'Covered' | Sam Jackson and Derek Ridgers | CHARLIE SMITH LONDON, Soho
Monday, October 13, 2025 -- Friday, October 31, 2025, 1000 - 1700
'The painter constructs, the photographer discloses.' Susan Sontag, On Photography
CHARLIE SMITH LONDON is pleased to announce 'Covered', a two-person exhibition featuring painter Sam Jackson and photographer Derek Ridgers at Gramercy Park Studios in Soho, London.
'Covered' is a provocative new exhibition featuring the works of painter Sam Jackson and photographer Derek Ridgers, exploring the shifting dynamics of the male gaze in contemporary art. Through painting and photography, both artists confront the complex, and often controversial, ways in which men depict women. Their works examine the themes of objectification, agency, and power, asking whether it's possible for the male gaze to transcend its historical legacy and offer a more nuanced, empowering perspective.
The exhibition is built around two key ideas: construct and disclose. While Ridgers' photographs conceal his subjects behind glass, gels, water, or fabric, Jackson's paintings 'uncover' them, offering a more direct but equally complex portrayal. Significantly, these works depict the same women-with each subject captured both by Jackson and Ridgers. Presented as painter-photographer pairs, the images invite comparisons not just between media, but also between ways of seeing. The result is a dialogue between concealment and revelation, surface and psychology.
In a statement reflecting his artistic journey, Ridgers notes that the title 'Covered' speaks to both his artistic process and the vulnerability inherent in the project: "Revealed but still half hidden," he says, explaining how the portraits present his subjects behind various layers, symbolizing his own personal hesitation in fully unveiling his work. Ridgers gives total agency to his subjects, and the duality of exposure and concealment is central to the exhibition's narrative, creating a space where the artists and subjects alike navigate the boundaries of privacy, identity, and public gaze.
The exhibition questions the role of the viewer: are these images objects of desire, or do they offer a deeper understanding of the people and stories behind them? Through this lens, the show also explores the role of the digital age in consuming and commodifying images of women, asking whether modern technology exacerbates or challenges traditional representations of the female body.
'Covered' ultimately engages with the question of agency: who controls the image, the story, and the gaze? By flipping traditional roles of maker and subject, Jackson and Ridgers invite the audience to reconsider their relationship to the female form in art. The exhibition encourages a critical reflection on how art is consumed, the responsibility of both creator and viewer, and whether power can be reclaimed from the audience by the subject.
About the Artists:
Sam Jackson has exhibited widely at galleries and institutions including Saatchi Gallery, London; The Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts, Norwich; Walker Art Museum, Liverpool; Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth; Dean Clough, Halifax; Galerie Robert Drees, Berlin; Galerie Rigassi, Bern; Koraalberg Contemporary Art Gallery, Antwerp; and Mark Moore Gallery, LA. His work is placed in prominent private collections globally including Javier Baz, Denver; Glen Luchford, New York; David Roberts, London; Sir Norman Rosenthal, London; and Kay Saatchi, Los Angeles.
Derek Ridgers is a celebrated British photographer whose work spans over four decades, documenting subcultures, music scenes, and underground nightlife. He is best known for his iconic images of punks, skinheads, and club kids in London during the 1970s and '80s. His photographs have been published in acclaimed books including Skinheads, London Youth, and 77-87 London Youth, and featured in publications such as The Face, NME, and Time Out. Ridgers has exhibited internationally and his work is held in major public and private collections, cementing his reputation as a key chronicler of British counterculture.
For artwork list email direct@charliesmithlondon.com
The event will take place at Gramercy Park Studios, 25 Great Pulteney Street, Soho, London W1F 9ND. Available to view Monday-Friday 10am-5pm. For further information please contact direct@charliesmithlondon.com. Follow @CHARLIESMITHIdn
URL:
Instagram: https://go.evvnt.com/3297909-2?pid=2874
Category: Arts | Visual Arts | Galleries / Art
Artists: Sam Jackson, Derek Ridgers
CHARLIE SMITH LONDON is pleased to announce 'Covered', a two-person exhibition featuring painter Sam Jackson and photographer Derek Ridgers at Gramercy Park Studios in Soho, London.
'Covered' is a provocative new exhibition featuring the works of painter Sam Jackson and photographer Derek Ridgers, exploring the shifting dynamics of the male gaze in contemporary art. Through painting and photography, both artists confront the complex, and often controversial, ways in which men depict women. Their works examine the themes of objectification, agency, and power, asking whether it's possible for the male gaze to transcend its historical legacy and offer a more nuanced, empowering perspective.
The exhibition is built around two key ideas: construct and disclose. While Ridgers' photographs conceal his subjects behind glass, gels, water, or fabric, Jackson's paintings 'uncover' them, offering a more direct but equally complex portrayal. Significantly, these works depict the same women-with each subject captured both by Jackson and Ridgers. Presented as painter-photographer pairs, the images invite comparisons not just between media, but also between ways of seeing. The result is a dialogue between concealment and revelation, surface and psychology.
In a statement reflecting his artistic journey, Ridgers notes that the title 'Covered' speaks to both his artistic process and the vulnerability inherent in the project: "Revealed but still half hidden," he says, explaining how the portraits present his subjects behind various layers, symbolizing his own personal hesitation in fully unveiling his work. Ridgers gives total agency to his subjects, and the duality of exposure and concealment is central to the exhibition's narrative, creating a space where the artists and subjects alike navigate the boundaries of privacy, identity, and public gaze.
The exhibition questions the role of the viewer: are these images objects of desire, or do they offer a deeper understanding of the people and stories behind them? Through this lens, the show also explores the role of the digital age in consuming and commodifying images of women, asking whether modern technology exacerbates or challenges traditional representations of the female body.
'Covered' ultimately engages with the question of agency: who controls the image, the story, and the gaze? By flipping traditional roles of maker and subject, Jackson and Ridgers invite the audience to reconsider their relationship to the female form in art. The exhibition encourages a critical reflection on how art is consumed, the responsibility of both creator and viewer, and whether power can be reclaimed from the audience by the subject.
About the Artists:
Sam Jackson has exhibited widely at galleries and institutions including Saatchi Gallery, London; The Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts, Norwich; Walker Art Museum, Liverpool; Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum, Bournemouth; Dean Clough, Halifax; Galerie Robert Drees, Berlin; Galerie Rigassi, Bern; Koraalberg Contemporary Art Gallery, Antwerp; and Mark Moore Gallery, LA. His work is placed in prominent private collections globally including Javier Baz, Denver; Glen Luchford, New York; David Roberts, London; Sir Norman Rosenthal, London; and Kay Saatchi, Los Angeles.
Derek Ridgers is a celebrated British photographer whose work spans over four decades, documenting subcultures, music scenes, and underground nightlife. He is best known for his iconic images of punks, skinheads, and club kids in London during the 1970s and '80s. His photographs have been published in acclaimed books including Skinheads, London Youth, and 77-87 London Youth, and featured in publications such as The Face, NME, and Time Out. Ridgers has exhibited internationally and his work is held in major public and private collections, cementing his reputation as a key chronicler of British counterculture.
For artwork list email direct@charliesmithlondon.com
The event will take place at Gramercy Park Studios, 25 Great Pulteney Street, Soho, London W1F 9ND. Available to view Monday-Friday 10am-5pm. For further information please contact direct@charliesmithlondon.com. Follow @CHARLIESMITHIdn
URL:
Instagram: https://go.evvnt.com/3297909-2?pid=2874
Category: Arts | Visual Arts | Galleries / Art
Artists: Sam Jackson, Derek Ridgers
Starting Price Per Person
Free
Other Information
Where
Gramercy Park Studios Soho
25 Great Pulteney Street
London England W1F 9LT
United Kingdom
( Multi-Purpose Events Venue )
25 Great Pulteney Street
London England W1F 9LT
United Kingdom
( Multi-Purpose Events Venue )
Event Organizer Contact
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Event ID: 259211
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