Flowers Gallery is pleased to announce the 25th edition of Artist of the Day, a landmark programme started by Angela and Matthew Flowers in 1983. This year, the fast-paced, revolving two-week show schedule features 10 UK- based artists, each presenting a one-day solo exhibition at Flowers Gallery’s Mayfair location, supported by their artist selector.
Over the years, the unconventional exhibition concept has cemented Artist of the Day as a vital platform that highlights artists supporting artists. This series has often nurtured rising talent and has seen the start of the careers of some of the UK’s most celebrated contemporary artists, including Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Juno Calypso, Billy Childish, Adam Dant, Dexter Dalwood, Nicola Hicks, and Anthony Daley, the very first artist of the day in 1983.
Each exhibition will be available to visit from 11 am to 7 pm, encompassing a daily programme of events. The exhibitions will be accompanied by weekly group shows of all the week’s artists and a two-week-long installation in the Lower Gallery featuring past Artist of the Day artists including Sokari Douglas Camp, Cathy de Monchaux, Nancy Fouts, Lucy Jones, and David Robilliard.
One of this year’s selected artists includes multidisciplinary artist Bianca Raffaella (selected by Tracey Emin), who paints from her experiences and realities of having a visual impairment. Her works demonstrate to the fully sighted that having a visual impairment is no restriction to being an artist. Other artists include Freya Tewelde (selected by Barbara Walker), an artist based in London of Eritrean heritage whose practice explores cultural, spiritual, socio-economic systems, and ideological perspectives; Lucienne O’Mara (selected by Liliane Tomasko), who boldly navigates the realm of Modernist aesthetics and theories through art; and Kyoto-born artist Aethan Wills (selected by Victoria Cantons), whose painterly practice is primarily concerned with Japanese aesthetics and ideals, perceived through the traditional Japanese Shoji screens.
This year’s esteemed selectors include Tracey Emin, Sir Frank Bowling, Barbara Walker, Liliane Tomasko, and Victoria Cantons, continuing a legacy of distinguished artists like Sonia Boyce, Chantal Joffe, Patrick Caulfield, Helen Chadwick, the Chapman Brothers, Gilbert & George, Maggi Hambling, Anish Kapoor, Cornelia Parker, Bridget Riley, and Gavin Turk.
WEEK 1
Monday 24 June – Bianca Raffaella selected by Tracey Emin
Tuesday 25 June – Lucienne O’Mara selected by Liliane Tomasko
Wednesday 26 June – John Bunker selected by Sir Frank Bowling
Thursday 27 June – Paula Pohli selected by Hughie O’Donoghue
Friday 28 June – John O’Donnell selected by John Lessore
Saturday 29 June – GROUP SHOW
WEEK 2
Monday 1 July – Bella Bradford selected by Olivia Bax
Tuesday 2 July – Angela Lizon selected by Stewart Geddes
Wednesday 3 July – Aethan Wills selected by Victoria Cantons
Thursday 4 July – Freya Tewelde selected by Barbara Walker
Friday 5 July – Nick Paton selected by Jessie Makinson
Saturday 6 July – GROUP SHOW