Gallery Date with Navaz Batliwalla

Navaz Batliwalla is based in London. Here she shares the exhibitions she saw recently.

Can you talk about the most recent exhibitions you went to? 

I just managed to catch the last day of Drawing on Style at Cromwell Place, which was a fantastic fashion illustration exhibition featuring the likes of René Gruau,René Bouché, Antonio Lopez and Carl Erickson. I love to see fashion illustration close up, especially the ones that capture everything with a few minimal strokes. I’m obsessed with hands because despite studying fashion illustration I could never draw them - I guess I never put in my 10,000 hours! There were some beautiful Gruaus and Ericksons at this show but also some more restrained Lopez pencil drawings. Despite being decades old, they have a timeless appeal that I love.

Clockwise from top right: Antonio Lopez; Carl Erickson; Rene Bouche

I also went to the opening of the new Noguchi show at the Barbican. Noguchi was a sculptor and multidisciplinary designer, creating everything from theatre sets to playgrounds, furniture and lighting. I know his sculpture work, lighting and tables but wasn’t so familiar with his civic design. There’s a wonderful bronze model of an unrealised children’s playground he designed in New York in 1933 that’s worth looking out for. The origami-style aluminium tables and washi paper lamps will be more familiar and their sculptural shapes look great in the expanse of the Barbican space.

Photos: Navaz Batliwalla

What is your most memorable exhibition and museum/gallery so far? 

For me it all goes back to the Anthony D’Offay gallery in Dering Street in the late 80s. I used to go in there on my lunch break from my Saturday job at Debenhams and enjoy having the Harings and Scharfs all to myself.  I don’t think I realised it was an ‘important’ gallery, it was just conveniently situated as a nice respite from the ladies separates department! Through seeing the work, I would read about the associated cultural scene and immerse myself in the fantasy of New York life. 

 

What exhibition are you planning to see next?

I’m still hoping to see Night Fever: Designing Club Culture at the V&A in Dundee. What I've seen online looks incredible; it’s a celebration of global club culture and design including clubs in New York, Paris, Manchester, London and Berlin. It’s on until January so I think I’m still in with a chance.

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