WHAT? Wes Lang: The Black Paintings 

WHERE? Newport Street Gallery, 1 Newport Street, London SE11 6AJ

WHEN? Now until 9th March.  Free to view 

WHY GO? For spiritual vibes.  Just as Nosferatu is capturing the imagination of cinema audiences right now, Wes Lang’s spooky skeletons are provoking intense reactions for art lovers over in Damien Hirst’s spartan gallery space where an epic exhibition of his new work is darker than dark. 

American artist Lang has a cultish appreciation of ancient philosophies and eastern mystique which inspires him to create fantasy worlds of eerily spiritual compositions.  

His paintings are strangely seductive but equally scarily gloomy. 

Lang fans might well feel as if they’ve had an ‘experience’ when they stare in confusion at his epic art stories that reflect the woes of society like a modern day Grimm’s fairytale. 

You might wonder ‘why’ when the world is bleak enough he creates such dark imagery, but somehow doom and gloom on canvas captures the imagination and allows us to appreciate the joys in life that we do share.

“We are born vessels of love”, says the philosophical Lang who claims he wants his work to motivate and encourage moral decency to help enrich our lives. 

A heroic quest that offers up much to contemplate and pretty intense stuff to kick start the new year!

IN THE KNOW Cultural imagery from his childhood is embedded in the themes of Lang’s work. He cites the monster finger puppets he played with as a prime source of inspiration for the skeletons that figure largely throughout. 

If you love the current Tim Burton exhibition of gothic horror at the Design Museum, you will love this!