Le Palais des Rêves is the new exhibition presented by the Artist (Still) Formally Known As Robert Rubbish as scenes from a fabulist narrative woven from such sources of inspiration as the Palais Idéal, which was created in southeastern France by the outsider artist Ferdinand Cheval over 33 years from objects found on his rounds as a postman, and Chanoine, the favourite cat of the author Victor Hugo.
‘When I visited Hauteville House in Guernsey, which was home to Victor Hugo and his family when he was exiled by Napoleon III in the 1850s for his political views, I was mesmerised by a rendition of one of his cats among the Dutch tiles decorating the dining room,’ says Rubbish. ‘Mindful of Hugo’s quote "God made the cat for the human pleasure of caressing the tiger”, my interpretation of the cat on the tiles is present in a number of works in the show.’
The fever dream of Le Palais des Rêves also incorporates the Egyptian surrealist poet Joyce Mansour and such exotic landmarks as the Victorian Hannah Courtoy mausoleum - which is rumoured to be a time machine - in London’s Brompton Cemetery.
These and other elements appear in the pen and ink and watercolour works in Le Palais des Rêves, displaying Rubbish’s ‘astounding draughtmanship, delicate fine lines and irresistible sense of humour’ as identified by the designer Christine Vanderhurd.
Le Palais des Rêves includes an exquisite collection of sgraffito ceramics created by Rubbish with the Penzancebased artist Dominique Füglistaller and coincides with the publication of the companion book Le Palais des Rêves by Rough Trade Books.
One of the events of the exhibition’s finissage on 10 May will an analysis session with the artist by the author Sheena Patel, who acquired an earlier ceramic plate made by Rubbish and Füglistaller bearing the inscription on André Breton’s grave ‘Je cherche l’or du temps’ (I am searching for the gold of time).
‘It is a beautiful talisman of good things to come,‘ says Patel, foreshadowing expectations of Le Palais des Rêves.
Once again hosted at James Jackson’s west London atelier, the breadth and confident execution of Le Palais des Rêves consolidates the art and interiors exchange that has been conducted between Jackson and Rubbish since his first exhibition in the Fulham space in 2019.
Notes:
Robert Rubbish is a UK-based artist and a founder of art collective Le Gun.
James Jackson has operated his antiques and interiors shop for more than 20 years; he was previously a specialist in Christie’s Asian Arts department.
Le Palais des Rêves runs at James Jackson, 279 Lillie Road, London SW6 7LL, from 1-10 May 2026.
Private view from 6pm on 30 April.
The Rough Trade Books closing event on 10 May features a reading by Babak Ganjel @babakganjel and a live analysis session with Robert Rubbish by Sheena Patel @imightbesheenapatel in the shop’s window.
Opening hours: 11am-5pm daily