This elevated take on the much-feared August group exhibition advises us not to be so complacent, else we might have our eyes burnt out – a threat faced by the protagonist of the Jules Verne spy novel which gives its snappy title to this eight-artist effort. Okay, so that’s a wee bit dramatic for this gathering of mostly Scottish-based newbies, curated by Susanna Beaumont, formerly of Doggerfisher gallery in Edinburgh. Especially as none of them could be said to enact any kind of real visual violence, save perhaps for Neil Clements, whose giant, black, star-shaped canvases are extrapolated from those hideous axe guitars wielded by glam-rock bands such as Kiss. One of those could take your eye out.
No, the only danger is that if you don’t concentrate you’ll miss the cloud formations in Erin Shirreff’s compressed ash sculpture or the resinous residue in Rudolf Polanszky’s empty caskets, made from yellowed Perspex. Human presence is also concealed in Sara Barker’s angular, arched outlines of body forms made from thin aluminium strips, occasionally tinged with pastel pinks and blues. Less engrossing are the lifesize paper statues by Rachel Adams, which while admirably creased and lovingly crumpled, too closely resemble Rebecca Warren or Rachel Harrison. As these seasonal mash-ups go this is more of a grey day than a colour riot of back-room B-sides, but it has many silver linings. You never know, if you look hard enough, it might even enhance your senses.