Dale Lewis's 'Lost Illusions' at Edel Assanti Marks a Raw New Direction

Dale Lewis's solo exhibition 'Lost Illusions' at Edel Assanti in Fitzrovia, London, is his first London show in five years and represents a significant departure from his earlier work. The paintings, made after Frieze London in October 2025, are more raw and immediate, abandoning the Old Master compositional structures of his previous East End narratives. Lewis studied horticulture at Capel Manor College in Enfield, which influenced the nature motifs. Key works include 'The Bell,' depicting the 2025 protests at The Bell Hotel in Epping over migrant housing, featuring figures like TOWIE icon Gemma Collins and masked protesters. 'Kiss Goodbye' portrays extinct British species like the Essex Emerald moth and Black-Veined White butterfly, while also referencing blue-collar working couples. 'Shroud' memorializes his grandfather, incorporating a real cigarette. 'Bad Day' inverts a figure with bodily fluids as color fields, drawing on William Blake, Matisse, and Polke. 'Horizon' depicts a deceased family friend buried underground, using Japanese visual references. Lewis uses spray paint directly on unprimed canvas, linocut textures, and found objects like charity shop clothes and bottles. The exhibition runs until 14 August 2026.