The exhibition “Moment of Impact” (16^th of January – 7^th of February) at The Lazarides Gallery next to Oxford Street featurqes the first-ever solo Mark Jenkins’s (b. Virginia, USA, 1970) show in the UK. The artist mostly known for street sculptures and installations has created mixed media statues and three-dimensional canvases, 11 of which are represented in the gallery. His sculptures are deliberately hyper-realistic and have different impacts on the viewer depending on whether they are placed in the formal gallery or on the street. The philosophy of Spanish figurative sculptor Juan Munoz, who was described as the “storyteller”, influences Jenkins’s art. Indeed, each Mark Jenkins’s sculpture has a story and meaning behind it.

“The Fix” (“Art Addict”) 100 cm x 100 cm x 53 cm Mixed media on canvas

Batter Up” 135 cm x 70 cm x 40 cm Mixed media

“The Perch” 100 cm x 100 cm x 40 cm Mixed media on canvas

“Coloring Assignment” 186 cm x 69 cm x 39 cm Mixed media

“Noble Death” 100 cm x 80 cm x 53 cm Mixed media on canvas

The artist wants to highlight the importance of street art as part of the image of a city. The concept goes perfectly with the spirit of the gallery and artworks look natural in the gallery environment. The choice of drinks – beer instead of champagne or wine – on the preview night also contributes to the overall provocative and this cutting edge art.