Showing posts with label Tate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tate. Show all posts

Thursday, 12 June 2014

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

The Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition is now underway until 17th August. Reviewers say it's worth going along to see the huge variety of painting - or perhaps just to view Cornelia Parker's black and white room. If you look carefully you may spot Anna Grayson's Arnolfini Wedding pastiche (shown in blog post here), which was selected this year from the 12,000 hopefuls submitted, and which has already sold, along with a growing number of prints.

Anna with her pastiche (in gold frame) at the RA private view
On Saturday I'm going along to the Matisse cut-outs exhibition at Tate Modern and, before that, to the Plymouth photography degree show tomorrow evening. So it should be a good weekend.

Saturday, 25 May 2013

Lichtenstein at the Tate and Man Ray at the NPG (Final Weekend) + Layla Curtis at Spacex

Haven't had much of a chance to post recently due to Access course demands. However, thought it worth mentioning two exhibitions closing this weekend (Monday) which are definitely worth seeing if you are in London. These are: Man Ray at the National Portrait Gallery and Lichtenstein at Tate Modern.


The Lichtenstein retrospective is wide-ranging and is a great primer if you thought that he just copied from comics. There is a comprehensive catalogue but if you have limited means, or already have a Lichtenstein library, then there is a more modest Tate publication for £5 (on Amazon) which is pretty good value.


The Man Ray exhibition shows a large collection of his portraits covering socialites and celebrities over half a century. The biggest surprise to me was the small size of the photos - which contrasts dramatically with the way that the work of most photographers is displayed today. It's a great show but you may find yourself standing three deep and craning to be able to see the work.

Layla Curtis at Spacex


Finally, I would just mention the new show at Spacex, in Exeter. This is by Layla Curtis and there are two main elements. The first is Antipodes, an "ongoing interactive online and photographic project that pairs webcam images from places at opposite ends of the globe". The main gallery has photos illustrating this theme and the web-based part of the work can be viewed online at  http://antipodes.uk.com/.

A second piece, Tong Tana, is a video piece (over an hour long in its entirety) which follows the trail of a hunter in the Borneo rainforest via film shot using a head-mounted camera and stereo microphones, carried by a hunter. Once you don the headphones and start to share the experience of the rainforest it all becomes very real.


Both pieces are worthy additions to Layla's previous work (which can be seen on her website or can be accessed in this book/catalogue from the New Art Gallery, Walsall). They also complement another previously reported exhibition at Spacex: Topophobia.

Monday, 19 November 2012

William Klein & Daido Moriyama at Tate Modern

On Wednesday we travelled to see the William Klein and several other photography exhibitions on a trip organised as part of my Access to HE course. We didn't get to the Tate until 12.30 and time was limited, but the exhibition did not disappoint.


Klein has had an iconic role in image-making in the 20th century. He started as an abstract painter but went on to develop a much-imitated style of street photography and produce innovative fashion images. He also innovated both as a graphic designer and filmmaker. This exhibition gives an overview of all these achievements, followed by a show of the work of Daido Moriyama - a self-confessed fan of Klein.


The first large room of the exhibition has several of Klein's most iconic prints blown up and covering the whole wall space. On the opposite side there is a bank of smaller prints, many of which will be familiar to photography buffs. However, anyone with even a slight interest in photography will be familiar with the style: Close-up photos of urban life which aren't pictures of people's backs but of their faces - people who are acting for and interacting with the photographer, or just taken by surprise. Everybody may take photos like this now, but it was Klein that did it first.


In room three there is a wider mix of subjects: Buildings, crowd scenes, kids etc, but the photos are all carefully sequenced - telling stories, as if in a photobook.  And mixed in with all this material are examples of Klein's fashion photography, including his iconic pictures of models parading amongst ordinary people on a zebra crossing.


In rooms 4&5 we are introduced to Klein the abstract photographer and graphic designer. Here there are panels covered with abstract typography, and spreads from Domus magazine to which Klein contributed work, including photograms. The exhibition also illustrates how Klein transferred ideas from one medium to another and shows his photos of Dutch barns with their Mondrian resonances. In addition, in a side room, there is a fascinating video showing in which Klein himself analyses a selection of photographs - a tutorial in how to produce great photos.


In room 6 we are shown excerpts from his films: Movies about Muhammad Ali and the search for Little Richard. A satire on the fashion industry Who are you, Polly Magoo? and more satire in Mr Freedom, which is definitely of the period (think Myra Breckinridge, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls etc). 1969 was a great year - unless you were in Vietnam or Czechoslovakia.


Finally, in room 7 we have Klein's contact sheets, which are blown up into murals and marked-up with enamel paint.


The exhibition is a tour de force. It is rumoured that Klein really wanted an exhibition on his own (given his reputation for petulance it would be surprising if he didn't) but we get a further half dozen rooms devoted to Daido Moriyama. Moriyama is a disciple of Klein and his style echoes Klein's urban photography. The Moriyama part of this exhibition is interesting but really it's a bit of an anticlimax after William Klein.


As Klein himself says, with each photograph taking 1/125 secs, the average photographer's body of finished work may only amount to 2 minutes. In Klein's case his contribution is immeasurably greater - You should see this exhibition (on until 20 January).

Tuesday, 7 February 2012

5 Must-see Exhibitions 2012: Grayson Perry, Lucian Freud, David Hockney, Picasso and Breon O'Casey

I still haven't really got very far updating the blog - so here instead is a short list of exhibitions that I hope to get to, and which you might like, in the next few weeks (update 26/2/12: have now been to all of these - all well worth seeing - will post more shortly)


1.  At the British Museum Grayson Perry: the Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman  is extended to 26 February 2012. Perry has curated a unique show of his own work and selected material from the British Museum, as this short video explains.


If you want to see more, Tim Marlow has done one of his 30 minute programmes discussing the aims of the exhibition with Perry.  The programme is showing from 11 February on Sky Arts 1.

Lucian Freud's first wife, Kitty
2. Lucian Freud Portraits is on at the National Portrait Gallery 9 Feb – 27 May 2012. See a short video here on YouTube. As it says on the NPG website: "Lucian Freud was one of the most important and influential artists of his generation ... and this major exhibition, spanning over seventy years, is the first to focus on his portraiture." See my previous post re Lucian Freud and my follow-up post. Tim Marlow has also reviewed this show on Sky Arts.


3.  At the Royal Academy of Arts: David Hockney - A Bigger Picture is showing from 21 January to 9 April 2012. Now in his 70s, Hockney, along with Peter Blake, is a survivor from the 1960s - but one who has continued to explore new avenues throughout his career and who enjoys widespread popularity. The following video by the curator Marco Livingstone explains how the exhibition was put together:


Further related Hockney videos can be viewed here. Also Sky Arts is showing a Tim Marlow programme about the exhibit and on 27/2/12 Andrew Marr is doing an hour long programme. According to the website this exhibition "spans a 50 year period to demonstrate Hockney’s long exploration and fascination with the depiction of landscape." However, Hockney is adamant that it is not a retrospective but focuses mainly on work produced during the past 3-4 years (confirmed by visiting the exhibition - only one gallery was devoted to Hockney's previous landscape work).


4. At Tate Britain there is a Picasso exhibition. Picasso and Modern British Art focuses on how Picasso was influenced by the English and how, in turn, English painters - from Ben Nicholson to David Hockney - were influenced by him. “The exhibition will show how Picasso evolved from an artist championed by a courageous minority in Britain, to become the figurehead of modern art both here and around the world.” according to the curator. It looks as though it will be a fascinating exploration, and it runs from 15 February to 15 July 2012. Tim Marlow is doing a 30 min programme on the exhibition that will be showing in March on Sky Arts.


5. Finally, if you are in Cornwall you should take the opportunity to see the exhibition of Breon O'Casey's work at the Newlyn Gallery 14th January - 28th April 2012. This is a major show of paintings, prints, sculptures, weavings and jewellery by Breon selected by his daughter, Duibhne Gough, and covers his output from the 1950s to 2011. It includes notebooks, photographs and other artefacts. Prints & works on paper will be available for sale in the Picture Room. See my previous post about O'Casey and Barbara Hepworth.

Saturday, 7 January 2012

5 Reasons to catch 'Postmodernism' at the V&A (before it's too late)

The Postmodernism: Style & Subversion 1970-1990 exhibition is coming towards its close at the V&A on January 15th. Here are some reasons why you won't want to miss it:


1. The exhibition interprets the term postmodernism liberally and does an excellent job of pulling together its disparate elements: Architecture, furniture, fashion, music, publishing, broadcasting, advertising, and money are all reflected here with an illuminating commentary.


2. If you remember the 1970s, 80s or 90s with affection you will love the nostalgia value of the exhibits - which include Punk, Boy George, i-D magazine, Elvis Costello, The Face magazine, Blondie, Blade Runner, Devo, the Memphis design group, New Order and Kraftwerk - to name just a few. And it is fascinating to see these in the context of wider postmodernist trends.


3. It's a big exhibition, both in its breadth and in the size of some of the exhibits - for example the full size reproduction of the Hans Hollein facade from the 1980 Venice Biennale (above) - a monumental portal at the exhibition entrance. You could spend hours soaking up the stuff that is on show.


4. The V&A does a great job - in the 'club space' - of showcasing some typically postmodern acts of the time: Klaus Nomi, David Byrne of Talking Heads, Grace Jones (above), Devo, Visage, Laurie Anderson, and associated design/ memorabilia from the period.

Cinzia Ruggeri, Homage to Lévi-Strauss dress 1983-84

5. Finally, while this is a serious exhibition, it has loads that will appeal to anyone who has been around through any of the past 30 - 40 years. There is something for everyone. Don't miss it, if you have the chance to go along.


Ettore Sottsass for Memphis - Carlton Cabinet & Room Divider (1981)

Whet your appetite? Then take a look at the V&A Postmodernism trailer and check out the story of how the exhibition was created. If you're serious about Postmodernism, there is a detailed book of the exhibition available (paperback version is £25 from the V&A shop).

Blade Runner - Ridley Scott (1982)

There is also a double CD and DVD of music from the period created exclusively for the V&A Shop. The set has 32 tracks and 18 music videos, spanning New Romantic, Electro, Krautrock, New Wave, and Hip Hop to present a curated postmodern mix of artists. The DVD is devoted to postmodern tendencies in music video, with artists such as Duran Duran, Grace Jones, Devo and Ultravox showing how they used the medium to express style, culture and anxiety about the future.

The limited edition gatefold double LP features exclusive artwork by Charles Jencks and an essay by the V&A exhibition curator. The tracks featured differ from the CD/DVD with music from Joy Division, Eurythmics, Television and many more. Both albums have been compiled by Abbey Road Studios, London, and contain rare mixes, alternate and live versions of selected tracks (per purplerevolver.com website - full track lists here).

Kate Moss by Rankin

Meanwhile, loosely related, over at Somerset House, The Dazed and Confused exhibition, which looks at 20 years of the magazine, is on until 29th January. It is also well worth a look and is free. There is a book Making It Up As We Go Along celebrating the anniversary, an extract from which can be found here in a piece in AnOther magazine.

Gerhard Richter - Ema
(nude descending a staircase)

And a reminder: If you're in London over the weekend it's the last chance to see the Gerhard Richter exhibition at Tate Modern, which ends on Sunday. The exhibition shows work from across his 50 year career, demonstrating his skill and versatility.

Friday, 16 December 2011

Catching Up: Pipilotti Rist, Frank Stella, Postmodernism, Gerhard Richter and more ...

Life has been busy recently and I've been to more exhibitions/gigs than usual - so I'm afraid that the blog has got a little behind.  This is the first step in clearing the backlog and bringing the blog up to date.

Frank Stella - from Connections at Haunch & Venison

Sadly, several of the exhibitions I've seen are now finished, including: the excellent Frank Stella - Connections at the Haunch & Venison; the British Art Show 7 - In the Days of the Comet at Plymouth; the Fishstock festival at Brixham; and Steeleye Span - the Now We Are Six tour at Babbacombe. I'll post a few photos & stuff from these soon, but the real point of this post is to recommend some stuff that you can still get out to see over the next few weeks before they finish - stuff which, IMHO, should not be missed.

Postmodern Grace Jones

At the V&A there is Postmodernism: Style and Subversion (to 15 January) - an exhibition which shows the impact of postmodernism on popular culture as well as on architecture and design; at the Hayward, Pipilotti Rist has put together a great quirky and psychedelic show Eyeball Massage (to 8 January); at Somerset House, Twenty Years of Dazed and Confused (to 29 January - free) picks over some highlights from the magazine's history; and at Tate Modern, Gerhard Richter - Panorama  (to 8 January) shows why this artist is so impressive. These are all well worth going to see.  

See my updated posts: 10 Reasons to love Pipilotti Rist at the Hayward and 5 Reasons to catch 'Postmodernism' at the V&A.

 
Others which are still running include the Power of Making at the V&A (to 2 January) - this is free and can be fitted in alongside a visit to the Postmodernism show; John Martin - Apocalypse, at Tate Great Britain (to 15 January) - this one is interesting but I wouldn't say overly compelling; and the Indiscipline of Painting - international abstraction from the 1960s to now, at Tate St Ives, which I found a bit disappointing, but nevertheless worth a look at just six quid ...

Hyena Stomp 1962 by Frank Stella
from the Indiscipline of Painting at Tate St Ives

Here are some more upcoming events and stuff that may interest you:


The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery (RAAM) in Exeter finally reopened this month after a long closure for refurbishment. There are three exhibitions which can be seen in the new galleries: Early British Photographs from the Royal Collection; French and British paintings from Impressionism to the early 1920s; and The Road to Rome - Artists and Travellers on the Grand Tour. In addition RAMM has commissioned a piece called Ghostwriter from Blast Theory - an artist group using interactive media - which can be accessed and interacted with by visitors as they enter the museum. Blast Theory are also exhibiting more extensively at Exeter Spacex until 18 February.


The Museum of Everything is having a two week sale until the 22nd December. This includes The Catalogue of Everything from exhibition #1 for £10 - which is good value, compared with £180 for the Books of Everything covering exhibitions #1 to #4. For £10 you get 20 12"x17" pages with descriptions of, and colour illustrations by, many of the contributors to exhibition #1, including a large section on Henry Darger.

Henry Darger

Folk - Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin's full back catalogue is now available for downloading. This includes Phillip's first solo album, About Time (2005), Live at Bath University (2009), and The School of Trobar - Love Songs and Trance Hymns (2007). These cost £6 - £8 each. Hard copies of Singing the Bones and Live in the Living Room are also available.


Finally, Stargazy Pie - a festive group show by the New Street Artists co-operative - is on in the (smallish) third room at the New Street Gallery in Penzance until the 23rd December. Worth a look if you are in Penzance.