further information and the atmosphere was one of discovery.
Alongside the sculptures and physical art there were paintings and prints from floor to ceiling, including a submission from SOURCE’s very own Rob Trendy! This is a photographic piece depicting a worn cardboard sculpture, created by local artist Wesley Power. In addition to being featured in the Phony exhibition, the photo has also been shortlisted in the 2024 Sony World Photography Awards.
Other notable highlights were the number of pigeons on display and hidden throughout the exhibition, compact encyclopaedias, some intriguing resin cubes and a well hidden “jar of piss”.
Lock In Brighton, Monday 1st April 2024
