​NTS host anu launches art exhibition in London, I wanna see all my friends at once

DJ, artist, and NTS host anu has announced the launch of her first solo art exhibition in seven years, titled "I wanna see all my friends at once."

The exhibition is due to open tomorrow, May 4, at Peckham’s Satellite Studios, and will run for a full 10 days until May 14.

Anu, who predominantly uses mediums such as watercolour and pen to create illustrations, cartoons, and sketches often used as club flyers, explained that the exhibition would be a “personal archive” of pieces she’s made throughout the past 10 years.

I wanna see all my friends at once is Anu’s first solo exhibition since 2016, most of which she says is heavily inspired by music and club culture.

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The exhibition’s name pulls from a lyric of a track by American cellist and composer Arthur Russell, also known as Dinosaur L.

“I’ve been in an Arthur Russell / Sleeping Bag Records / Dinosaur L / Loose Joints hole for the past month, after reading Tim Lawrence’s ‘Hold On To Your Dreams: Arthur Russell and the Downtown Music Scene, 1973 - 92’,” Anu said on Instagram earlier this month.

“A few weeks ago I was walking around NYC - the morning after extending my trip. I had just finished the aforementioned book, with Dinosaur L’s ‘Go Bang’ playing through my ears. The lyrics ‘I wanna see all my friends at once’ repeated.”

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Anu went on to explain that all the items she’d collected for the past decade finally “had a place”, from trinkets to artwork created in bars and clubs and letters sent to her by family, friends, and pen-pals met on music forums.

“A personal archive of sorts, so that I never forget the memories shared and the love I’ve felt,” she said. “Human friends, illustrated friends, musical friends, friends who exist within and also transcend forms. The centre of my world.”

In November 2021, Anu debuted her first-ever zine titled I'm not busy, but I'm not free - a collection of comics and artwork exploring themes of "music, club culture & general silliness".

I wanna see all my friends at once opens tomorrow, May 4, at Satellite Studios. Find out more about it here.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter