'Neon Wonderland' Group Show at Imitate Modern

Since neon’s commercial inception by French chemist George Claude, the Noble gas has captured many a gaze. But it was the works of Bruce Nauman in the 70’s and, more recently, Tracey Emin which has bought about the next loving phase of neon art works, establishing neon as a must-have for many contemporary art collectors.

Like moths to a flame, viewers find themselves hypnotised and drawn into the light, with the message of each work ingrained in the viewers’ mind more so than that of any other medium. Continuing deeper down the rabbit hole to the realm of the neon darlings, Imitate Modern brings you ‘Neon Wonderland’ a group show of predominantly London based female artists in honour of Women's Month, showcasing British talent working with a medium that crosses the boundaries of scientific principles and artistic expression, whilst comparing the physical fragility of the glass tubes themselves to that of our societal ideologies.    

About The Artists

Lauren Baker  

Lauren Baker is a British contemporary multidisciplinary artist who exhibits internationally. Her work explores the fragility of life, energy-fields, the after-life and other dimensions. Using neon light to express her positive messages and life mantras, she aims to raise the vibration of love and connection in the world.  Lauren’s work is inspired by her time spent in the Peruvian Amazon and in 2012 her art career started with a life-changing trip to South America. Lauren joined a mosaic street-art project in Brazil and spent time in the Peruvian Amazon jungle surrounded by dense vegetation and wildlife. Lauren is represented by 10 galleries internationally and has created installations at the V&A, Tate Britain, ran an art workshop at Tate Modern and directed the windows of Selfridges.  

Half a Roast Chicken  

Eve De Haan is a London-based artist who has exhibited her work in Europe and in America. Her Theology degree has helped inform and influence her work, developing a strong body of installations which examine concepts of change and the imprint technology makes on youth culture.  Her creations are provocative and challenging. Through her love of the written word, Eve delves into the concepts of gender roles, exploring the gradients and shades of meaning within a statement. Eve finds neon an ideal medium to explore the expression and the changeable nuances within words that are so readily used in society today.  

Illuminati Neon  Creating beautiful, seductive art from their Shepherd’s Bush studio, Illuminati Neon’s work is rooted in the birthplace of punk, drawing on the cultural vibes of West London in order to create artwork that enlightens the world.  Using vintage flags and distressed wood, the neon flickers gently to give the most wonderful imagery, while punk messages written under the neon make you smile, laugh and think. As a friend of the Sex Pistols, Mark Illuminati’s punks roots run deep, and has merged his art credentials with century-old neon to produce beautiful statement art works.  Rebecca Mason  Rebecca Mason is a British artist who uses light to convey the darkness within human life, existence and emotion. This is often accompanied by a dry, self-deprecating sense of humour and candid confessions aimed at recognising and accepting our imperfections. Neon, with its seedy connotations and consumerist lure, is the brush she uses to create a gritty simultaneously delicate world.  Her inspiration is drawn from the exciting, chaotic playground of the city in which she lives. The living metropolis of London, with all its fears, questions and realisations emerge in her work via a duplicate of textual phrases and fragile luminosity. The aim is to encourage the viewer to engage, share her world and illuminations, as well as identify a little of themselves and their own experience in the work.