Once again I have had a refreshing and liberating day out at the Saatchi. Twice now the Saatchi has questioned my own pesimistic view of contempary art with ‘The Revolution Continues’ and now with ‘Abstract America’ Both have benifited from a great gallery space and the galleries thoughtfull positioning of exhibits. I wondered through rooms that shouted color, texture, form and movement. American media is brash, masculain and self assured and so is this show.
Early on in the exhibition Kristen Bakers acrylics on PVC jump out at you and assult the senses as soon as you enter the room. Her passionate and violent use of color and texture covvay movement and the act of capturing a moment. Most of the works put a mirror up to the male dominated world of car racing and do so with vast planes of color, that dart across the picture. OK, I’m not entirely sure what was the resoning behind ‘The Raft of Perseus’ and its obvious references to Greek Mythonogy and Gericault’s ‘Raft of the Medusa’ but do I care? It is, for me, a well constructed, textural and exciting work. It gives instant references to the past, but pulls you into the future and the American love of speed, excitment and the now, like a kid watching its first motor boat race.
I personally think sculpture, especially contempary abstract sculpture, needs the viewer to interact as mush as possible. Be it either with your mind or body, you need that 1 to 1 experience with solid form in front of you. Aaron Young’s work does this and more. Once again I am a kid, exploring, but this time I am questioning as well. Once again the programme notes let me down (as they shockingly did with the missed references to Gericault’s raft in Bakers work) and I feel myself questioning what Young is trying to convay. I suppose I should not need this guidence and I actually do end up coming away better for it. I INVOLVE my self in the work on a personal level, engaging with the tricks that Young encourages. I would tell you more, but it would spoil it! Youngs sculpures are just that, static pieces, but its the movement around them and the interactivity that is exciting. They pull the viewer in and show them another world.
Thses two rooms jumped out for me and I could talk more about other artists and pieces including the mad, clothes mountains and scary bandaged figures of judgement, but that would ruin the shock and awe. America maybe kown for its exesses, but this time it is a pleasure to look and try to undrstand a nation of millions that simply won’t be held back. This exhibition often reminded me of a Vegas night time in all its neon, trashy, horrible, brillience. The only difference is I WANTED to be here, it wasn’t business it was pleasure. I enjoyed the ride and felt lifted by its confidence. Please go and see and don’t forget..have a nice day!
