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I had a busy evening last Thursday the 24th. I did mean to visit 4 exhibition openings, but only made it to 2 in the end.
The first I attended was at a small gallery called studio 1:1 at 57a Redchurch St. London, E2 7DJ. There were 9 artists in the show from Canterbury College, Kent. One of the artists was actually the tutor, Charles Williams, who contributed a bronze figure of a man that reminded me of Bully, the booby prize on the old quiz show, Bullseye - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7RuorQhH7Q.
Here is the catalogue introduction by Helen Kirwan
Nine artists who met during their BA (Hons) Visual Arts Degree at Canterbury College, Kent, present this group show: eight are due to graduate this July; one, the artist Charles Williams, teaches there part-time.
Drawn together by mutual appreciation of each other’s work, the remarkable journeys made and challenges overcome, they express a high degree of commitment both to their own individual practices and collectively, to supporting each other.
It is tempting to find themes in group shows. However, the strongest impression here is of diversity, in the variety of subject matter and contexts, starting points and strategies and the range of materials- paint, video, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media and others.
Nonetheless, the content of the work is the element of greatest interest. Clearly, different ideas and issues have prompted the journeys of exploration and creativity of each particular artist. Thus one finds explorations of family photographs, memory and nostalgia; romanticism and landscape in the context of concerns about climate change; mapping and Euclidean geometry; the discrepancy between idealized images of females in popular culture and ‘reality’. An exploration of process and materials as such, is apparent in the use of clay; its manipulation, scarring, firing and glazing as expressions of the folds and caverns of the female body. Other experiments with clay, lead, wax, plaster and resin investigate the human face and head. In painting, intuitively, without overt, predetermined prompts or ideas, invented spaces with characters emerge.
To survive an ‘art world’ dominated by commercial interests, artists need to be sufficiently resourceful and intellectually resilient to hold onto their own ideas and values, when necessary, against the fashion-led values generated by the art market. [Jon Thompson, 2002]. Depth of understanding supports this strategy; one hopes and expects these artists will go on developing their ideas and capacity to hold their own values.
For a look at the artwork on display go to - http://www.wenickedit.co.uk/
I had the opportunity to interview one of the artists, Nathan Huckle, the video is below. I also had in-depth talks with Karen Baxter, whose striking piece resembled large clam shells stuck together, though what really struck me when I first saw it (and the reason I like it so much), is because it resembles withered labia. I engaged Karen on this and she had some very interesting things to say, though unfortunately I was a bit too drunk to record it! Sorry!
The other artist I spoke to after the show was the lovely Georgina Seltzer, who had her proud mum in attendance. Georgina's piece was a rather strange, but highly stylised portait. For more info on these, and the other artists go to - http://www.wenickedit.co.uk/
Interview with Nathan Huckle "Technical Issues" Alert! I'm having problems uploading this video to youtube. I will try again tomorrow!
The second show I attended was at the Outside World Galery, 44 Redchurch St. London, E2 7DP. This was chocabloc of artwork from all over the world. Pieces that struck me the most are below.
Bamos (from Tanzania) "Tinga Tinga"
Bamos (from Tanzania) "Tinga Tinga"
Bamos (from Tanzania) "Tinga Tinga"
The first I attended was at a small gallery called studio 1:1 at 57a Redchurch St. London, E2 7DJ. There were 9 artists in the show from Canterbury College, Kent. One of the artists was actually the tutor, Charles Williams, who contributed a bronze figure of a man that reminded me of Bully, the booby prize on the old quiz show, Bullseye - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7RuorQhH7Q.
Here is the catalogue introduction by Helen Kirwan
Nine artists who met during their BA (Hons) Visual Arts Degree at Canterbury College, Kent, present this group show: eight are due to graduate this July; one, the artist Charles Williams, teaches there part-time.
Drawn together by mutual appreciation of each other’s work, the remarkable journeys made and challenges overcome, they express a high degree of commitment both to their own individual practices and collectively, to supporting each other.
It is tempting to find themes in group shows. However, the strongest impression here is of diversity, in the variety of subject matter and contexts, starting points and strategies and the range of materials- paint, video, sculpture, ceramics, mixed media and others.
Nonetheless, the content of the work is the element of greatest interest. Clearly, different ideas and issues have prompted the journeys of exploration and creativity of each particular artist. Thus one finds explorations of family photographs, memory and nostalgia; romanticism and landscape in the context of concerns about climate change; mapping and Euclidean geometry; the discrepancy between idealized images of females in popular culture and ‘reality’. An exploration of process and materials as such, is apparent in the use of clay; its manipulation, scarring, firing and glazing as expressions of the folds and caverns of the female body. Other experiments with clay, lead, wax, plaster and resin investigate the human face and head. In painting, intuitively, without overt, predetermined prompts or ideas, invented spaces with characters emerge.
To survive an ‘art world’ dominated by commercial interests, artists need to be sufficiently resourceful and intellectually resilient to hold onto their own ideas and values, when necessary, against the fashion-led values generated by the art market. [Jon Thompson, 2002]. Depth of understanding supports this strategy; one hopes and expects these artists will go on developing their ideas and capacity to hold their own values.
For a look at the artwork on display go to - http://www.wenickedit.co.uk/
I had the opportunity to interview one of the artists, Nathan Huckle, the video is below. I also had in-depth talks with Karen Baxter, whose striking piece resembled large clam shells stuck together, though what really struck me when I first saw it (and the reason I like it so much), is because it resembles withered labia. I engaged Karen on this and she had some very interesting things to say, though unfortunately I was a bit too drunk to record it! Sorry!
The other artist I spoke to after the show was the lovely Georgina Seltzer, who had her proud mum in attendance. Georgina's piece was a rather strange, but highly stylised portait. For more info on these, and the other artists go to - http://www.wenickedit.co.uk/
Interview with Nathan Huckle "Technical Issues" Alert! I'm having problems uploading this video to youtube. I will try again tomorrow!
The second show I attended was at the Outside World Galery, 44 Redchurch St. London, E2 7DP. This was chocabloc of artwork from all over the world. Pieces that struck me the most are below.
Bamos (from Tanzania) "Tinga Tinga"
Bamos (from Tanzania) "Tinga Tinga"
Bamos (from Tanzania) "Tinga Tinga"
Matthias Krumbiegel - Jazz Singers + Audrey Hepburn
I spoke to one of the artists, Mel Elliott after the show and Andy, an interloper in the best possible sense, started asking her quetions about her work. Below is the video that I filmed, so I aplogise for the dodgy camerawork. Mel was very engaging and really knew where she was coming from. The child-like quality of her work was definitely reflected in her personality and her stature, though I also got the felling that she is not the sort of person I would like to tangle with. I hope that when she reads this she won't mind me assessing her as a bit of a tough-cookie on the quiet.
I googled Mel's name and this came up from supermarketsarah.com - LOVE MEL products are designed by Mel Simone Elliott, a 36-year-old Artist/designer from South Yorkshire now based in East London. Having completed her MA in Communication Art & Design at The Royal College of Art in Kensington, she began working on the I LOVE MEL brand. Her work is heavily influenced by fashion, celebrity and interiors magazines and her passion for rebellion and fun lead to her playful products for adults in the shape of celebrity paper dolls (complete with suitable attire) and the 'Colour Me Good' range of colouring books. Love them or loath them, celebrities are unavoidable so why not dress them or get your crayolas out and colour them in?
I found Mel's work very engaging, in that the paper dolls were based on '70's craft ideals, though with a modern, even pop-art, slant. Her colouring books were more up my street, there were pictures to fill in of modern-day icons such as a topless Kate Moss and a disgraced Pete Doherty. I think they would bring a lot of fun to any dinner party.
I found Mel's work very engaging, in that the paper dolls were based on '70's craft ideals, though with a modern, even pop-art, slant. Her colouring books were more up my street, there were pictures to fill in of modern-day icons such as a topless Kate Moss and a disgraced Pete Doherty. I think they would bring a lot of fun to any dinner party.
Here is a pic of one of Mel's pieces to give you an idea about her style and sense of humour, though this one is not included in the show.
Here is the interview with Mel Elliott, with grateful thanks to Andy.
Interview with Mel Elliott
The show was very diverse, and you may know me by now, I usually have at least one criticism of exhibitions, and this one is no different. My real bug-bear about the "art world" is the business side of things, and I really find it quite off-putting when prices are displayed. This show did not go that far, though in the printed blurb there was only the name of the artist, title of the piece and then the price. I will write in more depth about this when I produce a mission statement in the near future, though I find this practice very cynical.
Open Fence, Altab Ali Park, London.
On the evening of Friday 25th I got a bit of a shock! At the southern end of Brick Lane there is a small (and very didgy) park called Altab Ali park, named after a man that was murdered in a racist attack some years ago.
The structure (pictured below) is a pop-up installation of a stairwell linking the street with the park near a bus stop where is no exit.
Here is an extract taken from their blurb.
Altab Ali Park is seperated from the street only by a historic wall, which is unusual as most public green spaces in that area are surronded by fences and gates. Besides many people use a short cut through the park, jumping over the wall, to get to the adjacent bus stop. The project stresses out the already existing qualities of the wall as an open boundary. A wooden structure, which sits on top of the wall, connects the street area with the park and enhances the accessibility of Altab Ali Park. The project refers to the Gestalt of sand dune fencing. The fence originally an seperating element is transformed into its opposite. Taking into account the historic value of the wall, the structure will only touch it, no fixtures at the wall are necessary.
Have a look at the pictures
The Innsbruck Students have another 2 years left on there course and as I mentioned at the end of the interview, the only criticism is about the ergonomic usability of the structure. When walking up the stairs, I expected to be able to walk through a gap at the top and to be able to walk down stairs on the other side, instead of having to jump down on the other side. This is a learning curve for them though and I hope that pointing this out, they will take this in and improve for the future. The structure is amazing and even more so on first sight, it certainly created a lot of interest from passers-by.
I'm geting hooked on interviewing! Here is yet another interview with 3 of the the artists (although they are actually Architecture students), Thomas Hildebrand, Bob Simon and (a silent) Cornelia Vonbun, and their tutors Birgit Brauner and Christian Schmutz.
I'm geting hooked on interviewing! Here is yet another interview with 3 of the the artists (although they are actually Architecture students), Thomas Hildebrand, Bob Simon and (a silent) Cornelia Vonbun, and their tutors Birgit Brauner and Christian Schmutz.
"Technical Issues" Alert! I'm having problems uploading this video to youtube. I will try again tomorrow!
Coming soon: Mission statement for Brick Lane Arts and more exhibition reviews.
mancpete
Tough Cookie!? Haha. Too Right! Thanks for the lovely words it was great to meet you. When they're doing my South Bank Show special though I must remember not to smoke on camera!
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