I had the good fortune to visit London, to visit some fine art galleries.
First of all, we visited the National Portrait Gallery.
There was not much contemporary art inside, although it was a valuable experience due to the exploration of different styles and ages of portraits. Below is a small handful of portraits that I found specifically interesting.
Each of their styles is incredibly different, and works in a specific way that enables the artist to evoke the subject's personality. I think that it was a valuable learning experience to be able to see how artists can evoke strong emotions and give windows to personalities through simple portraiture.
Opera Gallery.
The Opera Gallery had an incredible range of pieces inside, some of which I found related specifically to my work through the distortion of identity.
These three sculptures present the human form without giving it a distinguishable face or identity. The viewer is forced to focus intently on the structure of the sculpture and what it is made of, rather than who it is and what they are doing.
They are plain and free of identity, much like the silhouettes I have been exploring.
I find it interesting that these incredibly natural forms are constructed out of artificial materials. Especially the top image, of the female body. I find it ironic and interesting how such a delicate, feminine form is created out of mechanical chains (tough, industrial, mechanical, masculine).
The bottom piece, involving a porcelain head and porcelain flowers, reminds me specifically of my own work from last year.
These sculptures involved the growth of flowers and organic forms out of HEADS, which is very similar to the piece from Opera Gallery.
Halcyon Gallery
This gallery was one that we stumbled upon by accident, but I found that it was the most impressive and most inspiring.
There was an exhibition of Dale Chihuly's work, showcasing many grand glass sculptures and installations that were far above viewers heads as they walked in the door.
Although Chihuly's work may not relate directly to mine, I find his use of organic shapes incredibly interesting.
I find it ironic and impressive how he has managed to capture such organic, beautifully flowing shapes through artificial materials.
The organic shapes appear to have grown naturally, the tendrils flow beautifully as if they are underwater.
This piece was especially incredible, due to the incorporation of water. The water occasionally rippled and distorted the reflection of the sculptures, giving a surreal twist to the installation which made it seem almost alive.
One piece allowed viewers to walk beneath it and look up. It was an interactive experience.
These images are taken from below.
Being so close to the glass sculptures (without fear of breaking them) allows viewers to focus intently on the shapes and patterns. Although these glass flowers are made out of glass, they appear soft, gentle, round and organic. Almost as if they had grown naturally this way. I find it incredibly impressive.
Sadie Coles
This gallery was the strangest gallery that I have ever attended. The layout was incredibly new from anything I had ever seen before, and the items presented were very intriguing. I decided to pick this gallery as the subject for my exhibition review.
Sadie Coles Gallery Exhibition 22/03/2018
"More or Less"
Is Darren Bader’s “More or Less” exhibition based around viewing or experiencing? Is it art?
The first thing that I realised upon entering Darren Bader’s exhibition, is that it was laid out atypically from any exhibition I had been to in the past. The clinical white entry room had no focal points dedicated to specific pieces, nor plinths to display specific items. The entire room was an art piece, filled to the brim with items and small sculptures that did not seem to relate to one another at all. It seemed to be a collection of random items, scattered randomly across the floor (and one or two on the walls and ceiling). The items left little room for viewers to walk around them, forcing the viewer’s attention to each and every item out of fear of stepping on them. There were so many items, that I found myself bypassing many, because I felt forced to move on by the other viewers, due to the lack of space. None of the items directly related to one another, ranging in size, materials and monetary value. For example, items I saw ranged from shoes, to a grand amethyst geode. It caused me to ponder whether the room was an exhibition of small, compacted pieces of art, or whether the room was an installation intended to be browsed as a whole. Regardless, the exhibition initially came across as chaotic, random and confusing. The message of the exhibition only became clear to me after researching the artist’s intentions.
When speaking to a Sadie Coles journalist, Bader stated: "I'd like to suggest anything is art, a way of seeing, a context, as removing onesself from immediate surroundings and seeing things differently." (Bader, 2018) His perspective on his own creation brings a lot of sense to the exhibition experience, and I feel that he was successful in enabling viewers to remove themselves from their surroundings. By forcing my attention onto the items below me as I walked through the exhibition, it was easy to trick myself into thinking the small room was much bigger, because the obstacle course distracted my attention from my surroundings. Travelling around the exhibition was more of an interactive experience, than a sight-seeing venture.
Bader speaks briefly of our mechanical perceptions of ‘art’ in the same interview. "Is this thing art? If it's on a plinth it's immediately seen to be art." (Bader, 2018) I find it interesting that he has removed all forms of plinths from his exhibition. This leads me to assume that he is self-aware in his decision not to use plinths AT ALL, perhaps with the intention of further blurring the lines between what is art and what is not. Placing items are on the floor dictates their worth, as they are at risk of being stood on or broken. There is an inevitability that they will be knocked, as not every viewer is the same size, and it is near impossible to navigate everything safely without 100% attention. This makes me wonder whether the items individually hold any value whatsoever, or whether the value lies in the experience of navigating them. The angle at which the items are presented gives power to the viewer; we are forced to tower over every item, asserting dominance over them. On the other hand, some of the items appear to BELONG on the ground, such as shoes, wires, and books. These items are familiar and commonplace, making the exhibition seem lived-in and unkept.
I interviewed four people for their opinions on the exhibition. Two that physically attended the exhibition (A. and B.) , and two that responded based on imagery I had taken (C. and D.).
A. “It really intrigued me, because of the layout and use of the floor, and how you had to walk over it.”
B. “I liked it. The different things seemed like they were made to have a purpose.”
C. “Looks like he’s just trying to make money with the least amount of effort.”
D. “Some of it looks like art, the rest looks like a mess a child made.”
I find it interesting how the two that physically attended the exhibition focused on the experience they had, and rated it positively... Whereas, those viewing the exhibition from a secondhand source focused on the aesthetics, and found the exhibition underwhelming. It speaks volumes about the importance of physically attending this exhibition in order to enjoy the experience. Person D brings up the question of how much of this exhibition can be considered ‘art’, as opposed to a mess. I found this opinion intriguing, as it relates back to Bader’s original quote. “I'd like to suggest anything is art ….. seeing things differently.” (Bader, 2018)
Freelance curator and author of ''Art on the Edge and Over -- Searching for Art's Meaning in Contemporary Society”, Linda Weintraub, has an interesting perception on what ART is:
“When you think about art, you have to think about life. If art doesn't sensitize us to something in the world, clarify our perceptions, make us aware of the decisions we have made, it's entertainment.” (Weintraub, 1997)
Weintraub’s clarification of what art is would determine that Bader’s exhibition is not art, but instead, entertainment. “More or Less” does not have a clear motive to sensitise or clarify, at least not to me personally. Perhaps Bader’s piece is a paradox. The front page of the “More or Less” exhibition website (on www.sadiecoles.com) speaks of the viewer’s role.
“This giant walk-in ‘still life’ invites visitors to determine what is and what isn't an artwork, in some instances following numerical combinations stipulated by Bader. “ (SadieColes.com)
Theoretically, Bader is intending to challenge viewer’s perceptions of his work, and so, perhaps he is anticipating a bad reaction such as being snuffed as “bad art” or “not art at all”. In practice, however, there is no way of latching onto Bader’s intentions, and viewers are plunged into the confusing scene that appeared to lack a motive. With this knowledge… Is Bader’s exhibition only art if it is understood? But then, by the laws of some, can it be considered art if it requires an explanation? Referring back to Weintraub’s quote… “If art doesn't sensitize us … it's entertainment.” (Weintraub 1997) This makes classifying Bader’s exhibition incredibly difficult, as there are conflicting opinions on what ART is. I would like to keep in mind that Weintraub’s quote was taken from a 1997 article, and I like to believe that contemporary art has changed since then. Perhaps, as valid as the quote is, it is outdated.
Personally, I would call the exhibition an interactive experience, which would not initially be classified as art... Although, I find that being able to give the gift of interactivity and immersion is a form of art in itself. Perhaps, aesthetically, the exhibition is not a piece of art, rather a collection of objects - but as an installation that can be browsed at will, it adopts a whole new level of dimension that can be interpreted as artistic. I feel that the exhibition is based solely around feeling, rather than viewing, and that each person’s individual experience with the show will be different. In the contemporary art world, this exhibition was classed enough as “art” to have landed a place in a gallery, and any interpretation beyond that point is down to the observer alone. As I have proven in this review, different people will have different perceptions of “what is art”, and whether the exhibition is art, so the debate will never cease.
Bibliography:
Darren Bader - (Bader, 2018)
Article title: Sadie Coles — Darren Bader
Website title: Sadiecoles.com
Linda Weintraub - (Weintraub, 1997)
Article title: ART; Is It Art? Is It Good? And Who Says So?
Website title: Nytimes.com
Article title: Darren Bader
Website title: Sadie Coles HQ
URL: https://www.sadiecoles.com/exhibitions/657/press_release_text/
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