Future Shock at 180 Studios

Turns out, the future’s not orange.

It’s really more of a hot pink, with parallel lines shooting off into the unknowable expanses of infinite space.

That’s according to 180 Studios, at least, which is about to unveil a sprawling exhibition of audio-visual art inspired by our ‘near future’.

What does that mean? Well, probably not an awful lot, realistically speaking. But it is a great excuse to bring together some seriously cool, futuristic artwork from some of the most exciting artists in the genre, including Ryoichi Kurokawa, Lawrence Lek and Caterina Barbieri.

Vanishing Point – UVA/James Medcraft

180 Studios is housed in an iconic brutalist office block on the Strand, and has built a bit of a name for itself in hosting large-scale, immersive, ‘new media’ artwork. Future Shock comes off the back of a wave of earlier exhibitions like Lux, Other Spaces, and Ryoji Ikeda’s solo show, whose installations involved some mind-blowing video and light projections. With its subterranean warren made up of vast, concrete-lined spaces, it’s a pretty atmospheric setting for boundary-pushing, high-tech art.

Daydream – Nonotak Studio

So, who’s on the bill this time? Among the 12 artists exhibiting you’ll see work by Weirdcore, who are creating a labyrinthine maze of their own subconscious accompanied by an Aphex Twin soundtrack; the return of UVA’s Vanishing Point, which uses lasers to create 3D perspective lines; and the UK premiere of Nonotak Studio’s disorienting Daydream (you know when you look into a mirror at another mirror? This is like a digital version of that). That’s in addition to work by other top-tier studios like Gener8ion, Hamill Industries, and object blue.

Their future definitely isn’t orange.

NOTE: Future Shock runs at 180 Studios from 29th April – 28th August 2022. Tickets cost £20, and can be booked right HERE.

Future Shock | 180 Studios, 180 The Strand, WC2R 1EA

Looking for some more traditional art? Check out what’s on at every art gallery in London right now.