Callum Eaton’s “Look but don’t touch” Exhibition
by Adriano Batista
Callum Eaton presented his new exhibition titled “Look but don’t touch”, a debut solo showcase brought to you by Carl Kostyál.
Embarking on a journey honed through the pursuit of photorealistic excellence since his days at Goldsmiths (BA Fine Art, 2019), Callum Eaton stood witness to a curious spectacle. Amidst an early open studio gathering, an intoxicated visitor, entranced by a lifelike portrayal of a conventional cash machine, attempted in vain to engage with its two-dimensional allure. This scene evokes the legendary tale of Zeuxis and Parrhasius, ancient masters of artistry, locked in a duel of illusion. Much like Parrhasius tricking Zeuxis with a curtain that was itself a painting, Eaton’s work holds a mirror to artistic deception.
Following his well-received exhibition “Hole in the Wall” at Paris’ Long Story Short gallery earlier this year, which introduced a collection of super flat, nonfunctional ATM machines, Eaton returns to the spotlight with his London debut. This new exhibition expands upon his exploration of overlooked urban elements, infused with a conceptual sensibility nurtured during his tenure at Goldsmiths. A poignant commentary on the rampant commercialization of modern society, Eaton’s pieces echo with a subversive depth. These objects, stripped of their utilitarian purpose, transform into readymades – remnants of an interaction-focused world reduced to two dimensions.
Eaton’s art stands in dialogue with diverse inspirations – from the stark industrialism of Soviet-era Constructivism to the Futurist odes to obsolete technological marvels. As a counterpoint, his pieces reflect a nod to Formalist evaluation, prompting viewers to appreciate art beyond its aesthetic surface. Street-side telephone boxes, now relics of the past, tell stories of digital advancement. Coca-Cola vending machines, invoking Warhol’s repetitions, mirror Eaton’s painstaking likeness. Elevators echo with memories of a bustling financial hub. With trompe-l’œil finesse akin to Louis-Léopold Boilly’s craft, Eaton documents the mundane, each canvas expanding his own cityscape like a Sims-esque universe.
In a playful twist reminiscent of hidden Easter eggs in classic portraits, Eaton’s presence surfaces subtly. He appears as both an apparition in the reflection of a Washeteria’s door and the embodiment of images from a self-service photo-booth. The artist and his art merge, blurring the boundaries between the tangible reality he inhabits and the flattened, simulated layers adorning each canvas.
CALLUM EATON: LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH
PRIVATE VIEW | 17 AUGUST 2023, 6-9 PM
OPEN | 18 AUGUST – 19 SEPTEMBER 2023
CARL KOSTYÁL, 12A SAVILE ROW, LONDON W1S 3PQ
Office Riot
Moncler & Billionaire Boys Club partner on Special Edition Collection for FW23
Wood Wood enters a new chapter with its FW25 Double A campaign, the first collection under creative director Brian SS Jensen and head of design Gitte Wetter.
Leandro da Silva photographed by Emil Huseynzade and styled by Vladimir Frol de Moura, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
PUMA is re-releasing its special 2003 H-Street sneakers in two Jamaica-inspired colorways, just in time for Notting Hill Carnival.
Delvinas and Antón lensed by Willy Villacorta and styled by María Hernandez, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Viegas is someone who grew up immersed in music and community, with a desire to create spaces where people feel seen and free.
Johnatan Aba and Yoni Goor captured by the lens of Italo Gaspar and styled by Marchesini Matilde & Stefani Sofia, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Stüssy keeps growing, and its newest store in Biarritz, France, is proof.
DJOOKE opens up about his journey from Portuguese small towns to Lisbon’s DJ scene, the birth of iconic LGBTQ+ party BALAGAN, and his vision for inclusive nightlife.
Nicolas Benitez at New Icon photographed by Diego Bigolin and styled by Daniel Zazueta, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Massimo Osti Studio’s latest collection, Continuative Garments, stays true to the brand’s philosophy: clothes should work effortlessly in everyday life.
For Fall/Winter 2025, Billionaire Boys Club turns its focus to Jamaican sound system culture, drawing from the raw energy of dancehall, reggae, and lovers rock.
Salomon has teamed up with JJJJound to reimagine the XT-6 in two very different ways.
The fragrance captures the fleeting bloom of the osmanthus flower, a winter surprise in Kyoto.
Borsalino’s Fall/Winter 2025 campaign, captured by Pablo di Prima and shaped by Agata Belcen’s art direction, turns hats into something more than accessories. They become extensions of the people wearing them, subtle yet full of presence.
The brand’s… »
A reimagined version of their classic Plantaris, this ultra-limited release swaps the usual for titanium, turning a familiar shape into something that feels like it’s from 2075.
With a remarkable voice that challenges the status quo, Marval Rex is redefining cultural + transgender identities through the lens of comedy, performance, and thoughtful discourse.
SAVVA at Angels Project photographed and styled by Alberto Saguar, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Rombaut’s new drop, Ground I, is the latest step in their barefoot series, a shoe that keeps getting simpler, quieter, more like a sculpture than just footwear.
Rick Owens’s first major retrospective in Paris, Temple of Love, transforms the Palais Galliera into a ritualistic sanctuary.
Alex Brendon photographed by Virginia Navarro and styled by Tomás Jaramillo, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
At Selfridges’ Summer of Sound: Music Talks, Allie X and Charles Jeffrey sat down to discuss how music and fashion shape an artist’s visual identity.
Simon Bresky and Brayden Dutremble photographed by Pasquale Vino and styled by Andrea Bassi, in exclusive for Fucking Young! Online.
Somewhere between pop spellcasting and club catharsis, the line between artist and alter ego blurs into something feral, fabulous, and dangerously seductive.
As summer winds down, MR PORTER’s Pre-Fall 2025 campaign bridges the gap between sun-soaked ease and the crisp transition ahead.
From November 14 to 16, 2025, Maastricht will once again transform into a hub for fashion, art, and performance as the FASHIONCLASH Festival kicks off its 17th edition.
The Polish brand’s High Summer Drop SS25 is built for summers that linger in memory, with pieces meant to outlast the season.
For Fall/Winter 2025, Levi’s® reworks its most iconic pieces, combining heritage with fresh updates.
Drowning in all the new music releases? We’ve got you covered. Dive into our handpicked selection of this week’s standout tracks, from rising stars to iconic artists.
The collection takes classic shapes and twists them into something entirely new, with ultra-curved silhouettes that look like they’re from the future.
At the center of it all is British rapper Lancey Foux, the latest addition to what Milli calls the “Clique.”
