The Reactor

Nick Blackburn, Beatrice Lettice Boyle, Racheal Crowther, Georges Binda Celeste Alexandrino Ferreira Da Silva, Patrick H. Jones, Amanda Moström

“Here's where I am, I guess, on this strange journey of grief, unsure of myself, in the mood for strong forces.”

—Nick Blackburn, The Reactor

The Sunday Painter is pleased to present the opening of The Reactor, a group show spanning painting, installation, text and sculpture that explores the profound and often unspoken impact of grief. Co-curated by artists Patrick H. Jones and Beatrice Lettice Boyle, The Reactor presents their own work alongside works by four artists. While none of the work in the show explicitly addresses loss, it exists in the subtle aftermath, quietly acknowledging its enigmatic complexities and the artists’ shared experience. In tandem with the exhibition, a fundraising effort seeks to offer vital assistance to two London based charities, The Listening Place and Camden Psychotherapy Unit.

The genesis of The Reactor finds its roots in nearly two years of conversations between Patrick and Beatrice. These unfiltered discussions unfolded in the wake of sudden and unexpected losses of parents and friends, initially serving as a means for the artists to openly discuss their grief without reservation. At the outset, neither of them envisioned these conversations as integral to their practices – let alone as the foundation for an exhibition. However, it soon became apparent to both that their work, though not explicitly about grief, bore the indelible and unmistakable marks of its influence. The exhibition’s title references Nick Blackburn’s book of the same name, which delves into the subject of grief and likens its invisible, subtle workings to the elusive nature of radiation. Just as radiation operates beneath the surface, grief often unfolds in quiet and deeply personal ways. After Beatrice attended a reading at Donlon Books where she was introduced to his writing, it became clear that the immediate and fragmentary nature of Nick’s prose resonated deeply with the conversations that Patrick and Beatrice had been sharing over the years. These discussions were, at times, perplexing and challenging to articulate, yet they carried within them a distinct clarity. The Reactor thus materialised as an embodiment of the inescapable presence of grief within the human experience, inviting viewers to explore its intricate dimensions through a multitude of perspectives.

The Listening Place and Camden Psychotherapy Unit extend vital, in-person mental health support to those in need. Artists have been invited to donate artworks to support fundraising efforts, with the entirety of the proceeds to be divided between these charities.