London-based artist Teoni’s debut solo exhibition, opening on October 10 at Chocolate Studios in London, won’t follow the typical blueprint of a gallery space.
“I want people to feel relaxed,” Teoni tells me through a Zoom call, comfortably perched on a sofa after a long day of preparing for the exhibition’s opening. “I get really anxious if I go to private viewings or exhibitions — depending on the gallery. I want to make it feel like home, and anyone can come in. I really enjoy my art living in a space that isn’t the ‘white cube model’.”
Inside Teoni’s informal and inclusive exhibition, titled HONEY, there will be comfy sofas to hang out on, a kitchen offering tea with honey, and no guest lists, everyone is encouraged to rock up — “People need to be given the chance to just experience art and chill, so HONEY is being held in a warehouse-style studio apartment with none of that pretentious stuff,” says Teoni.
In many ways, the homely exhibition format is an extension of the art on the walls. Warm, sincere, and inviting, the space shares many qualities with the work Teoni has produced: 15 oil paintings shown alongside a film that plays on a television in the fictitious living room.
For Teoni, this is her first full-scale body of work. The 24-year-old, London-raised artist graduated from Middlesex University in 2022 and had a stint working as an assistant for London-based artist Slawn.
After only six months on the job, she was given her marching orders — well, kinda. As buzz was starting to build around her art, Slawn pushed Teoni to go her own way (he was like: ‘It’s time for you to go, I’m sacking you. But I’m also promoting you,’” says Teoni, whose promotion saw her become Slawn’s studio partner) and soon opportunities started coming in, like to speak at Tate Modern (twice!) and partner with companies such as Dr. Martens and Vapiano.
HONEY is dedicated to the people who helped Teoni get to the place she is today. Slawn, resting his head on his son Beau’s legs, features in one portrait, as do other notable names: Clint Ogbenna, owner of streetwear label Corteiz, UK rapper Dave, and skateboarder Onyedi.
“I’m lucky I have such a great support system around me,” says Teoni. “HONEY is an investigation of those relationships and why they inspire me. What have they done for me? Do I like them? Do I not like them? Have I only met this person for 10 minutes but they’ve had an impact on me?”
Curated by fynn studio (which has previously worked with Tate Modern, 180 Strand, and Saatchi Gallery), each artwork is embedded with Teoni’s striking portraiture style, defined by its bold brush strokes. And, more often than not, there’s a strong hit of vibrant yellow paint illuminating the canvas.
“The use of yellow was kind of a happy accident. I can’t remember my first yellow painting but when you study art and portraiture, you use a lot of brown and I think I was tired of mixing so much yellow [paint to create brown paint].” says Teoni. “Also, brown got very boring, and yellow helps keep my brain engaged.”
Her accidental discovery of this somewhat signature color speaks to an easy-going, unpretentious nature, something that shines through in the casually posed portraits of her debut exhibition. And the fact that Teoni doesn’t try to over-intellectualise this color choice when I press her on the topic is a testament to her unfiltered honesty — something that punctuates our short conversation and gives this exhibition its distinct, honest feel.
HONEY is open from October 11 until October 13 between 11 AM and 7 PM at Chocolate Studios (N1 7LJ). There will be an initial public viewing on October 12.