Exhibition: Liminal by ALO

Liminal features over 70 works created over the past three years by the London-based Italian artist ALO.

Some works were created before the COVID pandemic and held back by the artist for this exhibition. Other works were created during the COVID lockdown periods. Almost all are being shown for the first time.

ALO describes the works as "portraits of persons I know, some are portraits inspired by people I noticed or randomly encountered, and some are a collection of features drawn from different individuals". One definition of the word liminal is the ‘occupation of a position at a boundary’. ALO circumnavigates London and looks upon everyone for inspiration. The artist observes different cultures living together in the city and identifies common traits bridging this diversity.

On his practice the artist says, "I develop my work in the studio and, from an aesthetic point of view, I identify closely with archetypal fine artists. At the same time, I feel close to the graffiti / street art approach that encourages the making of works regardless of approval or permissions".

Liminal is the latest, and largest, of a series of exhibitions at Saatchi Gallery focused on the work of ALO. Previous exhibitions within a smaller project space at the Gallery in 2014 and 2017 were highly successful. In addition to gallery shows, ALO continues to produce work on the street (particularly in East London).