Dale Lewis's solo exhibition 'Lost Illusions' opens at Edel Assanti in Fitzrovia, London, marking his first London show in five years. The exhibition presents a new body of work that departs from his earlier large-scale horizontal paintings of East End life, which he felt had become too formulaic. Instead, Lewis returns to a rawer, more immediate style, incorporating spray paint directly onto unprimed canvas. A key painting, 'The Bell' (2025), depicts the real-life protests at The Bell Hotel in Epping over migrants being housed there, using a Christmas tree structure to layer fragments of contemporary British anger and disaffection. Lewis also discusses how studying horticulture at Capel Manor College and moving to the edge of Epping Forest has infused his work with natural imagery.
This exhibition matters because it represents a significant artistic shift for a painter known for his narrative-driven, Old Master-influenced compositions. Lewis's deliberate move away from a recognizable 'brand' toward a more experimental, process-based approach signals a broader trend of artists reassessing their practice in response to market pressures. The politically charged subject matter of 'The Bell'—addressing migration, Brexit, and social unrest—positions his work within urgent contemporary debates, while his integration of horticultural study into his art practice highlights the growing intersection of art, ecology, and personal reinvention.