UP THE REVOLUTION!
I am not one to turn down a freebie. So when my wife informed me that the Saatchi Galleries had invited us for a free guided tour, I was on the train before you could say 'the last time I had been there was to see Damian'. Packed with our email from the Saatchi's I went along hoping that maybe Nigella would be there, serving canapes to the guests, unfortunately this was not the case so I had to make do with to the new exhibition China The Revolution Continues.
The Exhibition
Stunning! Thats not a word I'd normally use for many contempary exhibitions, I often find the ideas themselves are the focus of attention and that art pratice ends up a poor second. This is simply not the case with 'The Revolution Continues' The attention to detail and use of materials seems to be a real driving force from Zhang Huan's whole body of work (he has quite a few varied pieces on display) to Sun Yuan and Peng Yu's brilliant 'Old Persons Home'
With most of these young artists you get a feeling of a real dedication to display and the visual arts. Craft, skill and even beauty are words often lost in modern fine art pratice, especially in relation to contempary sculpture and instulation. But here the refreshing use of skill (learnt under the old Chinese schools of social realisum) really makes this exhibition stand out. The exhibits marry these sadly dying crafts with overt political statements and a sense of fun and humour, making this the most inviting display of modern art I have seen for many years.
The highlights are many and the exhibition itself is huge, taking up the entire Saatchi galleries maze of spaces. I think you need go to the Saachi gallery for at least 3 hours to fully take it in, but visit the website to take a look.
My fav would have to be 'Old Persons Home' I felt that this breathtaking piece of work typified the whole exhibition. Basically it consists of old men in wheelchairs. Their dress alludes to World leaders in their dying days and as their chairs move around the room electronically they interact, bump into and dual with each other. The sad old men, in the last moments of their lives still battling over their piece of ground. The old men themselves are intricately made, life size models, hand crafted, painted and concived by the artists and team of staff. Without gowing too deep into the piece (I don't want to bore you) I felt haunted and troubled by the way in which they follow you around the room, not touching you, crashing into each other in the process. But it is seriously funny as well, ok you question why are you laughing, but you do and laughter here makes the whole piece even darker I feel.
I say you must go, if Nigella is there with her cup cakes then even better!
The Revolution Continues – UP THE REVOLUTION!
It is a few months since I last wrote in my blog. Its interesting that, I have had many ups and downs since that last post and I am now finishing a commision – yes a commision! and embarking on work for 2 joint gallery spots next year, a public exhibition and a couple of other group exhibitions. I am also currently updating my website after deciding I would like to write more.
The last couple of months have brought some sucess, with the commision and exceptance into two gallery exhibitions. On the flip side I have been rejected for many more and feel fristrated by the lack of movement (on my part) in a positive direction in regards to new pieces.
Loads to sketching has taken place and I am putting ideas down on paper all the time, which is great. But I do so want to get some feedback that is not just from people I know personally. So I have recently started getting involved with the loacl art scene and meeting other artists, which has been great. All are practicing art in different ways, either as proffessional artists, part-time adult education or full time teachers. All seem to have a real drive in life, to do what they want and I admire them so much. I WILL be taking that plunge soon I hope and I cannot hold it off for too long. I am getting desperate, like a prisoner waiting to be released, i feel I must be free and soon.
Week 3 in the Post Intersections Exhibition Vaughan house. Helena is on the sofa. Neal is in the diary room.
The work of the artist is a constant tenitus in the mind. The thoughts and dreams mix with regrets and nightmares. I have enjoyed 'coming out' and experiencing producing artwork once more, but it maybe has not helped a low self esteem. My feeling about wanting to paint is strong, my fears and hate based on my abilities unfortunately is stronger still. I stopped 'searching' inside myself during my early twenties because I found it hard. The drip drip of ideas and thoughts became a deafening noise that I just wanted to stop. I shut off the ideas and my mind became a desert.
Now, my eyes are open again but things have changed. When I was young I found myself less able to focus, more confused, but absence of constraints, the innocence of youth made it easier to make mistakes. Now that carefree attitude has gone and also gone is the inspiration, the free thinking, but unfortunately the paranoia and hate still remains.
I want to answer everyone, be everything, I cannot an as such find it hard to justify myself, let alone my art.
My art is simplistic, boring, samey and I obviously know that. The problem is how to move on. I wanted to go back to basics but now I find myself scared of going forward.
Its the last weekend of my groups exhibition. Its gone very well up to now and the feedback has been great. We've sold everything and commisions are rolling in now. On the back of the works up I have a one man show planned for the Royal Academy and………yes by now you are realising this is all too good to be true.
SHAME!
Its a sad truth that the opposite could be said about the exhibition. OK the feedback has been good, I'd like more, but its been good. The marketing went well, but the feet and £'s have not followed. Now this was never about the selling, but it would have been nice to cover the costs. I think that, as a first show, its gone well and at least it got me off my backside and back to the coalface of producing art.
Producing ART! – now thats a loaded couple of words.
I have gone back to basics and I am now starting to buld up an idea of where I want to go. Enjoyment for me is the key, as is expression and technique. Now technique is a important factor here, as I feel that Picasso would not have been the artist he was if it had not been for his early years painting traditional oils on traditional subjects. Its a starting place for style and expression to develope.
I am beginnig to grow
Thats the most important thing for me at the moment. To grow in maturity and expression, within a chosen field or discipline. Keep the techniques and feelings that I enjoy, ditch the others. OK my landscapes are contrived, maybe dull and lack REAL expression or concept/ideas. BUT, I enjoyed doing them (well, to a degree as they can be bloody hard to do – the more detailed you get) and they are what they are, landscapes of London, set to a loose theme painted in oils in a traditional circa 1800 way.
I want to move on
The next step is to take it all further, the lessons I have learned in painting in oils, the ideas that are now coming to me thick and fast and the feeling of wanting to express myself more than ever.
Now if that last paragraph is not a good advert to why you should enjoy, be involved and exhibit your work, then you have lost the reason for art surely!
I have recently (this Monday) felt that my time in the wilderness of non creativity was time wasted but at the same time it was time well spent.
I will explain.
As I have said before I am, or have been, an artist. Nothing like the brave souls who go out there and do it, with no support or financial backing. NO. I am a charlaton, a degree student – who gave up when the money and course run out and the lure of jobs and the 9-5 was too much to turn down.
My years in the wilderness were spent building a career in TV production. From the humble beginnings of a video tape library I worked my way up to the even more humble (or is it humiliating?) heights of internet TV sports producer. WOW!
Now I have embarked on my new life – as an artist again. Ok, i am still employed by internet TV and I am a whore to the money men, but at least i am trying!
My wife tells me i have to put a positive spin, she has had a glass of wine!
So, over the next few days I will attempt to tell the ups and downs of my (our) current exhibition.
