The Art Court: Adorned at Eye Room

Who said art has to be confined to a white cube? What about an exhibition at, say, an opticians in Leeds city centre? That’s where you’ll find Adorned, curated by The Art Court, an art consultancy that sources art and curates exhibitions across Yorkshire. 

Adorned gathers the work of two artists, Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva and Lorna Johnson. 

As the title suggests, there is adornment indeed, with gold popping up in the nooks and crannies of the shop. Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva and Lorna Johnson work in seemingly opposing ways, with Hadzi-Vasileva utilising organic and biodegradable matter like animal bones, while Johnson favours synthetic mediums. Together they explore the symbolism, texture and the enduring seductive power of gold.

Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva is known for her use of surprising materials, from tree branches to pork caul fat and salmon skins. She delves into topics most people find uncomfortable to talk, or even think about: death, disease, religion, decay, waste. In Hadzi-Vasileva’s hands, the abstract shape of a dead tree becomes a gleaming sculpture, while waste from the meat industry is transformed into an ethereal meditation on the fragility of life.

Lorna Johnson’s artistic focus is value and how we assign it to the objects all around us. As a result, she predominantly creates installations, sculptures and assemblages using found materials, from discarded scraps to gold thread and silver leaf. Her works hold a tension between the two extremes. At Adorned, both artists work on a smaller scale, yet the works retain their magic, with mysterious objects enhanced by the use of gold.

This is the sixth show at the Eye Room, an independent optician known for their warm Scandinavian interior and impeccable taste in eyewear. It’s not secret that arts professionals love a pair of signature glasses, but there’s more to this collaboration than style. The Art Court organises exhibitions around the area to provide an easy way to buy art for seasoned art lovers and beginner collectors.

Placing the show in an unexpected, yet very approachable establishment, means that the usual barrier of art galleries being somewhat intimidating, is removed. Check out the frames and see some art at the same time. Who knows, maybe you’re due for an eye test anyway?