I saw this exhibition in SaLon, Westbourne Grove about a month ago and just hadn’t got around to putting it up.  I’ll give you the intro that I got on the takeaway sheet from the gallery as they summarise the work far better than I could.

Masquerade: The faces that greet us each day on the cover of newspapers and magazines appear so familiar and yet really they are strangers to us.  The media presents us with these masked characters and their daily charade – what is it that makes these people so intriguing?

The work that has gone into the portraits is immense.  They are intricate beaded creations and Sarah also uses semi precious stones, crystals, chipped glass and broken plates.  The artist info sheet reads ‘It is important to Gwyer that she can make political and social comments without a loss in aesthetics or alienating a section of society.’  I think she has captured this well, illustrating but not caricaturing the subjects.

There are three series portrayed, Addicts, Artists and Best of British.  It appears that British society loves a scandal and it may be telling that out of all the portraits there were to photograph, the only ones I have are the ones of the addicts.  Sorry Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.

A very kind portrayal of Miss Winehouse

The attitude is captured beautifully

The Kate Moss one is A.Mazing!  The portrait is made up of thousands and thousands of different pictures of Kate.  Pictures within the picture making up the picture.  Very clever.

Pictures within the picture

Still an icon