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For its latest exhibition, London Art Services (LAS) hosted Bad Art Presents, a playful and experimental show celebrating fan art, eccentric creativity, and the unpredictable nature of “bad art.” With over 150 artists contributing, the warehouse space became a vibrant, immersive environment that blurred the lines between sincerity, humor, and chaos.
With Bad Art Presents, LAS and Bad Art have created a space that is as much about community and playful exploration as it is about the individual works themselves. The exhibition encourages both artists and visitors to embrace eccentricity, sincerity, and the joy of “bad art” in all its forms.
Q&A by Brynley Odu Davies
Q&A: Billy Fraser – LAS Perspective
Q: London Art Services hosts so many shows, how do you make it work and keep everything organised?
“It’s intense, but the energy and possibility keeps it alive. I’ve always had what I’d call a kind of dumb optimism… Being artist-run puts us in a privileged position. With our experience in the arts, people feel confident working with us. Most of us have been burned by galleries, so there’s a trust that peers are in safe hands here.”
Q: How do you find collaborators and decide which projects to take on?
“Some projects come from people LAS has known for years, others from younger artists we want to support who might not get opportunities elsewhere. The decision is less about what’s ‘commercial’ and more about urgency — whether the work is pushing something forward.”
Q: Why do you enjoy putting on exhibitions, and what do you hope people experience when they visit?
“Exhibitions create a moment that can’t be replicated online… I want people to feel the risk in the work, the vulnerability. The ones that stay with me are always unique and one of a kind.”
Q&A: Anna Chotova – Bad Art Perspective
Q: Your work often challenges traditional ideas of Art being ‘Good’ or ‘Bad.’ How does this show reflect that?
“Fandom and fan art is probably the lowest regarded form of self-expression, but it’s a way of making art and exposing your creepiest, nichest desires — like baring your creative nakedness in the wind.”
Q: This show celebrates ‘bad art’ in a playful way—how do you define ‘bad art,’ and what makes it fun or interesting for visitors?
“Bad Art is painfully accessible, funny, often vulgar, confusing, unpredictable… but more than anything, it’s led by sincerity. All of our exhibitions are guided by a real love or disdain for something — we love celebrity culture, our community, and hate being bored.”
Q: With so many artists involved, how did you approach curating and organising the work for the exhibition?
“We have an open-call system for all of our shows, giving us a chance to platform talent from around the world… We scout a fair number of artists we already know, and invite others whose work fits the concept.”
Q: Why did you want to collaborate on this project, and what about this show excites you most?
“I’m a fan. Unashamedly. I love exploring this theme within Bad Art… Both organisations share the ethos of being community-minded and challenging gate-keeping within contemporary art.”
Q: What do you hope visitors will take away after seeing this exhibition?
“I hope visitors feel inspired to let their freakyfan flags fly, filled with curiosity, laughs, and tenderness, knowing these artists have generously exposed their very intimate loves to a wider audience.”
Closing
With Bad Art Presents, LAS and Bad Art have created a space that is as much about community and playful exploration as it is about the individual works themselves. The exhibition encourages both artists and visitors to embrace eccentricity, sincerity, and the joy of “bad art” in all its forms.
