Saatchi Yates recently moved from its impressive three-level space on Mayfair’s Cork Street to a new 12,000 sq ft gallery in St James’s. With the fresh space comes a fresh new show that looks considerably different to anything we have seen at the gallery before. The first solo show by American biophysicist and TikTok sensation Bijijoo, otherwise known as Michael Todd Horn, comprises large-scale paintings (and one sculpture) that are sure to rustle a few traditionalist feathers. We attended the private view on 16 March and asked the audience, what’s your hot take?
HOT TAKE 1: I’ve been following this artist and his work is always so different each time I see it – but I always love it! It really has changed a lot since the last show.
HOT TAKE 2: Reminds me of some children’s books. The Grinch?
HOT TAKE 3: I think it’s fun, also quite interesting that it brings in a kind of conservative, up-market crowd. I always like to see the people interact with the art, and this is quite a funny combination. You don’t usually see that in this area. There’s a silliness to it, something quite childish.
HOT TAKE 4: I’ve walked by it on my way to work everyday. I love how there’s so much texture. Some of them are really interesting.
HOT TAKE 5: The texture makes me feel like I’m looking at street art – it’s got this grainy texture
HOT TAKE 6: I feel a kind of moment of surrealist regression.
HOT TAKE 7: I love it. I love how it feels a bit like a dream.
HOT TAKE 8: When you look at it closely, it’s kind of scary. To me anyways.
HOT TAKE 9: It’s such a weird contrast between the legs and the lips. The legs and the lips looks so real and then you have that cartoon on the top, that I find very disorienting. It’s uncanny in that way. It reminds me of clowns. Apparently there is this clown-o-phobia. It’s like something that at first is supposed to make you feel happy, but then there’s this darker underbelly.
HOT TAKE 10: It’s definitely very different. I think what I like most about it is the colours.
HOT TAKE 11: I really like the scale of all of the works, like this one I see a microbial or a bacteria or something, which I find really interesting because he comes from such a different background
HOT TAKE 12: biochemistry, biophysics, obviously he comes from like a different background. i just think it’s a bit different and i think that the way that … very different as well
HOT TAKE 13: There’s something there that says father-daughter relationship
Wiggler, 2023. Epoxy, foam, metal & acrylic paint. 84 x 150 x 54 cm.
HOT TAKE 14: if you look at this area, there’s something very nauseating
HOT TAKE 15: i thought that one looked like a piece of dust
HOT TAKE 16: Everything for me is a backdrop to the people. so i walk around the thing, whatever, and it could be leonardo davinci, i couldn’t care less, everything about it is a social event for me. but right off the bat i’m getting hungry caterpillar.
HOT TAKE 17: I’ve been following this artist for a while
HOT TAKE 18: I mean i think it’s amazing. openings are always such a social event. people aren’t really focussing so much on the paintings. last time i came here it was a little more crowded, but this time there is a bit more breathing room.
HOT TAKE 19: I love the show, i just got here so. it’s incredible and very different, it’s something i’ve never seen before. the amount of skill that it takes to actually do this work is quite astounding .
HOT TAKE 20: I love the yellow, the teeth, the nose.
HOT TAKE 21: Caterpillar.
HOT TAKE 22: it’s okay. it’s lightweight, isn’t it? I don’t take it seriously. I mean it’s just like, he could be an illustrator for children’s books or something.
HOT TAKE 23: They’re quite fun. kind of grotesque. funny grotesque. not scary grotesque. like grotesque used to be in Mad Magazine.
HOT TAKE 24: They aren’t bad and there’s definitely formalism behind their creation, just not my cup of tea. Like Kenny Scharf. I like that they’re playful. Why?
HOT TAKE 25: I don’t know, but I really like the ceiling in here. It’s got that kind of industrial chic thing going on, they definitely did it on purpose.
Bijijoo is on view at Saatchi Yates until 28 May
14 Bury Street
SW1Y 6AL London
for more information, click here
