Gathering Cologne presents 'Brick Boys'

Gathering Cologne proudly presents the European premiere of the solo exhibition "Brick Boys" by British artist Laurie Smith. From November 5 to December 20, 2025, visitors to Cologne will encounter Smith's unique visual language, which combines painting and movement. In his works, figures appear in perpetual motion, a fascinating interplay of dynamism and fragility reminiscent of the influence of Balthus, but without holding the strings firmly in his own hands. Smith's poignant depictions of friendships and urban bustle are deeply rooted in London's architecture, but they also borrow from the work of Martin Wong and his sensitive depiction of urban transformation and marginal communities.

The central focus of the exhibition is on the experience of queer night culture, a theme that has previously found an audience in London. The paintings take the viewer on a journey through urban spaces, which themselves become the stage for new narratives. The largest work on display quotes Balthus' iconic street view, while at the same time drawing on elements of the metaphysical stillness of a Giorgio de Chirico to create a modern, melancholic scenario full of possibilities.

Smith's work conveys the vibrant life of his metropolitan stage, deeply interwoven with the cinematic and literary heritage of the 1980s and 1990s. These layered influences form a space in which the stories of movement, desire and reverie artfully collide and are in constant interaction with the urban environment.