An Image of Truth for Foyles
London’s new Foyles bookshop flagship is set to unveil its first gallery exhibition next week, showing a single artwork by artist Mark Titchner.
The text-based work is inspired by William Blake (something of a trend it seems – the printmaker and poet also inspired the Illuminations show opening this week ), who was born in Soho, just streets away from the new Foyles site.
Described by Foyles as a ‘monument to the word’, Titchner’s work – entitled An Image of Truth – takes the form of a mirrored monolith.
Colin Ledwith of Futurecity, curator of The Gallery at Foyles, ‘The text addresses the audience directly, yet simultaneously references awareness of its own presence through a “call and response” structure to the text; the second phrase being a direct commentary on, or response to the first.
‘[Titchner’s] new site-specific artwork for Foyles directly relates to the rich cultural history of the building.’
The Gallery space was designed by consultancy lustedgreen, which worked with architect Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands.
Titchner’s piece will be on show from 25 June – 17 August at Foyles, 107 Charing Cross Road, London, W2
If the brief was to refresh a public library then 10 out of 10, brief fulfilled.
It seems to me to be a disappointingly bog standard layout lacking any creativity, verve or imagination.
A missed opportunity.