FRAGILE: A COLLECTIVE EXHIBITION
22 November - 2 December
The Bomb Factory Art Foundation
Open daily, 11:00-17:00, Free Entry
206 Marylebone Road, NW1 6JQ
The Bomb Factory Art Foundation
Open daily, 11:00-17:00, Free Entry
206 Marylebone Road, NW1 6JQ
Fragile is a poignant collective exhibition curated by performance artist and activist Daniel Lismore, opening on 21 November at The Bomb Factory’s Marylebone Gallery. Uniting 20 international artists in a powerful response to global instability, Fragile is presented by Bird&Carrot Productions and the Tsukanov Family Foundation in support of artists who have been persecuted, displaced, politically exiled, and subjected to racial or gender injustice.
The exhibition shines a light on the resilience and vulnerability of artists navigating perilous environments.
Embracing cultural diversity, the exhibition features works by Nadya Tolokonnikova (Pussy Riot), leading Ukrainian artist Oksana Mas, prominent Russian artist Kostya Benkovich, who had to flee his country of origin, as well as by iconic provocateur Joe Corré, celebrity artist Pandemonia, sculptor Nicola Turner (whose work featured in the courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts during the Summer Exhibition 2024), such diverse and exciting contemporary artists as Sharon Walters, Ian Brennan, Leila Bartell, Tim Yip, Martha Freud, Oda Jaune, Osman Yousefzada, Kojo Marfo, Charlotte Colbert as well as by major artists, such as Jake Chapman and Marc Quinn.
The show explores fragility as human condition or even pre-condition, from the experience of pain and loss to the historical situations when both dehumanisation, and human fragility, emerge massively, as we can witness it today.
It redefines the importance of art and art-making in the times when the magnitude of one’s experience is beyond coping capacity and comprehension. It views art as the phenomenon that allows one to manifest, overcome and transform human suffering, providing a space for vulnerability and compassion. In such circumstances art can aid restoration of individuals and societies. Art provides support in turbulent times, but also needs to be supported itself. Especially, the people who make art happen.
The show features a gigantic installation titled “Ukrainian Guernica” by Oksana Mas who revived the bas-relief Picasso’s masterpiece to its precise dimensions of 3.5 by 7.8 meter and wrapped up her work into a black plastic film used in Ukraine for insulating the mass graves of the tortured civilians during the war.
A premier installation, “Suitcase” by Kostya Benkovich commemorates the plight of refugees across the world. It is the symbol of displacement and homelessness, and the reminder of the refugee's former life, now ruined or disrupted by wars and catastrophes.
In an exceptional gesture of support to all fellow artists at risk Joe Corré, son of Dame Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, contributed to the exhibition his landmark installation known as Burn Punk (Ash from Chaos) -- a glass coffin bearing his father’s death mask and containing the ashes of £ 6 million worth of punk memorabilia publicly burnt in 2016 to condemn the commodification of counterculture and climate inaction. The installation will be unveiled alongside the original video and audio footage of Corré’s protest action.
The exhibition curator Daniel Lismore explains, “My journey as a Living Sculpture has taken me into the grandeur of royal palaces and across continents, where I’ve shared creations in prestigious museums and collaborated with some of the greatest artists of our time. Yet, it’s also been a path marked by shadows, moments of homelessness, being spat at, enduring daily abuse and the relentless bullying that began in childhood. I’ve walked through war zones, confronted humanity’s darkest traits and faced the fires of hatred and fascism head on, sometimes building bridges with those who oppose my existence.
“In my experience, art has been the answer transforming pain into purpose and serving as a bridge to something greater. Every artist in this exhibition brings forth a piece of that transformative power. Together, these works create a powerful conversation, inviting us all into a deeper shared experience in a call for empathy, resilience and a commitment to compassion.”
The exhibition shines a light on the resilience and vulnerability of artists navigating perilous environments.
Embracing cultural diversity, the exhibition features works by Nadya Tolokonnikova (Pussy Riot), leading Ukrainian artist Oksana Mas, prominent Russian artist Kostya Benkovich, who had to flee his country of origin, as well as by iconic provocateur Joe Corré, celebrity artist Pandemonia, sculptor Nicola Turner (whose work featured in the courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts during the Summer Exhibition 2024), such diverse and exciting contemporary artists as Sharon Walters, Ian Brennan, Leila Bartell, Tim Yip, Martha Freud, Oda Jaune, Osman Yousefzada, Kojo Marfo, Charlotte Colbert as well as by major artists, such as Jake Chapman and Marc Quinn.
The show explores fragility as human condition or even pre-condition, from the experience of pain and loss to the historical situations when both dehumanisation, and human fragility, emerge massively, as we can witness it today.
It redefines the importance of art and art-making in the times when the magnitude of one’s experience is beyond coping capacity and comprehension. It views art as the phenomenon that allows one to manifest, overcome and transform human suffering, providing a space for vulnerability and compassion. In such circumstances art can aid restoration of individuals and societies. Art provides support in turbulent times, but also needs to be supported itself. Especially, the people who make art happen.
The show features a gigantic installation titled “Ukrainian Guernica” by Oksana Mas who revived the bas-relief Picasso’s masterpiece to its precise dimensions of 3.5 by 7.8 meter and wrapped up her work into a black plastic film used in Ukraine for insulating the mass graves of the tortured civilians during the war.
A premier installation, “Suitcase” by Kostya Benkovich commemorates the plight of refugees across the world. It is the symbol of displacement and homelessness, and the reminder of the refugee's former life, now ruined or disrupted by wars and catastrophes.
In an exceptional gesture of support to all fellow artists at risk Joe Corré, son of Dame Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, contributed to the exhibition his landmark installation known as Burn Punk (Ash from Chaos) -- a glass coffin bearing his father’s death mask and containing the ashes of £ 6 million worth of punk memorabilia publicly burnt in 2016 to condemn the commodification of counterculture and climate inaction. The installation will be unveiled alongside the original video and audio footage of Corré’s protest action.
The exhibition curator Daniel Lismore explains, “My journey as a Living Sculpture has taken me into the grandeur of royal palaces and across continents, where I’ve shared creations in prestigious museums and collaborated with some of the greatest artists of our time. Yet, it’s also been a path marked by shadows, moments of homelessness, being spat at, enduring daily abuse and the relentless bullying that began in childhood. I’ve walked through war zones, confronted humanity’s darkest traits and faced the fires of hatred and fascism head on, sometimes building bridges with those who oppose my existence.
“In my experience, art has been the answer transforming pain into purpose and serving as a bridge to something greater. Every artist in this exhibition brings forth a piece of that transformative power. Together, these works create a powerful conversation, inviting us all into a deeper shared experience in a call for empathy, resilience and a commitment to compassion.”
CURATOR DANIEL LISMORE
Daniel Lismore is an artist, model, and campaigner, whose career began in photography in London before quickly advancing to creative consultancy for renowned photographers Mert & Marcus, Steven Klein, David LaChapelle, and Ellen von Unwerth. He gained public attention in 2015, appearing in the film Absolutely Fabulous. British Vogue later named him “England’s Most Eccentric Dresser,” and he was included in The Guardian’s Pride Power List in 2018 and 2020. Since 2018, Lismore has served as a Global Ambassador for Graduate Fashion Week, building on his six years as creative director of luxury womenswear brand Sorapol, where he dressed clients like Mariah Carey, Cara Delevingne, and Nicki Minaj. His visibility extended through appearances in Bulgari campaigns and TV shows such as Sky Arts Portrait of The Year, Marina Abramović Takes Over TV, and Statues Redressed. In April 2019, he delivered a TED Talk, My Life as A Work of Art, at the main TED conference in Vancouver, discussing his life as a “living sculpture.”
Since 2016, Lismore has been the Circuit Ambassador for Tate Museums, hosting his first exhibitions at Tate Modern in 2012 and Tate Britain in 2013, showcasing self-portraits. His first book, Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Already Taken, was published by Rizzoli in 2016, documenting his 32 figurative sculptures, which debuted in his first U.S.museum exhibition and were later featured at Art Basel Miami. In 2021, objects from this series were displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of its Fashion in Motion program, marking Lismore’s debut as a performance artist. He posed as a statue among his works, engaging audiences with dialogue while masked.
Lismore has championed clothes recycling, becoming the face of H&M’s 2015 Close the Loop campaign. He is an ambassador for climate-focused charities Cool Earth and Greenpeace and has collaborated closely with Dame Vivienne Westwood on her Climate Revolution initiatives. In September 2019, Lismore opened Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief runway show at the British Museum, debuting costumes he designed for ENO’s production of The Mask of Orpheus, in collaboration with Swarovski. In 2021, he walked the runway for the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Party at Buckingham Palace, viewed by 13.3 million people worldwide. The sculpture he wore was inspired by Queen Elizabeth II, interpreted by costume designer Rachele Terrinoni.
In 2023, Lismore exhibited Studio Visit at Giant Gallery in Bournemouth, a site-specific installation offering a glimpse into his creative process, co-curated with Stuart Semple.
Fragile is Lismore’s curatorial debut, showing in London and undertaken in solidarity with artists at risk, particularly in support of fellow artists Nadya Tolokonnikova and Oksana Mas.
Daniel Lismore is an artist, model, and campaigner, whose career began in photography in London before quickly advancing to creative consultancy for renowned photographers Mert & Marcus, Steven Klein, David LaChapelle, and Ellen von Unwerth. He gained public attention in 2015, appearing in the film Absolutely Fabulous. British Vogue later named him “England’s Most Eccentric Dresser,” and he was included in The Guardian’s Pride Power List in 2018 and 2020. Since 2018, Lismore has served as a Global Ambassador for Graduate Fashion Week, building on his six years as creative director of luxury womenswear brand Sorapol, where he dressed clients like Mariah Carey, Cara Delevingne, and Nicki Minaj. His visibility extended through appearances in Bulgari campaigns and TV shows such as Sky Arts Portrait of The Year, Marina Abramović Takes Over TV, and Statues Redressed. In April 2019, he delivered a TED Talk, My Life as A Work of Art, at the main TED conference in Vancouver, discussing his life as a “living sculpture.”
Since 2016, Lismore has been the Circuit Ambassador for Tate Museums, hosting his first exhibitions at Tate Modern in 2012 and Tate Britain in 2013, showcasing self-portraits. His first book, Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Already Taken, was published by Rizzoli in 2016, documenting his 32 figurative sculptures, which debuted in his first U.S.museum exhibition and were later featured at Art Basel Miami. In 2021, objects from this series were displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum as part of its Fashion in Motion program, marking Lismore’s debut as a performance artist. He posed as a statue among his works, engaging audiences with dialogue while masked.
Lismore has championed clothes recycling, becoming the face of H&M’s 2015 Close the Loop campaign. He is an ambassador for climate-focused charities Cool Earth and Greenpeace and has collaborated closely with Dame Vivienne Westwood on her Climate Revolution initiatives. In September 2019, Lismore opened Naomi Campbell’s Fashion for Relief runway show at the British Museum, debuting costumes he designed for ENO’s production of The Mask of Orpheus, in collaboration with Swarovski. In 2021, he walked the runway for the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Party at Buckingham Palace, viewed by 13.3 million people worldwide. The sculpture he wore was inspired by Queen Elizabeth II, interpreted by costume designer Rachele Terrinoni.
In 2023, Lismore exhibited Studio Visit at Giant Gallery in Bournemouth, a site-specific installation offering a glimpse into his creative process, co-curated with Stuart Semple.
Fragile is Lismore’s curatorial debut, showing in London and undertaken in solidarity with artists at risk, particularly in support of fellow artists Nadya Tolokonnikova and Oksana Mas.
Daniel Lismore. Image credit Colin Douglas Gray.
NADIA TOLOKONNIKOVA
Conceptual performance artist and activist Nadya Tolokonnikova is the creator of Pussy Riot, a global feminist art movement. She was sentenced in 2012 to 2 years' imprisonment following an anti-Putin performance Punk Prayer. Punk Prayer was named by The Guardian among the best art pieces of the 21st century.
Tolokonnikova's Putin’s Ashes art installation at Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in January 2023 propelled her into a new criminal case and put on Russia’s most wanted criminal list. On June 21st, her debut museum exhibition RAGE, opened at OK Linz, Linz, Austria, and the eponymous performance piece performed at the Neue Nationalgalerie on July 4.
Tolokonnikova's work is in the collections of The Brooklyn Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum of Art and Design, American Folk Art Museum, Taschen and Beth Rudin DeWoody, among others.
The exhibition Fragile features Nadya’s series Icons and New Dark Ages.
As part of the programme of events, Fragile will host a conversation with Nadya Tolokonnikova at 18:00 on Saturday 23 November, followed by her Performance.
Born: Norilsk, Siberia, Russia
Lives: Geographically anonymous
Conceptual performance artist and activist Nadya Tolokonnikova is the creator of Pussy Riot, a global feminist art movement. She was sentenced in 2012 to 2 years' imprisonment following an anti-Putin performance Punk Prayer. Punk Prayer was named by The Guardian among the best art pieces of the 21st century.
Tolokonnikova's Putin’s Ashes art installation at Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in January 2023 propelled her into a new criminal case and put on Russia’s most wanted criminal list. On June 21st, her debut museum exhibition RAGE, opened at OK Linz, Linz, Austria, and the eponymous performance piece performed at the Neue Nationalgalerie on July 4.
Tolokonnikova's work is in the collections of The Brooklyn Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum of Art and Design, American Folk Art Museum, Taschen and Beth Rudin DeWoody, among others.
The exhibition Fragile features Nadya’s series Icons and New Dark Ages.
As part of the programme of events, Fragile will host a conversation with Nadya Tolokonnikova at 18:00 on Saturday 23 November, followed by her Performance.
Born: Norilsk, Siberia, Russia
Lives: Geographically anonymous
Nadya Tolokonnikova Icons Series:
Fear Eats the Soul Icon (Red Balaclava), 180 x 200, Acrylic on canvas, 2023.
Navalny Icon (Gray Balaclava), 180 x 200, Acrylic on canvas, 2023.
PuRn Ashes (Gray Balaclava), 180 x 200, Acrylic on canvas, 2023.
Image credit Nadya Tolokonnikova.
Fear Eats the Soul Icon (Red Balaclava), 180 x 200, Acrylic on canvas, 2023.
Navalny Icon (Gray Balaclava), 180 x 200, Acrylic on canvas, 2023.
PuRn Ashes (Gray Balaclava), 180 x 200, Acrylic on canvas, 2023.
Image credit Nadya Tolokonnikova.
OKSANA MAS
Oksana Mas is a Ukrainian artist, philosopher, and humanist who explores neo-humanistic visuality and the re-humanization of art. Influenced by European war-time art, her abstract forms confront themes of life, death, and humanity transformed by historical catastrophes. Mas’ work reflects the challenges of today’s world, where technology and ecological crises threaten human connection, striving for a balance between high-tech precision and the human heartbeat’s organic rhythm. Her art is held in collections worldwide, including Deutsche Bank, Pinchuk Fund (Kyiv), Ekaterina Fund (Moscow), and MMOMA, with over 100 solo and group exhibitions, including shows at the Salvador Dali Museum, the Venice Biennale, Sotheby’s, and Art Basel Miami.
About Ukrainian Guernica
Inspired by Picasso’s Guernica, Oksana Mas created Ukrainian Guernica, a 3D bas-relief matching the original’s dimensions. Mas wraps her work in black plas_c film, a material used in Europe during the worst of COVID-19 and in Ukraine for insulating the mass graves of civilians in Bucha, Gostomel, and Mariupol. Holes puncture the film where throats appear in Picasso’s pain_ng, symbolizing silenced screams overtaken by a noisy news cycle. Mas aims to evoke the horror she felt upon first encountering Guernica, with jagged, layered forms resembling bombed landscapes, scacered limbs, and open mouths—a silent cry against wartime atrocities.
Mas recalls her visceral response to Guernica as a child and then again as an adult, feeling the screams, buzzing lights, and unending horror. When the war in Ukraine began, she felt compelled to reimagine Guernica volumetrically, showing the overwhelming layers of grief. “I finished by covering my Guernica in the same black film used in Ukrainian mass graves,” she explains, describing the numbness and speechlessness her work now embodies. This is her only piece about the Ukrainian war, born of a profound need to respond ar_s_cally amidst the chaos.
Oksana Mas is a Ukrainian artist, philosopher, and humanist who explores neo-humanistic visuality and the re-humanization of art. Influenced by European war-time art, her abstract forms confront themes of life, death, and humanity transformed by historical catastrophes. Mas’ work reflects the challenges of today’s world, where technology and ecological crises threaten human connection, striving for a balance between high-tech precision and the human heartbeat’s organic rhythm. Her art is held in collections worldwide, including Deutsche Bank, Pinchuk Fund (Kyiv), Ekaterina Fund (Moscow), and MMOMA, with over 100 solo and group exhibitions, including shows at the Salvador Dali Museum, the Venice Biennale, Sotheby’s, and Art Basel Miami.
About Ukrainian Guernica
Inspired by Picasso’s Guernica, Oksana Mas created Ukrainian Guernica, a 3D bas-relief matching the original’s dimensions. Mas wraps her work in black plas_c film, a material used in Europe during the worst of COVID-19 and in Ukraine for insulating the mass graves of civilians in Bucha, Gostomel, and Mariupol. Holes puncture the film where throats appear in Picasso’s pain_ng, symbolizing silenced screams overtaken by a noisy news cycle. Mas aims to evoke the horror she felt upon first encountering Guernica, with jagged, layered forms resembling bombed landscapes, scacered limbs, and open mouths—a silent cry against wartime atrocities.
Mas recalls her visceral response to Guernica as a child and then again as an adult, feeling the screams, buzzing lights, and unending horror. When the war in Ukraine began, she felt compelled to reimagine Guernica volumetrically, showing the overwhelming layers of grief. “I finished by covering my Guernica in the same black film used in Ukrainian mass graves,” she explains, describing the numbness and speechlessness her work now embodies. This is her only piece about the Ukrainian war, born of a profound need to respond ar_s_cally amidst the chaos.
Oksana Mas Ukrainian Guernica, 350 x 780, 2022. Image Credit Oksana Mas
Oksana Mas Flamenco Series, 2017. Image Credit Oksana Mas
Oksana Mas Flamenco Series, 2017. Image Credit Oksana Mas
JOE CORRÉ
Fragile will feature Joe Corré’s iconic installation as a powerful gesture of support for fellow artists at risk. Joe Corré is a British artist, activist, and entrepreneur, known initially as co-founder of the iconic lingerie brand Agent Provocateur in 1994. In 2008, he launched his independent boutique A Child of the Jago, and in 2010, he joined British cosmetics company Illamasqua as Brand Director.
In June 2007, Corré was awarded the MBE for services to the fashion industry in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, which he declined in protest of British military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Son of Dame Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols, Corr. has also actively campaigned for the release of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. A longstanding opponent of fracking and supporter of the Green Party, Corré staged a 2016 protest alongside Westwood, encouraging the use of renewable energy. To bring attention to government inaction on the climate crisis, he burned Åí6 million worth of punk memorabilia on a barge on the River Thames.
Inspired by Guy Debord’s Situationist philosophy of the “spectacle,” Corré used this act to protest the commodification of punk culture, commenting: “Punk has become another marketing tool to sell you something you don’t need. The illusion of an alternative choice. Conformity in another uniform.” This event marked a pivotal moment in the UK’s punk movement.
The ashes from the burnt memorabilia were then used to create an installation: a glass coffin filled with the remains and displayed in a dark room alongside a replica of McLaren’s death mask.
The coffin’s sides bear bastardised punk slogans in gold leaf, including “Apathy in the UK” and “Know Future.” This installation is expected to be sold for the original value of the memorabilia, with proceeds to be donated to Extinction Rebellion UK, supporting their mission for fair, transparent change to secure the future of life on Earth.
Fragile will feature Joe Corré’s iconic installation as a powerful gesture of support for fellow artists at risk. Joe Corré is a British artist, activist, and entrepreneur, known initially as co-founder of the iconic lingerie brand Agent Provocateur in 1994. In 2008, he launched his independent boutique A Child of the Jago, and in 2010, he joined British cosmetics company Illamasqua as Brand Director.
In June 2007, Corré was awarded the MBE for services to the fashion industry in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, which he declined in protest of British military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Son of Dame Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols, Corr. has also actively campaigned for the release of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. A longstanding opponent of fracking and supporter of the Green Party, Corré staged a 2016 protest alongside Westwood, encouraging the use of renewable energy. To bring attention to government inaction on the climate crisis, he burned Åí6 million worth of punk memorabilia on a barge on the River Thames.
Inspired by Guy Debord’s Situationist philosophy of the “spectacle,” Corré used this act to protest the commodification of punk culture, commenting: “Punk has become another marketing tool to sell you something you don’t need. The illusion of an alternative choice. Conformity in another uniform.” This event marked a pivotal moment in the UK’s punk movement.
The ashes from the burnt memorabilia were then used to create an installation: a glass coffin filled with the remains and displayed in a dark room alongside a replica of McLaren’s death mask.
The coffin’s sides bear bastardised punk slogans in gold leaf, including “Apathy in the UK” and “Know Future.” This installation is expected to be sold for the original value of the memorabilia, with proceeds to be donated to Extinction Rebellion UK, supporting their mission for fair, transparent change to secure the future of life on Earth.
Joe Corré Ash from Chaos (Burn Punk), 2018. Alternative images available including Joe Corré beside the coffin and another of the Death Mask. Image credit Joe Corré
KOSTYA BENKOVICH - THE SUITCASE INSTALLATION
“My suitcase is all I have remaining of my former life.”
Kostya Benkovich, a celebrated artist who sought refuge after fleeing Russia because of his antiwar
stance, first heard these words in March 2022 from an unknown lady. Her heart-breaking tale of a hasty escape from Ukraine with her family, leaving everything behind except the contents of a single suitcase, deeply resonated with Kostya.
Each Suitcase is constructed from reinforced steel, reminiscent of prison bars in Russia. Kostya Benkovich said, “The theme of the absence, or restriction of freedoms, and the recognition of the victims of state repression reoccur in my work. I had to flee Russia myself, and have to a certain extent, become an object of my own work because the suitcase is all I now have that connects me to the past.”
About Kostya Benkovich
Kostya Benkovich is a St. Petersburg-born London/Helsinki based international activist artist whose installations are manifestos of resistance to dictatorial power and control. His installations have been showcased in leading museums and art institutions worldwide, including The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, ANU in Tel Aviv and the Saatchi Gallery in London. His street art and site-specific actions had an impressive viral effect, empowering his audience to take a critical stance towards the existing situation, voice their opinion, and make a difference. One of such installations, his famous steel rebar sculpture, the Scream (2018), was inspired by the eponymous Munch’s painting and was installed at the spot marking the murder of the oppositional Russian leader Boris Nemtsov. Kostya Benkovich's monumental sculpture, The Right
Hand of God has been exhibited in London at Holland Park's Napoleon Garden as part of the
Kensington & Chelsea Art Week, and was displayed in Edinburgh in 2023.
“My suitcase is all I have remaining of my former life.”
Kostya Benkovich, a celebrated artist who sought refuge after fleeing Russia because of his antiwar
stance, first heard these words in March 2022 from an unknown lady. Her heart-breaking tale of a hasty escape from Ukraine with her family, leaving everything behind except the contents of a single suitcase, deeply resonated with Kostya.
Each Suitcase is constructed from reinforced steel, reminiscent of prison bars in Russia. Kostya Benkovich said, “The theme of the absence, or restriction of freedoms, and the recognition of the victims of state repression reoccur in my work. I had to flee Russia myself, and have to a certain extent, become an object of my own work because the suitcase is all I now have that connects me to the past.”
About Kostya Benkovich
Kostya Benkovich is a St. Petersburg-born London/Helsinki based international activist artist whose installations are manifestos of resistance to dictatorial power and control. His installations have been showcased in leading museums and art institutions worldwide, including The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, ANU in Tel Aviv and the Saatchi Gallery in London. His street art and site-specific actions had an impressive viral effect, empowering his audience to take a critical stance towards the existing situation, voice their opinion, and make a difference. One of such installations, his famous steel rebar sculpture, the Scream (2018), was inspired by the eponymous Munch’s painting and was installed at the spot marking the murder of the oppositional Russian leader Boris Nemtsov. Kostya Benkovich's monumental sculpture, The Right
Hand of God has been exhibited in London at Holland Park's Napoleon Garden as part of the
Kensington & Chelsea Art Week, and was displayed in Edinburgh in 2023.
Kostya Benkovich Visual of The Suitcase Installation, to be unveiled at Fragile. Image Credit Kostya
Benkovich
Benkovich
LEILA BARTELL
Leila Bartell is a London-based painter and film director whose work explores humanity, nature, and the psyche. Drawing from diverse influences—poetry, music, dreams, and memories— Bartell pursues emo_onal and atmospheric resonance in her art, primarily using oils and acrylics on canvas. Working from her Noong Hill studio since 2018, she debuted in a 2021 group show and held her first solo exhibition, Departure from Erebus, at 12 Hay Hill, Mayfair in 2023. Her works have appeared internationally, including Art in the Age of Now (London 2021) and Birds x WAAW (LA 2024). In film, Bartell addresses existential themes using contemporary dance and music, as seen in Ārka (2021) and Rebirth. Her work is held in collections at the Lower Carniola Museum in Slovenia and the South Balaton Contemporary Art and Sustainability Foundation in Hungary. Featured in The Wall Street Journal, Nowness, Soho House, and KaltBlut, Bartell continues to build an evolving artistic narrative that unites her work across multiple mediums.
About Rage of Innocents Rage of Innocents captures the anger and frustration felt for victims of injustice, especially in contexts of genocide. The title suggests a raw, righteous fury toward senseless violence inflicted upon the innocent. This tension between “rage” and “innocents” highlights the contrast between
the cruelty of such acts and the purity of those affected, evoking a powerful empathy and resonance.
Leila Bartell is a London-based painter and film director whose work explores humanity, nature, and the psyche. Drawing from diverse influences—poetry, music, dreams, and memories— Bartell pursues emo_onal and atmospheric resonance in her art, primarily using oils and acrylics on canvas. Working from her Noong Hill studio since 2018, she debuted in a 2021 group show and held her first solo exhibition, Departure from Erebus, at 12 Hay Hill, Mayfair in 2023. Her works have appeared internationally, including Art in the Age of Now (London 2021) and Birds x WAAW (LA 2024). In film, Bartell addresses existential themes using contemporary dance and music, as seen in Ārka (2021) and Rebirth. Her work is held in collections at the Lower Carniola Museum in Slovenia and the South Balaton Contemporary Art and Sustainability Foundation in Hungary. Featured in The Wall Street Journal, Nowness, Soho House, and KaltBlut, Bartell continues to build an evolving artistic narrative that unites her work across multiple mediums.
About Rage of Innocents Rage of Innocents captures the anger and frustration felt for victims of injustice, especially in contexts of genocide. The title suggests a raw, righteous fury toward senseless violence inflicted upon the innocent. This tension between “rage” and “innocents” highlights the contrast between
the cruelty of such acts and the purity of those affected, evoking a powerful empathy and resonance.
Leila Bartell Rage of Innocents oil on canvas, 2024. Image credit Leila Bartell
IAN BRENNAN
Ian Brennan, one of Europe’s most exciting emerging artists, is a self-taught painter known for capturing the raw beauty and complexity of his sitters. His emotionally resonant nudes reveal both the human form’s crude beauty and the soul’s depth, achieved in a quasi-sculptural style reminiscent of Lucian Freud. Brennan’s work reflects a poignant intensity, revealing his deep emotional connection with his models. He has been praised by critics and featured twice at the London Art Biennale, winning the Chianciano Biennale Award in 2021. Two of his nudes were auctioned at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Brussels. His painting of Freud’s muse, Sue Tilley, exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery, has a pledged donation of all proceeds to Tilley upon sale.
About Hope You’re Not Lonely Without Me
While the title suggests concern for another’s loneliness, the painting reveals it as a projection— the subject’s distant gaze reflects his own sense of isolation. The viewer is drawn into a dual narrative: either reminded of a personal loss through the sitter’s expression or confronted by their own vulnerability. Flowers in the composition hint at life’s impermanence. Brennan’s work, with its visceral exploration of human fragility, invites viewers to confront and accept contradictions within themselves. His aim is to evoke powerful reactions, drawing viewers out of their heads and into a bodily awareness, ultimately fostering healing through this shared human experience.
Ian Brennan, one of Europe’s most exciting emerging artists, is a self-taught painter known for capturing the raw beauty and complexity of his sitters. His emotionally resonant nudes reveal both the human form’s crude beauty and the soul’s depth, achieved in a quasi-sculptural style reminiscent of Lucian Freud. Brennan’s work reflects a poignant intensity, revealing his deep emotional connection with his models. He has been praised by critics and featured twice at the London Art Biennale, winning the Chianciano Biennale Award in 2021. Two of his nudes were auctioned at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Brussels. His painting of Freud’s muse, Sue Tilley, exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery, has a pledged donation of all proceeds to Tilley upon sale.
About Hope You’re Not Lonely Without Me
While the title suggests concern for another’s loneliness, the painting reveals it as a projection— the subject’s distant gaze reflects his own sense of isolation. The viewer is drawn into a dual narrative: either reminded of a personal loss through the sitter’s expression or confronted by their own vulnerability. Flowers in the composition hint at life’s impermanence. Brennan’s work, with its visceral exploration of human fragility, invites viewers to confront and accept contradictions within themselves. His aim is to evoke powerful reactions, drawing viewers out of their heads and into a bodily awareness, ultimately fostering healing through this shared human experience.
Ian Brennan Hope You’re Not Lonely Without Me oil on canvas, 2024. Image credit Ian Brennan
JAKE CHAPMAN
Jake Chapman is a British contemporary artist and half of the Chapman Brothers duo, renowned for their provocative, darkly satirical works that challenge social norms and explore themes of consumerism, violence, and morality. Chapman studied at the Royal College of Art and rose to prominence in the 1990s alongside his brother, Dinos, as part of the Young British Artists movement. Together, they became known for iconic pieces like Hell, a sprawling diorama of grotesque, miniature scenes, and The Chapman Family Collection, which satirizes cultural commodification and colonialism.
Chapman’s individual and collaborative work spans sculpture, painting, film, and writing, marked by a distinctive, often controversial, blend of humour and horror. His exhibitions have been showcased in major institutions worldwide, including Tate Britain and the Gagosian Gallery. As an author, Chapman has published several books that mirror his artistic themes, blending fiction with his characteristic irreverence. His work continues to challenge perceptions, inviting audiences to confront uncomfortable aspects of human nature and society.
Jake Chapman is a British contemporary artist and half of the Chapman Brothers duo, renowned for their provocative, darkly satirical works that challenge social norms and explore themes of consumerism, violence, and morality. Chapman studied at the Royal College of Art and rose to prominence in the 1990s alongside his brother, Dinos, as part of the Young British Artists movement. Together, they became known for iconic pieces like Hell, a sprawling diorama of grotesque, miniature scenes, and The Chapman Family Collection, which satirizes cultural commodification and colonialism.
Chapman’s individual and collaborative work spans sculpture, painting, film, and writing, marked by a distinctive, often controversial, blend of humour and horror. His exhibitions have been showcased in major institutions worldwide, including Tate Britain and the Gagosian Gallery. As an author, Chapman has published several books that mirror his artistic themes, blending fiction with his characteristic irreverence. His work continues to challenge perceptions, inviting audiences to confront uncomfortable aspects of human nature and society.
Jake Chapman’s Goya's Disasters of War Etchings (series of 21 works). Image credit Jake Chapman
CHARLOCE COLBERT
Charloce Colbert is a multi-media ar_st and multi-award-winning filmmaker which the Evening Standard dubbed “a natural born magician.”
A creative force whose directorial feature film work was praised by the New York Times and won the Golden Leopard for Best First Picture, she has been described as “the lovechild of Salvador Dali and Emily Dickinson.”
“Colbert conjures fantastical worlds by blending the boundaries between reality and imagination.” The Design Museum.
She has shown at institutions and fairs interna_onally, collaborated with brands such as The Conran Shop and Alexander McQueen, and worked with the likes of Cillian Murphy, Malcolm McDowell, Rupert Everec, Lily Cole, Clint Mansell, Omar Sy and Eric Cantona to name a few.
Her work has strong philosophical undertones and oren questions narrative, time, identity, dreams and the unconscious. The surreal and fantastical become a way to look at our world afresh and find the space to question and reimagine.
“We have in us the power of intuition, the power of connec_ng to the unseen, which can be very powerful. I think we are all mediums, and that ar_sts are the ul_mate mediums and Charloce is definitely one.” Simon de Pury.
About Mastectomy
Mastectomy is a monument to the power, regenera_ve nature and potential of the body. With its organic and fluid shape, in addition to its trauma-filled scars, this sculpture is both an ode to the body’s beauty and a reminder of its resilience. Colbert developed this series are the birth of her first child, rendering the body as a utilitarian organism outside of the self. She says of the scars: “scars are victory prizes over death and time.”
Charloce Colbert is a multi-media ar_st and multi-award-winning filmmaker which the Evening Standard dubbed “a natural born magician.”
A creative force whose directorial feature film work was praised by the New York Times and won the Golden Leopard for Best First Picture, she has been described as “the lovechild of Salvador Dali and Emily Dickinson.”
“Colbert conjures fantastical worlds by blending the boundaries between reality and imagination.” The Design Museum.
She has shown at institutions and fairs interna_onally, collaborated with brands such as The Conran Shop and Alexander McQueen, and worked with the likes of Cillian Murphy, Malcolm McDowell, Rupert Everec, Lily Cole, Clint Mansell, Omar Sy and Eric Cantona to name a few.
Her work has strong philosophical undertones and oren questions narrative, time, identity, dreams and the unconscious. The surreal and fantastical become a way to look at our world afresh and find the space to question and reimagine.
“We have in us the power of intuition, the power of connec_ng to the unseen, which can be very powerful. I think we are all mediums, and that ar_sts are the ul_mate mediums and Charloce is definitely one.” Simon de Pury.
About Mastectomy
Mastectomy is a monument to the power, regenera_ve nature and potential of the body. With its organic and fluid shape, in addition to its trauma-filled scars, this sculpture is both an ode to the body’s beauty and a reminder of its resilience. Colbert developed this series are the birth of her first child, rendering the body as a utilitarian organism outside of the self. She says of the scars: “scars are victory prizes over death and time.”
Charlotte Colbert Mastectomy, 2021. Image credit Charlotte Colbert
MARTHA FREUD
British born artist, Martha Freud, founded her eponymous studio practice in 2008. Known for the slogans that she embeds into her creations, Martha’s delicately constructed ceramics balance a uniquely fragile beauty with her own touch of playful irreverence. Her mastery of the English language allows her to walk the line between tongue-in-cheek wordplay and philosophical reflection – from naughty quips to earnest protest. At its core, Martha’s practice is grounded in a recognition and celebration of both the highs and lows of life – from the lighter moments to the quietly profound. Her reverence for simplicity, for organic shapes and forms and for slow and traditional making processes can be deeply felt in everything she touches.
British born artist, Martha Freud, founded her eponymous studio practice in 2008. Known for the slogans that she embeds into her creations, Martha’s delicately constructed ceramics balance a uniquely fragile beauty with her own touch of playful irreverence. Her mastery of the English language allows her to walk the line between tongue-in-cheek wordplay and philosophical reflection – from naughty quips to earnest protest. At its core, Martha’s practice is grounded in a recognition and celebration of both the highs and lows of life – from the lighter moments to the quietly profound. Her reverence for simplicity, for organic shapes and forms and for slow and traditional making processes can be deeply felt in everything she touches.
Martha Freud The Caged Leaf Light. Image credit Martha Freud
MARC QUINN
Marc Quinn (British, born 1964) is a leading contemporary artist who first came to prominence in the early 1990s as part of a movement redefining modern art. His work explores human identity, beauty, and the relationship between humanity and nature, often drawing on art historical influences from antiquity to modernity.
Quinn is known for Self (1991), a cast of his head made from his own blood and displayed in a refrigerated unit, symbolizing dependence on infrastructure, akin to addiction, a struggle he faced early in his career. Other acclaimed works include Garden (2000), a frozen botanical garden; DNA Portrait of Sir John Sulston (2001); and Evolution (2005), sculptures depicting human embryos. His public works include Planet (2008), a giant baby sculpture in Singapore, and Alison Lapper Pregnant (2005), a marble statue displayed on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth and later featured as Breath at the 2012 Paralympics.
Quinn’s hyperrealist paintings of flowers and irises and his iconic sculptures of model Kate Moss, including the solid gold Siren (2008) at the British Museum, have earned him international acclaim. His works have been exhibited in major museums and galleries worldwide, including Tate, London; Fondazione Prada, Milan; Foundation Beyeler, Basel; and Somerset House, London.
Marc Quinn (British, born 1964) is a leading contemporary artist who first came to prominence in the early 1990s as part of a movement redefining modern art. His work explores human identity, beauty, and the relationship between humanity and nature, often drawing on art historical influences from antiquity to modernity.
Quinn is known for Self (1991), a cast of his head made from his own blood and displayed in a refrigerated unit, symbolizing dependence on infrastructure, akin to addiction, a struggle he faced early in his career. Other acclaimed works include Garden (2000), a frozen botanical garden; DNA Portrait of Sir John Sulston (2001); and Evolution (2005), sculptures depicting human embryos. His public works include Planet (2008), a giant baby sculpture in Singapore, and Alison Lapper Pregnant (2005), a marble statue displayed on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth and later featured as Breath at the 2012 Paralympics.
Quinn’s hyperrealist paintings of flowers and irises and his iconic sculptures of model Kate Moss, including the solid gold Siren (2008) at the British Museum, have earned him international acclaim. His works have been exhibited in major museums and galleries worldwide, including Tate, London; Fondazione Prada, Milan; Foundation Beyeler, Basel; and Somerset House, London.
Marc Quinn Gazing at the Burning World, oil on canvas, 2012. Image credit Marc Quinn
NICOLA TURNER
Nicola Turner is known for creating large scale evocative and haunting installations from wool and waste horsehair, oren made in response to their surroundings. This summer her site responsive installation The Meddling Field interacted with the statue of Sir Joshua Reynolds in the Courtyard of the Royal Academy, London, for the dura_on of the Summer Exhibition. With a background in set and costume design, she has designed for The Royal Opera House, San Francisco Opera, Scoosh Ballet, Royal Shakespeare Company and Sydney Opera House where she was the recipient of a Green Room Award. In 2019 she completed an MA in Fine Art. Recent exhibitions include Spinning A Yarn, Abbey Barn, Glastonbury; The Uninvited Guest from the Unremembered Past, National Trust, Tyntesfield; Song of Psyche, Shtager Shch, London, and Myth and Miasma, Skarfell Centre for Visual Arts, Iceland. Earlier this year she was awarded the RWA Academy Award for her sculpture Klipp und Klapp.
About En Pointe
The sculpture perches on sharp points including sheep shears, a pitchfork and a sickle. “Personally, I have a fear of leong go and in this piece, I explore the fragility I experience when I do not trust the world around me. In my work I use found objects and material from organic ‘dead’ macer which are all embedded with memories. I explore our connection to past, present and future events and how, in being interconnected to all around us, these influence our outlook.”
Nicola Turner is known for creating large scale evocative and haunting installations from wool and waste horsehair, oren made in response to their surroundings. This summer her site responsive installation The Meddling Field interacted with the statue of Sir Joshua Reynolds in the Courtyard of the Royal Academy, London, for the dura_on of the Summer Exhibition. With a background in set and costume design, she has designed for The Royal Opera House, San Francisco Opera, Scoosh Ballet, Royal Shakespeare Company and Sydney Opera House where she was the recipient of a Green Room Award. In 2019 she completed an MA in Fine Art. Recent exhibitions include Spinning A Yarn, Abbey Barn, Glastonbury; The Uninvited Guest from the Unremembered Past, National Trust, Tyntesfield; Song of Psyche, Shtager Shch, London, and Myth and Miasma, Skarfell Centre for Visual Arts, Iceland. Earlier this year she was awarded the RWA Academy Award for her sculpture Klipp und Klapp.
About En Pointe
The sculpture perches on sharp points including sheep shears, a pitchfork and a sickle. “Personally, I have a fear of leong go and in this piece, I explore the fragility I experience when I do not trust the world around me. In my work I use found objects and material from organic ‘dead’ macer which are all embedded with memories. I explore our connection to past, present and future events and how, in being interconnected to all around us, these influence our outlook.”
Nicola Turner En Pointe, mixed media including steel, wood, wool and horsehair, 2024. Image credit Nicola Turner
22 November - 2 December
The Bomb Factory Art Foundation
Open daily, 11:00-17:00
206 Marylebone Road, NW1 6JQ
Open daily, 11:00-17:00
206 Marylebone Road, NW1 6JQ
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