U.K. Pop Art Sensations Take Over West Chelsea Contemporary with “Something Wicked This Way Comes”
Austin's art lovers get a treat as Charlotte Rose and The Connor Brothers debut their acclaimed works in a must-see exhibit at WCC, running through November 3

Collectors and admirers of contemporary art know how lucky Austin is to have the art gallery West Chelsea Contemporary in the heart of the Violet Crown city. This month, they bring international pop art “It Girl” Charlotte Rose and satirical artists The Connor Brothers, for their Austin debut at West Chelsea Contemporary. Fresh off the heels of a sold-out show in London and coveted by collectors far and wide, these artists will hold their combined exhibit, “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” through November 3.
Both artists have something to say about the modern world, with pop art and culture meshing beautifully. Rose’s creations give the viewer a fresh look at the everyday, common objects we surround ourselves with, with a deeper message pondering our mortality and desires. The Connor Brothers, on the other hand, draw the audience in with their tongue-in-cheek British humor presented through vaguely familiar figures that seem to have leaped off the covers of pulp fiction novels or out of a Don Draper fever dream.
The artists gave us a little more insight into their work and themselves. The new exhibit opened with a VIP showing and artist chat on October 5. Their fun pieces will be on display at WCC through Nov. 3, so make tracks to get there before they’re gone.
Charlotte Rose’s inspirations and iconic imagery
Charlotte Rose started painting during the lockdown phase of the pandemic, where the stillness brought out her inner artist. It wasn’t long before collectors, including Phoebe Waller-Bridges and Yungblud, started buying her pieces. Soon after she rose to renown in the art world, big brands like Gucci and Coach came calling, bringing Rose in to collaborate.
As far as what inspires her, Rose states “One of the joys of being a human is connecting with other humans. Art is just another way to communicate a feeling or message and knowing that message is being felt by people as far as Austin is a really amazing thing.”
“I wanted this show to reflect a wide range of my work so it has a little of my Shakespearean stuff and some newer concepts that I created with the exhibition in mind. For example, I created a Coca-Cola piece since the gallery is situated in an old Coke bottle factory. All these brands pull a feeling of nostalgia, a memory, an anchor to something. I wanted to tap into that feeling.”
She also pulls inspiration from a singular era in history, the 1960s, for its nostalgia and iconic images, particularly in popular brands, such as Marlboro and Special K. She elaborates, “My childhood memories are steeped in pop culture and brands. I wanted to take everyday objects, particularly objects that are ever-present and on your person, like cigarettes and Tabasco bottles or the everyday ritual of pouring your cereal, and integrate very human, intimate sentiments or ideas into the branding. Almost as if these products bear witness to our everyday lives and have integrated themselves into the human experience.”
She raves about her hosts, describing what Austinites know is true about West Chelsea Contemporary. “WCC is incredible, the team just love what they do, and working with passionate people is such a joy. I love the artists they choose, and I feel as if there’s a really nice synergy between my work and The Connor Brothers.”
Humor and satire in The Connor Brothers’ British Pop Art
The Connor Brothers are the made-up alter egos of former art dealers James Golding and Mike Snelle. Golding acknowledges that they really started out as artists (fake identities as brothers who grew up in a cult and all) with no more than the intention to make each other laugh. But then people started taking their art seriously, with popular shows in New York, L.A., and Hong Kong. Their art now hangs in London’s posh Victoria and Albert Museum, and they also get street cred for their work having been featured in Banksy’s “Dismaland.”
Golding shares, “We always wondered how our humor would translate over here. Mike and I have got through life by finding humor even in the darkest of times, and we’ve had a few. It’s kind of a British thing to laugh at ourselves. I think by taking quite grand iconic imagery and poking fun at it, and life, and ourselves, we’re inviting other people to be a part of the joke and of our relationship.”
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Their background in art helped them once people began paying attention and collecting their pieces. Golding explains, “I suppose when we did start to get some traction having a background as gallerists allowed us to avoid some of the pitfalls that face artists when dealing with the gallery system.”
They have long been admirers of WCC, so getting to show there is a special treat they have been thrilled about. “We’ve been hoping for an invite to show at WCC since it opened,” gushes Golding, “and we’re grateful and excited to be here. As an artist, there are just some galleries you really want to exhibit at, because of their attitude, programming, and general vibe. We knew when it launched that WCC was one of those galleries.”

What to expect from “Something Wicked This Way Comes”
What can fans expect at this show? Golding goes into detail, explaining that it will be a mix of their popular tried-and-true images and new work. “The pieces we’re showing here are some works from a series we’ve been making for a while. We thought WCC and Austin would be the right scene to launch our new series of Western-themed works.” Giddy up!
Catch “Something Wicked This Way Comes” at WCC now through November 3. The gallery is free to the public, but they also will do private screenings by appointment. West Chelsea Contemporary is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.