Pop Life at Tate Modern was a real mix. It certainly had lots of energy and the curators were thinking outside of the box in who and how they put it together, however, it was a bit on the seedy side and I'm pretty sure there were a few spectators there who had not come for the art.
My highlights were Warhol's Gem's, Takashi Murakami's video with Kirsten Dunst with the soundtrack 'The Vapors - Turning Japanese', Damien Hirst's spot paintings with twins ('Ingo, Torsen' 1992, a set of identical twins stationed in front of two of Hirst's dot paintings), Gavin Turk's plaque (I never seem to tire of seeing this - probably because of the story which goes behind it) and Keith Haring's floor to ceiling embellished Pop Shop.
This is what artist/critic Matthew Collings had to say "What I thought after I came out of 'Pop Life'".
Showing posts with label Damien Hirst. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Damien Hirst. Show all posts
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
Exhibition Round Up - Kapoor, Kidner, GSK Contemporary and Hirst
I visited the Anish Kapoor exhibition at the Royal Academy yesterday. It finishes on Friday (at midnight) so I was cutting it a bit finer than I would have liked. There were a lot of people of all ages and huge queues outside the building. Luckily I am a 'Friend' and my pass let me straight in (a good Christmas present for someone if anyone is stuck for ideas).
While I was at the Royal Academy I took the opportunity to see Wild Thing: Epstein, Gaudier-Brzeska, Gill, GSK Contemporary, Michael Kidner and then Damien Hirst at the nearby White Cube.
To sum up the others....
Wild Thing - good to see Epstein's Rock Drill and discovered Gaudier-Brzeska (who died in the first world war at the age of 23 and despite only 4 years developing his art was influential in its development in the 20th century).
GSK Contemporary - was poetic and thought provoking. with the work of Sophie Calle, Cornelia Parker, Darren Almond, Yao Lu, Antony Gormley, Clare Twomey, Ackroyd & Harvey and Lemn Sissay particularly standing out.
Michael Kidner - I was really disappointed that the catalogue had been sold out because I like his subject matter and approach to art. The Royal Academy's website says the following "A pioneer of Optical Art, Michael Kidner RA has devoted much of his career to developing work of a constructive nature. His interest in mathematics, science and theories of chaos has determined an art that is both formal and playful. The curiosity of his mind is matched by his willingness to accept the unexpected outcome." In particular the use of mathematics, science and philosophy to inform work which is both formal and playful resonates with me.
Okay...now onto Damien Hirst. He is one of the most talked about artists of our time and one of the most interesting. He also does get his fair share of criticism. I really tried to view the work with an open mind even leaning towards the positive - hoping to link them - to rebel against his critics. Unfortunately, I found them to be very poor pastiches of Frances Bacon right down to the lines, the gold frames, the scale and the proliferation of triptychs. Hirst's application of paint, his 'daubing', was, however, different to Bacon, albeit inferior.
The Kapoor exhibition is quite a spectacular and I think I probably did as much people watching as I did art viewing. I couldn't help but compare the experience at times to 'Waiting for Godot', the play by Samuel Beckett. Not just for the many ways of interpreting Kapoor's work like Beckett's play but also for the waiting element of the canon firing the red wax and the large slabs of red wax being pushed through the arches of the gallery, over and over but ever so slowly. During these moments of waiting there was time to contemplate the art - actually quite a clever strategy by Kapoor, as all too often we whizz round the galleries. These pieces enforced a waiting and contemplating, the artist imposing to an extent the time we spend with the work. In addition, strangers struck up conversation and shared the experience. Again this does not normally happen at galleries. A hush fell over the crowds when a gallery assistant came out to load the canon then the silence was interrupted with a loud bang and a huge cheer erupted as the mass of red wax splodge successfully onto the centre of the wall opposite; to start its slippery slow journey into the sea of red wax seeping over the floor of the Small Weston Room and then oozing out through the door frame onto the floor of the Large Weston Room
While I was at the Royal Academy I took the opportunity to see Wild Thing: Epstein, Gaudier-Brzeska, Gill, GSK Contemporary, Michael Kidner and then Damien Hirst at the nearby White Cube.
To sum up the others....
Wild Thing - good to see Epstein's Rock Drill and discovered Gaudier-Brzeska (who died in the first world war at the age of 23 and despite only 4 years developing his art was influential in its development in the 20th century).
GSK Contemporary - was poetic and thought provoking. with the work of Sophie Calle, Cornelia Parker, Darren Almond, Yao Lu, Antony Gormley, Clare Twomey, Ackroyd & Harvey and Lemn Sissay particularly standing out.
Michael Kidner - I was really disappointed that the catalogue had been sold out because I like his subject matter and approach to art. The Royal Academy's website says the following "A pioneer of Optical Art, Michael Kidner RA has devoted much of his career to developing work of a constructive nature. His interest in mathematics, science and theories of chaos has determined an art that is both formal and playful. The curiosity of his mind is matched by his willingness to accept the unexpected outcome." In particular the use of mathematics, science and philosophy to inform work which is both formal and playful resonates with me.
Okay...now onto Damien Hirst. He is one of the most talked about artists of our time and one of the most interesting. He also does get his fair share of criticism. I really tried to view the work with an open mind even leaning towards the positive - hoping to link them - to rebel against his critics. Unfortunately, I found them to be very poor pastiches of Frances Bacon right down to the lines, the gold frames, the scale and the proliferation of triptychs. Hirst's application of paint, his 'daubing', was, however, different to Bacon, albeit inferior.
Monday, 12 October 2009
Must see current exhibitions - London Winter 2009/10
Here are a few of the exhibitions which are currently running in London and which I intend to visit over the coming weeks and months.
1. Pop Life, Tate Modern until 17 January 2009
2. Frieze Art Fair 15, 16, 17 & 18 October 2009
3. Ben Ashton, Simon Oldfield, 13 October to 15 November
4. Anish Kapoor, Royal Academy, 26 September 2009 to 11 December 2009
5. Damien Hirst, Wallace Collection, 14 October 2009 to 24 January 2010 and White Cube 25 November 2009 to 30 January 2010
6. Turner Prize, Tate Britain, 6 October 2009 to 3 January 2010
7. John Baldesarri, Tate Modern, 13 October 2009 to 10 January 2010
8. Michael Kidner RA, Royal Academy, 25 September to 9 December 2009
9. Jerwood Drawing Prize, Jerwood Space, until 25 October 2009
10. The Real Van Gogh, Royal Academy, 23 January 2010 to 18 April 2010
The list is in no particular order but I will try and organise myself so that I see the ones which finish the soonest first, the longer running ones will have to wait! Therefore first from the list will be a visit to Frieze Art Fair this week. I have been to Frieze the past three years running and each time I have a rush of mixed emotion from the experience. It usually begins with a mix of excitement and enthusiasm then comes a reassuring surge of energy in the middle and finishes with exhaustion then a "what is this all about anyway" feeling.....I even tried Zoo last year to try and counterbalance the impact. So I thought about not going this year but the fear of not wanting to miss 'something' along with some interesting looking talks in the event listings have persuaded me otherwise (as well as having the chance to catch up with some other artist-friends over lunch).
1. Pop Life, Tate Modern until 17 January 2009
2. Frieze Art Fair 15, 16, 17 & 18 October 2009
3. Ben Ashton, Simon Oldfield, 13 October to 15 November
4. Anish Kapoor, Royal Academy, 26 September 2009 to 11 December 2009
5. Damien Hirst, Wallace Collection, 14 October 2009 to 24 January 2010 and White Cube 25 November 2009 to 30 January 2010
6. Turner Prize, Tate Britain, 6 October 2009 to 3 January 2010
7. John Baldesarri, Tate Modern, 13 October 2009 to 10 January 2010
8. Michael Kidner RA, Royal Academy, 25 September to 9 December 2009
9. Jerwood Drawing Prize, Jerwood Space, until 25 October 2009
10. The Real Van Gogh, Royal Academy, 23 January 2010 to 18 April 2010
The list is in no particular order but I will try and organise myself so that I see the ones which finish the soonest first, the longer running ones will have to wait! Therefore first from the list will be a visit to Frieze Art Fair this week. I have been to Frieze the past three years running and each time I have a rush of mixed emotion from the experience. It usually begins with a mix of excitement and enthusiasm then comes a reassuring surge of energy in the middle and finishes with exhaustion then a "what is this all about anyway" feeling.....I even tried Zoo last year to try and counterbalance the impact. So I thought about not going this year but the fear of not wanting to miss 'something' along with some interesting looking talks in the event listings have persuaded me otherwise (as well as having the chance to catch up with some other artist-friends over lunch).
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