An evening at Binghatti, Knightsbridge
I arrived at the Binghatti Head Office in Knightsbridge without quite knowing what to expect. A group exhibition in a real estate setting can feel like décor. This one didn't.
Belli International Real Estate, with Chrissy Moore Art Advisory, UK, had curated the space with a quiet confidence. The architecture was clean and the light was soft. The art did the talking.
Then I found Caroline Boff's paintings.
Colour first: deep teal, a flush of rose, a dark, wine-like red. Then texture. These are works built in layers, scraped back and rebuilt, and they reward standing close. Step away and the whole canvas seems to hum. I noticed the room's energy change around them.
I'm not usually drawn to what simply matches a sofa. I look for the work I want to live with, and these felt like presences more than pictures. I stayed longer than I meant to.
What stays with me is how the group show held together. It was considered, international in outlook, and unhurried, the kind of exhibition where the advisory has done its job and you feel guided rather than sold to.
I left thinking about one canvas in particular, and I'm still thinking about it.
Original paintings by Caroline Boff FRSA are available at carolineboff.co.uk.