Humanity in Portrait: Gabrielle Malak’s S5 Exhibition in Soho

By A Night of Art, Humanity, and Community

On the evening of August 1st, 2025, the heart of Soho pulsed with an unusual kind of energy. At the corner of one of Central London’s busiest streets sat the London Art Exchange Gallery, transformed into a stage for one of the year’s most anticipated cultural events: the unveiling of Gabrielle Malak’s fifth collection, S5.

Outside the gallery, parked like a time-traveling artifact, was a vintage 1927 Ford, its body completely embellished with the gallery’s branding. It wasn’t just a car—it was a statement. The past, the present, and the future all meeting at once, echoing Malak’s own artistic philosophy: that art is timeless, bound not by trend or geography, but by humanity itself.

Guests arriving at the event were welcomed into an atmosphere of old-world glamour blended with contemporary sophistication. Harp strings floated into the night air, weaving themselves with the bold tones of a saxophonist nearby. Inside, curated cocktails and mocktails—crafted specifically to reflect Malak’s personal taste—circulated through the crowd. And within the intimate rooms of the gallery, portraits that spoke of global journeys and shared humanity awaited their audience.

Gabrielle Malak: From Marseille to the World

To understand the gravity of S5, one must understand Gabrielle Malak himself. Born and raised in Marseille, France, Malak grew up in a city defined by its port, its migration, and its multiplicity of cultures. Marseille has always been a meeting point, a place where North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe collide. For a young artist, this meant a life immersed in diversity—one that would later become the backbone of his creative expression.

Malak has described portraiture as “the most human of all art forms.” His canvases are not simply likenesses of individuals; they are invitations to empathy, explorations of beauty that transcend differences. With S5, he went further than before, building a collection inspired by the women he met on his travels. From Brazil to, Nigeria, to Japan, Malak turned his encounters into brushstrokes, layering each canvas with story, reverence, and the unshakable conviction that beneath every surface lies the same heartbeat: humanity.

The Concept Behind S5

The premise of S5 was deceptively simple: to portray women from different corners of the globe, exploring the varied ways beauty manifests, but highlighting the single underlying similarity—humanity itself.

Malak has long been fascinated by contrasts. In his previous collections, he examined identity, belonging, and cultural inheritance. With S5, however, he sharpened his focus on universality.

Walking through the gallery, it was impossible not to notice the breadth of influence. One painting recalled the vibrant textiles of West Africa, saturated in crimson and gold. Another echoed the delicate precision of Japanese minimalism, a portrait of a woman with serene eyes, painted with soft, almost translucent layers of acrylic. Further along, a larger-than-life canvas depicted a Brazilian dancer in mid-motion, her expression caught between joy and exhaustion—capturing not only the vitality of performance but also its human toll.

The genius of Malak’s collection was not just the individual brilliance of each portrait but the conversation between them. Different worlds, different women, yet undeniably connected.

The Atmosphere of the Exhibition

Inside the London Art Exchange that evening, it felt less like an exhibition and more like a celebration of community. Guests flowed easily between conversations, glasses in hand, as the harpist’s delicate plucking gave way to the saxophonist’s improvisational flourishes.

At one corner of the gallery, a group of collectors debated which portrait best encapsulated Malak’s style. Nearby, representatives from Mind, the UK’s largest mental health charity, mingled with curators and artists, a refreshing reminder that the gallery’s partnerships are more than token gestures—they are meaningful relationships grounded in mutual purpose.

“It’s rare to see a Central London gallery give space to their partners in this way,” remarked one guest, herself a representative of a local nonprofit. “Too often, charities are used as footnotes for content or marketing. Here, it feels real.”

This sense of inclusivity was palpable throughout the night. The crowd was not limited to high-profile collectors; it included young artists, students, and community members, all united in their admiration of Malak’s vision.

Malak’s Presence

Though known for his humility, Malak was very much a presence at his exhibition. Throughout the night, he drifted between groups, engaging in conversations with genuine interest. He spoke not only about technique but also about the stories behind each work—the woman in Nairobi who had welcomed him into her home, the shopkeeper’s daughter in Istanbul who posed shyly for a sketch, the Parisian refugee whose quiet strength haunted him until he painted her portrait.

For Malak, S5 was not simply about aesthetics. It was about bearing witness. In a brief speech delivered midway through the evening, he said:

“What I want people to see in these works is not difference, but sameness. Across cultures, across oceans, across languages—we are all human first. The women I painted are individuals, yes, but together they remind us of what unites us.”

The audience erupted in applause, not out of politeness, but because the sentiment was so deeply felt.

Collectors and Enthusiasts: A Frenzy of Excitement

As the night unfolded, it became clear that Malak’s reputation as one of France’s most promising contemporary artists is no longer up for debate. Collectors—some seasoned, others relatively new—spoke with excitement about the possibility of acquiring one of his pieces.

One attendee confessed, “I’ve been following Gabrielle since his third collection. This one, though—it’s something else. There’s maturity here, and also vulnerability. You feel as though he’s painting not just faces, but truths.”

Indeed, there was an undercurrent of anticipation throughout the gallery. Each canvas seemed to spark conversation, each portrait seemed to hold someone spellbound. It was as though every guest secretly hoped they might take a piece of Malak’s humanity home with them.

The Role of the Gallery

While the focus of the night was, rightfully, on Malak, it is worth noting the setting itself. The London Art Exchange has developed a reputation not just as a gallery but as a cultural hub, one where community engagement and accessibility are as important as sales.

By hosting events that merge sophistication with inclusivity, they ensure that art does not remain the preserve of a few but becomes an experience open to all. The harpist and saxophonist, the cocktails crafted to echo Malak’s tastes, the presence of charity representatives—these details combined to create an environment that felt curated not only for collectors but for people.

And that is perhaps the truest reflection of Malak’s work: art that is not elitist but universal.

Critical Reception

Though the exhibition has only just opened, early critical responses suggest S5 may represent a high point in Malak’s career. Critics have praised the thematic cohesion of the collection and Malak’s ability to balance cultural specificity with universal resonance.

One reviewer commented that Malak has “elevated portraiture into philosophy.” Another noted the “quiet radicalism” of his work—an insistence that beauty and humanity remain at the center of artistic expression in an era often defined by detachment and irony.

For Malak, who has always resisted being pigeonholed, this recognition is not validation so much as confirmation that his instincts were right. To focus on humanity, in all its diversity, is to remain relevant always.

An Evening That Lingered

As the night wound down, conversations spilled onto the streets of Soho. Guests lingered near the vintage Ford, laughing, exchanging numbers, already reminiscing about an evening that felt less like an event and more like a memory in the making.

Inside, the canvases remained—silent, luminous, waiting for the next day’s visitors. But those who were there that evening carried something intangible away with them: a reminder of what art can do when it is rooted in authenticity and shared openly with the world.

Conclusion: What Comes Next?

The success of S5 raises an inevitable question: when will we get to experience this again? Malak has not hinted at what his sixth collection might explore, nor when it might arrive. But if his trajectory thus far is any indication, it will be worth the wait.

In the meantime, S5 remains open to the public, an invitation to step into Malak’s vision of beauty, diversity, and unity. For those who attend, it is not just an exhibition—it is a reminder of the common threads that bind us all.

And for those who were there on opening night, it was an evening that reaffirmed the truth Malak paints so vividly: that humanity, in all its forms, is the greatest masterpiece of all.

Joshua Pritchard
Arts & Culture Feature Writer