Philip Colbert: The Battle for Lobsteropoli

Weird exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery of new work by Philip Colbert.

I keep seeing Colbert’s work around London but have not quite grasped it yet. He uses an alter ego of a cartoon lobster and produces highly finished models (I hesitate to call them sculptures) of said lobster in various guises as well as grand paintings putting him in reimagined art historical contexts.

In this show the context was historical battle scenes with the lobster fighting technology. I, of course, loved the nod to Uccello’s “Battle of Romano” but once that mental link had been made I’m not sure that took me any further.

It was a nice touch to include some of his models in the square outside the gallery. It felt like they’d escaped and they always brighten up a space.

Closed 19 January 2024


 

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