Saatchi Gallery - Abstract America: New Painting and Sculpture

Kristen Baker's The Raft of Perseus (2006)

The 'abstract' genre does not encompass all of the works on display in Charles Saatchi's latest exhibition, but that does not prove to be an issue in this highly entertaining contemporary art gallery. The gallery displays an array of media, which constantly refreshes the mind and reengages the viewer. Whether you are amused by Aaron Young’s subliminal abstract print or in awe with Peter Coffin’s ludicrous spiral staircase, this free exhibition will feel like time well spent.

It seems a contemporary art exhibition focusing on American artists wouldn't be complete with out a bit of NASCAR racing. Connecticut-born artist, Kristin Baker, is an enthusiast for racing. This can be seen in Washzert Suisse (2005), an acrylic painting of a Formula 1 car speeding ahead through a blaze of vivid, fractured colors. Think futurism at lightspeed. The quality of Baker's work is in her desire for action, adrenaline and drama, which she brilliantly reflects in a harmonizing synthesis of her style and subject matter.

Gallery 2 introduces you to the San Francisco born artist, Aaron Young, whose performance pieces have gained attention for his inclination to use motorcycles as his brush. Performance artists have often viewed the leftovers of their performances as an artwork independent of the event itself. Here we see this with The Young And The Driftless (2007), a 7 ft high rectangle of glass that Young stood in front of, while a motorcyclist sped around a gallery burning rubber in his face. As the glass was coated in glue, the result of the flying rubber was a ghostly portrait of the artist.

Adjacent to this is an enormous, black, plywood panel, covered with snaking neon orange tubes, that appears to be one of those indecipherable magnified photos of an amino acid straight out of your school biology book. It’s awesome to find out that these glowworms are the result of 12 motorcycles revving and screeching across a series of these plywood panels, articulating the artist's intention of expanding on Jackson Pollock's subconscious drip-painting style. Video of Aaron Young's Greeting Card (2007) Dates: Abstract America- until 17th January 2010 Admission: Free Tube stop: Sloane Square (District and Circle lines) Notes: 10 minute walk from station. Recommend purchasing 'Picture By Picture Guide' (1.50). For your own amusement, be sure to come to your own conclusions before reading about an artwork.

(Photo Credit: independent.co.uk)