Rosie West: Shades of Sweetness
📍 studio1.1, 57a Redchurch St, London E2 7DJ
🗓️ 3 – 27 April, Thursday–Sunday 12–5pm (or by appointment)
This month's standout show was Rosie West's Shades of Sweetness, a disarming exploration of childhood, adolescence, and the stories we tell ourselves. Part fairytale, part psychological maze, her work invites us into a world that is at once familiar and quietly disturbing.
Childhood or more potently adolescence, the dangerous margin between wild imagining and adult responsibility. Running away to the circus when you’re 10 and running away from home when you’re 5 years older are very different things. This is where Rosie West's disturbing vision lies (experienced or fabricated, there’s a taint of corruption while still talking in fairy tales). Looking back and finding not all was sweetness and light. Not everything was as it seemed at the time. Pinch punch.
In Rosie's words:
"Some people feel shame, alienation, and vulnerability when taking fright or disgust from situations that others find normal or even hilarious.
From found images, I wanted to depict the anxious child... and the juxtaposition of discomfort and delight."
One piece shows Rosie herself at age three, serious, thoughtful, and already an observer. It's an image full of shadows and pastel tones that hint at the weight behind innocence. And here is Rosie now with her husband Lord Alan West, radiant at the First Thursday preview. Standing against a backdrop of her creations, there's joy and pride there that are earned, not assumed.
You can follow Rosie's work on Instagram
Why First Thursdays Matter in Retirement
If you've not been out on a First Thursday, you're missing one of the best free cultural evenings in the capital. Galleries, big and small, throw open their doors with previews, wine, conversation, and discovery. No pressure to buy. No need to "understand" art. Just walk, look, and feel.
The programme is organised by Whitechapel Gallery and includes over 150 galleries across East London. You can check out Whitechapel Gallery's First Thursdays guide here for maps, featured shows, and suggested routes. For highlights of what to see, Time Out London regularly updates their top picks.
As I discovered at Rosie's preview, art doesn't just hang on walls. It starts conversations, offers reflections, and reminds us how much more there is to see at any age.
