David Muenzer

Teen

★★★☆☆

On until 23 February 2025

Muenzer’s study of moody teenagers staged in a messy bedroom is so self-referential that one wonders if the artist might ever escape their world himself. His subjects are locked-in kidults hiding from view in bubbles transparent only enough to show off their indignant vexation with the world. The artist poses his heroes ironically on play swings, at the mall, or at the Thanksgiving family dinner that they’re about to ruin for everyone. They relax only when they illicitly sneak into that filthy bed.

All this would be annoying to this middle-aged critic, except this gallery actually is someone’s messy bedroom most nights of the week. Final Hot Desert is a transplant from Utah now seeking its fortunes in Hackney. Muenzer, it turns out, is the West Coast art establishment’s hapless darling. But in this DIY setting, the whole endeavour is so quaint that it’s almost charming. Pity only that an atrocious exhibition essay betrays these kids’ desperate ambition to graduate into adulthood.


notes and notices are short and curt exhibition reviews. Read more:

Jasper Marsalis,  \m/’ at Emalin ★★★★☆

Jasper Marsalis

\m/'

★★★★☆

The circus is in town, its acts are the infrastructure of contentment.

Milly Thompson, My Body Temperature is Feeling Good at Goldsmiths CCA ★★☆☆☆

Milly Thompson

My Body Temperature is Feeling Good

★★☆☆☆

Oh, what is it to be a woman in a world of nothing but!

Nick Relph, Fils, ta vision! at Herald St ★☆☆☆☆

Nick Relph

Fils, ta vision!

★☆☆☆☆

There’s little for the eye to hang on and none of the punk culture of Relph’s earlier practice emerges from the works.

Terry Winters: Along the River at Modern Art ★★★★★

Terry Winters

Along the River

★★★★★

A creationist science born out of oil.

Laura Lima: The Drawing Drawing at ICA ★★★☆☆

Laura Lima

The Drawing Drawing

★★★☆☆

Not much of anything in particular.

Fake Barn Country at Raven Row ★☆☆☆☆

Fake Barn Country

★☆☆☆☆

This show of nearly thirty artists makes a pitch at many extremes, failing to reach any.

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