Luigi Christopher Vegetti Kanku

Justin Cook, once described as 'a breath of fresh air in Bridge Street', stamps a note of authority on his fledgling OIL Gallery this week with an exhibition of an artist whose depth of expression and artistic skill fortuitously add credence to the pomposity of his name.

Luigi Christopher Veggetti Kanku "I just call him Luigi", says Cook, has made an equally large name for his modernist take on classic scenes since he first came to prominence in 2012, forging a partnership with Umberto Allemandi to produce a series of art books illustrating Italian cities.

Congolese born and Milanese raised Luigi is a little known gem typical of the artists Cook shows at OIL. The best gallery owners nurture and champion artists. The true skill of a gallery owner is almost alchemic, seeing something golden in these embryonic artists as yet unfettered by huge notoriety.

Coming from a successful career in rock and roll A&R, Cook has assembled a small stable of artists at OIL by taking a similar approach to his time spent treading the sticky floors of publican's backrooms.

"I like them to be a bit edgy, a bit different, I want artists who can make a connection with regular people at a human level."

Scratches, splatters and runs surround much of Luigi's art where, from apparent confusion, the image formed demonstrates the kind of grasp on light that is essential to creating beauty as an image. If this is edgy, then edgy is good.

OIL label mates include JJ Lynch, an MA in Printmaking, Marcus Dove a young experimental artist who was recently recognised for his photography work by MOMA PS1 in New York, and Sara Issakharian an Iranian born painter of the everyday who has just graduated from the New York academy of arts.

Without doubt these artists will go on to gain the notoriety that as yet leaves them unblemished. Remember where you saw them first, or better still remember where to acquire their early work. 

OIL Gallery, 5 Bridge Street, Hungerford, RG17 0EH