Sharing in my newsletter this week, the latest instalment of my Agony Art column for Plaster Magazine. open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #BlackbirdRook #PlasterMagazine #AgonyArt #ArtWorld #PerformanceArt #ContemporaryArt #ArtWriting #ArtCriticism #ArtAdvice #CollectingArt #ArtCollector

Behind the glossy façade of “investment galleries” lies an industry of illusion - where décor masquerades as art, auction results are staged, and collectors are sold stories instead of substance.  blackbirdrook.substack.com/p/the-art-of... #ArtMarket #ArtAdvisor #ContemporaryArt #CollectingArt

What’s really going on inside an artist’s head when the studio door closes? blackbirdrook.substack.com/p/inside-the... #ArtAdvisory #ContemporaryArt #ArtCollectors #ArtistsProcess #StudioLife #ArtWriting #PaintingToday #ArtMarket #ArtThinking #BehindTheCanvas #ModernPainting #BlackbirdRook

Professional practice isn’t an optional extra, it’s part of sustaining a life in art. This 4-part online course helps artists demystify the art world. How to get your work seen and build a career. [email protected] #ArtWorld #contemporaryart #ProfessionalPractice #ArtistSupport

From her studio window, Fiona Finnegan returns again and again to the outline of Black Mountain, its form shifting beneath cloud and light. www.artsy.net/viewing-room... #BlackMountain #ArtCollectors #ContemporaryPainting #FionaFinnegan #DreamlikeArt #StudioView

For those interested in collecting art, this Masterclass Guide lays out how to build a serious collection. It’s an exhaustive look at the process, along with risk tiers, pricing clarity, case studies, and practical tools. blackbirdrook.substack.com/p/behind-the... #collectors #contemporaryart

Ever read an art press release and felt your brain whisper “really?”  open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #ArtWorld #PressRelease #ContemporaryArt #ArtAdvisor #ArtMarket #GalleryLife #ArtCollecting #ArtCriticism #ArtLingo #RedFlags #SoftGrip #BlackbirdRook

Patrick Davies + Blackbird Rook will be showing at Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair (13-16 Nov) 2025. Get 25% off tickets now woolwichcontemporaryprintfair.artsvp.com/120487?link=... #WCPF25 #WoolwichContemporaryPrintFair #ContemporaryPrintmaking #LimitedEditionPrints #patrickdavies #BlackbirdRook

Being an artist isn’t about inspiration - it’s about persistence. The Bear gets this right: failure, chaos, recalibration, the joy when it works. Read the new Blackbird Rook newsletter. blackbirdrook.substack.com/p/being-an-a... #BlackbirdRook #TheBear #ArtLife #StudioNotes #CreativeProcess

For years I’ve been asked the same question: how do you know what to buy? The answer isn’t a single tip, it’s a method. My new long-form guide lays that method out - the tools I use daily with collectors. The guide is now live for subscribers on Substack. open.substack.com/pub/blackbir...

The Death of the Plot? Has contemporary art traded story for vibe? open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #BlackbirdRook #DiaryOfAnArtAdvisor #ArtAndContent #ContemporaryArt #ArtCollectors #ArtWriting #ArtWorld #ArtDebate #NarrativeArt #ArtAsVibe #ArtAdvisor #ArtMarket

Messy Proofs - a Viewing Room #MessyProofs #LucyStein #MattSheridanSmith #PrzemekMatecki #JanRattia #BiancaBeck #MichaelaMeise #JeraldIeans #CarloDAnselmi #CarlaSantana #ContemporaryArt #ArtExhibition www.artsy.net/viewing-room...

Blackbird Rook presents… FIONA FINNEGAN Last Days of Summer September 11 – October 22, 2025 www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #FionaFinnegan #LastDaysOfSummer #BlackbirdRook #ContemporaryPainting #ContemporaryArt #ArtExhibition #NewExhibition #horror #FolkHorror #Cinematic

Coming soon… #FionaFinnegan #LastDaysOfSummer #BlackbirdRook #ContemporaryPainting #ContemporaryArt #ArtExhibition #NewExhibition #horror #FolkHorror #Cinematic open.spotify.com/playlist/2FE...

Tangled in the art world from every angle, I found myself asking: who first pulled me into contemporary art? open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #BlackbirdRook #ArtCollecting #ContemporaryArt #PhilipGuston #EllenBerkenblit #FionaFinnegan #ArtWorld

Behind the Scenes: How I Curate for Collectors. A paid Masterclass. Access. Balance. Context. Case studies. Real strategies. Subscribe to the Substack here: open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #BlackbirdRook #ArtAdvisory #CollectingArt #ContemporaryArt #ArtAdvising #Substack #ArtCollector

The art world feels opaque. This course makes it clear. 4 Zoom sessions with AAG and Blackbird Rook (Oct–Nov) on pricing, pitching, opportunities. £200 + VAT. Limited spaces. 👉 [email protected] #contemporaryart

open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #BlackbirdRook #ArtAdvisory #CollectingArt #ContemporaryArt #ArtAdvising #Substack #ArtCollector

Behind the Scenes: How I Curate for Collectors. A paid Masterclass. Access. Balance. Context. Case studies. Real strategies. Subscribe to the Substack here: open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #BlackbirdRook #ArtAdvisory #CollectingArt #ContemporaryArt #ArtAdvising #Substack #ArtCollector

The last few days of MAGPIE’S EYE - curated by Laura Bygrave and Alex Crocker Viewing by appointment. www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #LauraBygrave #ColourBlindPaintingWorkshop #AlexCrocker #grantfoster #DidoHallett #AdamHolmesDavies #PaulHousey #MollyMartin #TahminaNegmat #LauraWormell

Two TV shows in 1970s Britain imagined collapse in utterly different ways: The Good Life turned it into comedy and lifestyle choice; Survivors into ordeal and necessity. open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #collapse #utopia #dystopia #thegoodlife #survivors #pastpotentialfutures #blackbirdrook

Alison Blickle’s Cult of Artemis is a pivotal tondo where myth, ritual & contemporary femininity converge. Two women appear mid-ceremony, skin inscribed - bodies as sacred manuscripts. www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #AlisonBlickle #CultOfArtemis #AnatomiaHumanaII #ContemporaryPainting

Once, “good taste” meant a polite painting above the mantle. Today, the centre of gravity has shifted. open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #EastMeetsWest #NextGenCollectors #CulturalShift #KCulture #ArtWorld #GlobalStyle #NextGenCulture #KDrama #Manga #GlobalCollectors #FutureCulture

Birdsong – Decode the art world. Paste in any gallery press release and get it back in Plain English. The fog lifts. The art remains. I hope. Try it now: app--birdsong-ceb47a09.base44.app #contemporaryart #artworld #pressrelease #artiststatement #plainenglish #blackbirdrook #birdsongapp

Crowds, noise, and Instagram moments - are art fairs still worth the trek? I unpack the fatigue, the thrill, and the smarter ways to spot serious work. plastermagazine.com/opinion/greg... #ArtFairs #ArtCollecting #ContemporaryArt #ArtAdvisor #DearGreg #ArtMarket #plastermagazine

Thinking about starting an art collection but worried you’ll look uninformed? open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #HowToCollectArt #ArtCollectingTips #StartYourCollection #BeginnerArtCollector #ArtBuyingGuide #BlackbirdRook #CollectingArt #ContemporaryArtCollector #ArtAdvisor #ArtCollector

Sofia Kouloukouri, HOPEOGRAPHER (η ελπιδογράφος), 2025 Posca markers on paper 11 4/5 × 16 9/10 in | 30 × 43 cm Showing in Anatomia Humana II www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #SofiaKouloukouri

Birdsong – Decode the art world. Paste in any gallery press release and get it back in Plain English. The fog lifts. The art remains. I hope. Try it now: app--birdsong-ceb47a09.base44.app #artwriting #contemporaryart #artworld #plainenglish #blackbirdrook #birdsongapp

Nicholas Zirk, Gemini, 2023 Oil, Acrylic, Wax on Canvas 45 × 36 in Showing in Anatomia Humana II Nicholas Zirk presents four paintings - vibrant altars of symbols where candles, tarot, arcane fragments, and ritual remnants parade. www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #NicholasZirk

Hayley Tompkins, Personality, 2003 Watercolour on board 5 1/4 × 4 3/4 in | 13.3 × 12.1 cm Showing in Strange Frequencies www.artsy.net/viewing-room... #StrangeFrequencies #BlackbirdRook #ContemporaryArt #ArtCollection #ViewingRoom #HayleyTompkins

What comes after the gold rush? Now that the dust has settled, a question remains: what is digital art actually for? open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #DigitalArt #ContemporaryArt #PostNFTEra #CryptoArt #BlackbirdRook #DigitalCurating

Strange Frequencies 12 artists whose works shimmer just beyond full resolution. A Viewing Room of slantwise beauty & quiet intensity. Aug 1 – Sept 7 Now live on Artsy: 🔗 www.artsy.net/viewing-room... @blackbird_rook #ContemporaryArt

HUGO WINDER-LIND, Cad Goddeu: The Battle of the Trees, 2024 Oil on canvas 150 × 240 cm www.artsy.net/artwork/hugo... #HugoWinderLind #CadGoddeu #ContemporaryPainting #MythicArt #OilOnCanvas #ModernMythmaking #BritishArtNow #blackbirdrook #generalassembly #NewPainting #ArtCollectors #ArtAdvisory

Birdsong – Decode the art world. Paste in any gallery press release and get it back in Plain English. The fog lifts. The art remains. I hope. Try it now: app--birdsong-ceb47a09.base44.app #artwriting #contemporaryart #artworld #plainenglish #blackbirdrook #birdsongapp

In a world oversaturated with art fairs, jargon-heavy press releases, and market-driven noise, how do you recognise good art? open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #ArtCollecting #GoodArt #ContemporaryPainting #BlackbirdRook #ArtAdvisory #CollectorInsights #ArtMarket #ArtWriting #SeeBetter

Kasia Kay The Weaver, 2017-2025 www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #IriniKarayannopoulou #AlexiosTjoyas #AlisonBlickle #AlisonJones #AndreasVais #AngelikiStamatakou #AntonakisChristodoulou #DamienDeroubaix #EleannaHoriti #EfstathiosAlexandrosZoulias #HelenFlockhart #kasiakayartist #LoukiaAlavanou

Fiona Finnegan Moonbow, 2023 Oil on linen on wood 40 x 50cm #FionaFinnegan #ContemporaryPainting #Moonbow #ArtAndCinema #AtmosphericArt #RetroHorrorAesthetic #HollywoodProvenance #OilOnLinen #CollectorsChoice #IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer #ArtInFilm #iknowwhatyoudidlastsummer2025

Adam Holmes Davies, Wetherell, 2025 Showing in MAGPIE’S EYE - curated by Laura Bygrave and Alex Crocker www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #LauraBygrave #ColourBlindPaintingWorkshop #AlexCrocker #grantfoster #DidoHallett #AdamHolmesDavies #PaulHousey #MollyMartin #TahminaNegmat #LauraWormell

Irini Karayannopoulou, The Ritual, 2014 www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #IriniKarayannopoulou #ContemporaryArt #ArtExhibition #CuratedByWomen #FeminineOccult #PoliticalAnatomy #MysticalArt #PsycheAndBody #ArtAndRitual #BlackbirdRook

People say the younger generations want experiences, not things. But a good artwork is an experience - every single day. So why do we keep writing about it in a way that drives people away? open.substack.com/pub/blackbir... #collectingart #contemporaryart #artwriting

Helen Flockhart, Red Lion Man, 2025 www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... Helen Flockhart paints like a time-traveling botanist crossed with a medieval miniaturist. Her world is rich with myth and precision. Often, solitary figures commune with animals amid dense, meticulously rendered flora.#HelenFlockhart

Efstathios-Alexandros Zoulias, Rock decoding landscape #8, 2021 www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #IriniKarayannopoulou #AlexiosTjoyas #kasiakayartist #LoukiaAlavanou #MariannaHatzinikolaou #MattMorris #NicholasZirk #PeggyKouroumalos #SharonKivland #SofiaKouloukouri #TheoMichael

Eleanna Horiti Island no1, diptych, 1986-1988 Charcoal, pencil, soft and dry pastel, tea stains on cloth Each 35 × 35 in | 89 × 89 cm Showing in Anatomia Humana II A project curated by Irini Karayannopoulou July 10th - September 14th www.artsy.net/show/blackbi...

Antonakis Christodoulou www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #IriniKarayannopoulou #AlexiosTjoyas #AlisonBlickle #AlisonJones #AndreasVais #AngelikiStamatakou #AntonakisChristodoulou #DamienDeroubaix #EleannaHoriti #EfstathiosAlexandrosZoulias #HelenFlockhart #kasiakayartist #LoukiaAlavanou

“Sick of engaging in a dialectical interrogation of post-material spatialities, while deconstructing the liminality of ontological semiotic tension through recursive, hyper-mediated praxes?” Read my thoughts on press releases in Plaster Magazine. plastermagazine.com/opinion/colu... #ContemporaryArt

Angeliki Stamatakou, showing in Anatomia Humana II www.artsy.net/show/blackbi... #IriniKarayannopoulou #AlexiosTjoyas #AlisonBlickle #AlisonJones #AndreasVais #AngelikiStamatakou #AntonakisChristodoulou #DamienDeroubaix #EleannaHoriti #EfstathiosAlexandrosZoulias #HelenFlockhart #kasiakayartist

Bronwyn Katz’s Khutekakhubeb (Chameleon) (2023) transforms salvaged bedsprings, pot scourers, and wire into an 80 × 200 × 120 cm sculptural form. Interweaving industrial remnants, Katz references labor, resilience, and adaptive rituals of land and culture. www.artsy.net/artwork/bron... #BronwynKatz

Why do we keep falling for the quick hit in art? And what are we missing when we do? On Anatomia Humana II and how to collect in an age of spectacle. open.substack.com/pub/blackbir...