Little Omens Exhibition Opens at Shoreditch Modern: A Journey into the Mystical

A Thoughtful Meditation on Modern Unrest

With surprising objects and images such as golden snails and a crucifix made of conjoined fish, Little Omens is an art exhibition that invites viewers to meditate on the anxieties of our current age. The show’s title refers to humanity’s timeless search for signs of hope amidst the chaos. The exhibition encapsulates the growing sense of unease many feel in today’s world, with an emphasis on returning to nature, tradition, and folklore for guidance. This return to “simple” symbols—an ancient charm, a flickering flame, a wild forest—serves as a poignant reminder of our fragility and humanity, much needed in a world that sometimes seems to teeter on the edge of a new dark age.

Four Artists, One Powerful Narrative

The exhibition showcases the work of four contemporary artists who have drawn upon folkloric and medieval aesthetics to create visually stunning, thought-provoking pieces. Each artist brings their own unique voice to the conversation, creating a layered narrative that explores darkness, naivety, magic, and salvation. These are expressed through a wide range of mediums including bronze, ceramic and painting.

Learn more about the four artists participating in the Little Omens exhibition:

• Daisy Tortuga: An East London-based ceramicist and rugmaker, Tortuga‘s work interweaves traditional techniques with illustrations drawn from medieval imagery. Her pieces, deeply influenced by the absurdity of everyday life and womanhood, create a healing narrative out of life’s chaos.

• Joseph Dupré: A British artist whose practice spans sculpture, printmaking, and drawing, Dupré employs materials such as Delft blue pottery, recalling 16th-century Dutch traditions. His art renders both humans and animals as modern relics, reminding us of our deep-rooted connection to the past.

• Oreste Baldini: Based in Rome, Baldini’s work centres around fish as a symbol of knowledge, regeneration, and mysticism. Drawing upon ichthyomancy, an ancient ritual of using fish to interpret the future, Baldini’s pieces revive biblical and mythical layers of symbolism.

• Pauline Mauruschat: This multi-disciplinary artist from Germany depicts animals and nature in dark, fairytale-like imagery. Inspired by her inner child, Mauruschat‘s works feel both ancient and contemporary, embedding powerful symbolism and a sense of enchantment.