The Vinyl Factory's REVERB at 180 Studios review

Yet another interesting exhibit from 180 Studios. There really is no other space like it in London and its transformation never ceases to amaze. The subterranean labyrinth has the ability to immerse its audience fully, forgetting the outside world.

The current exhibition is curated by The Vinyl Factory, who, for the past 20 years have been at the forefront of fostering pioneering, boundary pushing collaborations between artists and musicians, embracing new ideas and exploring ways of merging art and sound. REVERB is the largest exhibit of its kind with over 100 artists and musicians brought together and working across mediums including visual arts, music, film and live performance.

180 Studios. Reverb. Virgil Abloh. Photo by Jack Hems.

REVERB features 18 installations including new works. The range, variety and duration of the installations is a lot to take in and for the music enthusiasts there should almost be a warning to set aside a decent chunk of time.

The first room can already set you behind schedule with Luanda-Kinshasa by Stan Douglas, a 6 hour video. Filmed in a reconstruction of Columbia Record's legendary 30th Street studio (AKA "The Church"), the site of some of the most renowned musical recordings of the twentieth century, from Glenn Gould to Bob Dylan to Miles Davis, who recorded On the Corner (1972) - an album specifically referenced in this work. The film documents a group of professional musicians improvising together fusing Jazz, Rock, and Afro-Beat.

180 Studios. Reverb. Stan Douglas. Photo by Jack Hems.

Carsten Nicolai’s- Bausatz Noto allows for visitors to get creative using sound from four Technics SL-1210 turntables integrated into a table. Each has a specially produced bright coloured vinyl record with 12 endless grooves, which allows the visitor to play several sound loops endlessly while layering and superimposing the sound loops and creating ever new combinations.

The Vinyl Factory record label has released over 300 records, with a roster that includes Fred Again, Massive Attack, Grace Jones, Theaster Gates, Mica Levi, Yussef Dayes, Christian Marclay, Skrillex, Pet Shop Boys, The xx, Roisin Murphy Jeremy Deller, Daft Punk, Marina Abramovic, Thom Yorke and more. For REVERB there is a gallery of 100 record covers created by artists and released by The Vinyl Factory. A nostalgic collection giving a nod to the history and tangibility owning a record collection which is rarer for the current generation of music listeners.

180 Studios. Reverb. Carsten Nicolai. Photo by Jack Hems

Rather ashamedly, had I not seen William Kentridge’s very memorable major exhibition at the Royal Academy back in 2022, I would never have been familiar with his art. He is South Africa’s most celebrated living artist and works across many mediums, so it is no surprise to find his collaboration within this exhibition. Second-Hand Reading is a wonderful flip book style film with animated drawings on single pages of the Shorter English Oxford Dictionary and the accompanying music is composed and made by the Cape Town-based Neo Muyanga. “There is something about a dictionary that suggests abundance, abundance of words. It contains thousands of words that one might never use, but nevertheless one is happy to have in one's hand.” Experientially a very enjoyable combination of art and a meditative, easy listening soundtrack.

180 Studios. Reverb. William Kentridge. Photo by Jack Hems.

In Everybody in the Place: An Incomplete History of Britain 1984-1992, Deller explores the socio-political history and contemporary legacy of the 'Second Summer of Love. Based on a real-life lecture he delivered to a class of A-level Politics students, he charts the momentum that exploded from illicit underground dance floors, cementing acid house and rave music in the mainstream conscious. Deller utilises rare and unseen archive footage to illustrate his telling of this significant cultural movement explaining how for a down-trodden nation recovering from the wounds of the Miners' strike, the liberal inclusivity of this new music- and drugs - offered a much-needed opportunity for collective catharsis. With only time to watch a few snippets of this 1-hour video, it left me wanting more. 

180 Studios. Reverb. Es Devlin. Photo by Jack Hems.

Towards the end of the exhibition in Screenshare,( a new commission by The Vinyl Factory and 180 Studios), E S Devlin assembles a cinema screen from recreations of her sketchbooks upon which a video projects a room with a white chair and single dancer performing. Visitors are invited to sit and watch this short 8-minute film and then take a page of the screen away with them.  It was a lovely way to end this exhibit.

Overall, with such a varied exhibition it is neigh on impossible to see it all considering the time needed hence it is best to not even try but there is something for everyone, so once something captures your eye take your time.

Art x Food Recommendation

Should you have any foodie needs on your visit FLO London highly recommends Toklas restaurant around the corner for lunch or dinner and if we eventually get the summer we all want they have a lovely big terrace too. Their bakery and café next door has wonderful treats and coffee. 

Date: 23 May – 22 December 2024. Location: 180 Studios, 180 The Strand, London, WC2R 1EA.Website: 180studios.com.

 Words by Natascha Milsom