On Friday, I was graciously given an early preview of Lazarides highly anticipated new show, Hell’s Half Acre. Taking place at the Old Vic Tunnels by Leake Street, the off-site display hosts new works from heavy hitters Conor Harrington, Vhils, George Osodi, Antony Micallef, Doug Foster, Todd James, Paul Insect, Mark Jenkins, Boogie, Ian Francis, Polly Morgan and Jonathan Yeo.
The team at Laz still had a lot of work to do before the private opening tomorrow, but from what I could tell, this is sure to be one of the most talked about shows for months to come. Loosely basing the concept off Dante’s The Inferno, the works themselves reek of death, destruction, fantasy, and myth. The dark and wet tunnels create an ambiance that not only makes viewers uncomfortable, but forces them to react to the art. I don’t want to give too much away, but all of the work is brand new and most of it was made specifically for the show, especially the large scale installation spaces. At every turn in the tunnel’s maze, there is something new to be discovered, attempting to shock and intrigue viewers.
Here are just some of the pictures I have as well as the Babelgum preview video that is circling the Internet like crazy this weekend.
Photos by Stephanie Keller