The preliminary hush as we open the glass doors into the exhbition space- an uncanny quietness, on a cloudy, rainy afternoon,  that amplifies every breath and thought as you go through the outside barriers and enter “Things Left Unsaid”. I realize that this almost metaphysical stillness,  almost too loud, heightens my attention to every nuance and interplay between architecture and artworks. This utterly still atmosphere is not random; it is the first page of a book, an invitation to submerge oneself in a world where silence breeds deeper questioning and introspection.

This almost inaudible tenderness embodies the exhibition of 24 international artists, installed on two floors of Frevd Bar & Gallery's historic building in central London- the atmosphere pulses with intimacy and slow, memory-worn surfaces, accumulated conversations, and unhurried attention. One first notices the stark contrast of the artists’ pieces and the aura of the space, a mixture of intentional stillness and material honesty; the artworks all breed a slow language that asks for outright silence and tangible realness. Take, for example, the rolled steel, hand-blown glass sculptural form from Mark Purllant. It commands undivided attention with its delicate structure, a call to pause and appreciate every detail; Meanwhile, Anna Candlin’s hybrid installation combines the strength of natural catalpa branches forming an irregular framework with the fragility of masking tape and cardboard-mâché patches, creating a rich visual dialogue of nature and human vulnerability; Xuran Guo’s oil painting offers a tale of desire, attachment, and death in an abstract visual composition resembling entangled bodies, drawing the viewer into a meditative state. Here, the artworks whisper a unified song, challenging our default mode of overstimulation and immediate communication, inviting us to stand still and ponder, 'What can we communicate when words no longer matter?' It makes sense that a sprawling collection of tactile materials and introspective artworks, where even the paintings convey simplicity cloaked in an eerie atmosphere, would take center stage in an exhibition titled THINGS LEFT UNSAID. Relegated to the language of the show, then, is the notion of human silence in an age of constant noise, a statement found in the undertones of the title.

The exhibition poses a simple but complex question: “What kind of speech becomes possible when we stop performing for the feed?” It seems intent on striking a pensive and tactile tone, yet it holds an undertone of social and political criticism. The curatorial team of INKU Sphere achieves this through a cohesive curatorial language, evident in the choice of artists, the exhibition space, and the placement of artworks. Even on opening night, all the requirements were met. As the rain poured outside, the room was filled with conversation and shared moments, creating the perfect atmosphere for the intended message.

Inside the ground floor and the basement of the FREVD historical space, which is full of arches, tables, and voices, the artists create an off-tempo narrative with installations, sculptures, paintings, and hybrid forms that lean towards listening rather than declaration. As you step into this space, you encounter the work of Yishi called Another World, an acrylic painting on wood of a lake view with a human figure and an animal on a small red boat. Do you pause here, drawn by the tranquil scene, or let your senses guide you further? In a corner above a couple of chairs, you find Two Horses by the same author, an acrylic painting in the tones of brown and reddish of two horses embracing. On the basement floor, artists encourage you to meander through, finding artworks in corners, along pillars, and at irregular intervals on the walls. This collaboration with awkward little corners, pikes, niches, and even marks on the walls demands your full attention to every detail of each artwork, transforming your presence from mere observer to active participant.

What’s implied is a cry for a halt on performance and untruthful facades. Where silence is considered an act of resistance, not absence, all the artists work with materials that carry time: bent wood, cracked plaster, and fraying textiles, demonstrating how contemporary art can resist algorithmic acceleration through deliberate slowness and material vulnerability. The exhibition appears less concerned with faulting anyone for this disconnection than with questioning whether we can maintain counter-temporal spaces at this juncture of acceleration and performance. 

THINGS LEFT UNSAID At Frevd Bar & Gallery, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, through October 14.

Artists: 

Mark Purllant (IG @purllantmark), Yishi (IG @yishiland), Yihan Pan (IG @pyhii), Jiawen Zhang, Yingying Zheng (IG @yingyingzheng_art)_{, Tianle Zhao}, Xuran Guo (IG @ xuranguo)_{, Kuan-Yu Chou (IG @ccathy_29) , Mudai,} Yunny Qu (IG @yunnyque), Millie Chen, Shuyang Chen, Ziyi Yan, Anna Candlin (IG @susannacandlin), Shan Lyu, Weihang Zhu (IG @ash.w.zhu), Yiming Zhu (IG @jyuemim), Xufei Qiao, Puala Parole (IG @puala_parole), XiaopingYu (IG @xiaooart), Anning song (IG @an_ning_g)_{, Xinyi Liu, Yung-Hsiang (Kyle) Chou (IG @0mnamahshivaya), Wanting Wang (IG @witwit_wang)}

Curated by INKU Sphere.

Cover Image:

Exhibition Opening Night at Frevd Bar & Gallery. Image courtesy of Wanting Wang.