Kevin Francis Gray . Richard Hughes . Susanne Kohler . Matt & Ross . Milika Muritu . Mark Pearson . Richard Priestley . Bob & Roberta Smith

17th October - 21st November 2004

The title of this show was selected for it's everyday, belt-and-braces, business as usual inflection. The artists have been selected as a career cross section of London based artists whose selected contributions deal with issues of personal introspection in a way that lends itself to the 'reading' of the signs in the tealeaves left at the bottom of a teacup. The implication of this practice may allude to a wistful desire to escape the impoverishment of the artists cell-like studio, spare room or bedsit, where the vehicle for the 'work' ( canvas, paper, raw materials ) becomes the focus for the window into their inner world to be opened. Although the notion of reclusive introspection being manifest in artists is not necessarily exclusive to East London based practitioners, the artists selected for 'Tealeaf reflect this notion within the context of the show.

The term 'tealeaf' is also cockney rhyming slang for a thief. The romanticised tone of the slang may conjure a gypsy, traveller, poacher or rogue. This romanticism, born of the Victorian era, may also be deemed to allude to the hallucinogenic period of self-indulgent introspection in Victorian England within the bohemian world of the artist, writer, actor and dandy.

Like human magpies, these artists collect, hoard and covet artefacts, icons and imagery which catalogue the vision of their minds eye which they offer to the audience as document of their introspection.

'Tealeaf' reflects the curatorial stance taken at Cell, an East London based artist led project, whose mission is to exhibit the work of established artists alongside the work of emergent ones, supporting a non hierarchical network amongst practitioners, and allowing for experimentation and cross-fertilisation without commercial constraint. 'Tealeaf' is a window in to the artists who are working with Cell in London, and into Cell's own identity.

In association with Cell Project Space I LOVE MY YUGO, Sarah Carne London tour 8th, 9th, 10th, 15th, 16th, 17th October The Yugo will be traveling between MOT, Keith Talent, 1000000mph, Cell Project Space and Jeffrey Charles Gallery on these dates. To book a ride call 07981336628 and leave contact details, visit www.sarahcarne.co.uk for more details.