Hello Miss Forty

The Rapid Building

2010-10-27T04:57:00.000-07:00

The Liverpool Biennial has hosted an exhibition in an old, disused building which was the former Rapid hardware store that runs along Renshaw Street. I used to be dragged to that store far too often as a kid, it was huge. My parents would spend what would seem like hours in there. I was kind of sad to see it abandoned and empty, as it's such a massive space with so much potential. When I found out part of the Biennial was being hosted there I was made up! That place seems even bigger now it is empty, it's an amazing location for the artwork that has been shown in there. When you enter the building you have to go upstairs, this is where the exhibition begins. I was greeted by some beautiful, dark and dismal paintings by Tim Eitel. My favourite paintings by this artist were named Besitz and Haufen. They seemed so pitiful and sinister in a way, Besitz had been painted in such a way that is was hard to make out unless you got up close to it and even then all I could make out was a figure of a man. (Click on the images to enlarge)

Eitel uses subtle light, or almost an absence of light in his paintings. He extracts details – a face, garbage bags, figures in conversation – from photographs and paints them in isolation. Working with a dark palette, with the most subtle gradation of grays, Eitel paints nearly abstract scenes of haunting stillness.

Oren Eliav paints Men – captured in embarrassing, and sometimes domineering poses, unveiling the dark side of politics and the psychological factors that lie behind most public appearances. I particularly liked his painting, 'Summan' 2008. He looks at the legacy of well regarded Western masters and replicates their stances and authoritative power and depicts them in an abstract style, not giving away any defining features, merely suggesting that these men are in power.

As I moved on in the gallery I was confronted by 3 paintings by Austrian artist Markus Schinwald. His paintings consisted of Renaissance style portraits of men and women taking part in masochistic acts by causing themselves discomfort and probably pain with braces around their bodies and heads. The paintings have dark and sinister undertones, leaving the viewer wondering why they do it, or maybe understanding why.

My favourite piece of all in this gallery was Aimé Mpane's 'Ici on crevé' ("here we die, are worn out . . ."). It is a collection of wooden panels carved and painted by the artist. The images are of women and children and communicate their concerns with money, hospitalization and death and that they and the artist are sick, tired of the suffering in his Congo homeland. It is a colourful piece that uses a vast range of mediums, it also has a sense of fun to it, strangely enough.

And lastly, my friend and I walked into a room where the floor was covered in faces of people looking up at us. As soon as I looked up to see what they were looking at, I got the fright of my life as I saw myself hanging upside down from the ceiling. It was a very low mirrored ceiling. The piece was by Tala Madani, entitled 'Stargazers', it apparently showed that the people looking to the sky were not looking for a faith, or heaven, they were looking for themselves. I wasn't too fond of this installation but it was fun to take photographs in...

I was impressed with this gallery, although I started to feel a little claustrophobic after watching 2 films by Ryan Trecartin and Lizzie Fitch. Liverpool is such an exciting city, I'm proud to live here!

Touched, 2010

2010-10-27T03:59:00.000-07:00

It's been an unforgivable amount of time since I last blogged. My excuse is summer and the fact that I spent most of it in Blackburn, not by choice may I add. Well, kind of not by choice, my other half lives there. Anyway, it's Liverpool Biennial time, so what better way to kick start this blog by talking about Liverpool Biennial's 2010 exhibition, Touched. From 18th September to 28th November.

Touched is exhibiting new art that is all about affecting the viewer in mind, body and soul. Liverpool Biennial is showcasing 50 international contemporary artists and has invited prominent thinkers and artists to delivers a monthly series of talks.

Half the exhibition is in public spaces across the city and half in Liverpool's major gallery spaces such as Tate Liverpool the Bluecoat, FACT, A Foundation and Open Eye Gallery. There is also John Moores 2010, which is a leading painting competition which is held at the Walker Art Gallery, and Bloomberg New Contemporaries - the cream of the UK's post-graduate students. City States - International exhibitions on cultural dynamics between cities and states.

ZINESWAP

2010-04-25T03:51:00.000-07:00

While I was in London, my friend introduced me to her boyfriend, who is part of a great organisation called Zineswap.

Zineswap aims to be a resource through which people can swap their zines with one-another. It also aims to become a vast archive of contemporary zine publishing, existing as both an online catalogue and an annual exhibition.

The are looking for contributions from people that self publish their own zine or magazine. Content is not limited in any way, your zine can be about anything!

Check out their website righ www.zineswap.com

London!

2010-04-25T03:14:00.000-07:00

I've just got back from a few days of the Big Smoke, I went to visit my best friend, Debbie (click here to see her tumblr!) and it was perfect. The weather couldn't have been nicer, the wine couldn't have flown any better and the company was awesome. We took the few days we had in our stride and it was lovely. We went on a little shopping trip to Brick Lane in Shoreditch, which was full to the brim with gorgeous little vintage shops. How I didn't blow all my money, I have no idea! We went for the most amazing Pizza just outside of Rough Trade's store. It was total bliss.

Click on the photographs to see the larger versions!

Debbie's flat is amazing too, the view from her living room was beautiful, especially at night time. It overlooks Canary Wharf with a backdrop of all the famous sky scrapers and buildings. I went a little snap happy!

Anyway, we also went for a wander around Oxford Circus, had a cry in Selfridges at how poor we were, went down Carnaby Street, which made me even more depressed about my lack of money - but window shopping was good enough!

Then we hit the Wellcome Collection in Euston. It was fantastic! "A destination for the incurably curious". And that it was. We went and had a look in the Medicine Now gallery, it "presents a range of ideas about science and medicine since Henry Wellcome's death in 1936. It reflects the experiences and interests of scientists, doctors and patients.

Within the huge field of medicine this exhibition attempts to focus on only a few topics: the body, genomes, malaria, obesity and living with medical science. Each is explored through a range of exhibits from science and everyday life, as well as artistic responses to the issues presented in red 'art cubes'". - Wellcome Collection Website, curated by Ken Arnold and Steve Cross.

That exhibition then led on to my favourite part of the museum - Medicine Man. "Henry Wellcome was a man of many parts: entrepreneur, philanthropist, patron of science and pioneer of aerial photography. He also created one of the world's great museums: a vast stockpile of evidence about our universal interest in health and the body.

More than 150 years after his birth in 1853, this exhibition reunites a cross-section of extraordinary objects from his collection, ranging from diagnostic dolls to Japanese sex aids, and from Napoleon's toothbrush to George III's hair. It also provides a very different perspective on some of our own obsessions with medicine and health.

In 'Medicine Man' some objects are gathered by type and others by broad cross-cultural themes. Seven other objects are presented individually and are examined by a variety of commentators from different backgrounds, to show that one object can mean many different things and tell many different stories." - Wellcome Collection Website, curated by Ken Arnold, Steve Cross and Danielle Olsen.

I completely recommend this place!

DUALISM STRAPS

2010-04-19T07:54:00.000-07:00

Dualism is a Manchester-Based company which produces FRS style straps for bicycle riders who need style and substance from their bike.

Jump on these links to have a gander at these fine specimens:

Dualism Tumblr

Cameras and Cranksets

Donna De Cesare

2010-04-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

Donna De Cesare is a photojournalist, born in New York and now based in England. Her insight into gang culture across America, especially L.A and San Salvador has won her many awards and has had her work featured in news and arts publications including The New York Times magazine, Life, DoubleTake, Aperture and Mother Jones. De Cesare is also a video journalist and documentary producer.

"Recognized as an expert on issues of youth identity and gang violence, DeCesare has worked as a consultant to UNICEF both as a photographer/reporter and in helping to develop the protocols for representation of at-risk children and youth which UNICEF now promotes globally. She is also on the Executive Board of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma."

Her photographs are ruthlessly raw, they are a reality check and one of the most detailed insights into this gang culture and warfare that is happening in L.A and San Salvador.

Edgar's Story is a recent project by De Cesare, she introduces the series of narrative photographs with this short statement; "As a child Edgar witnessed the brutality of Salvadorian death squads. In LA he grew up in a world of gangs. Later he found his destiny, in the streets of San Salvador."

De Cesare showed a travelling exhibition called Hijos del Destino: Youth Violence in the Americas in May 26, 2005 at The Atrium, London School of Economics, London.

Craig F. Walker

2010-04-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Captured: Ian Fisher : American Soldier

A friend of mine (click to see his blog!) sent me the link to this photojournalist's work. The photographer is called Craig F. Walker and he works for the Denver Post. Along with reporters from the Denver Post, he has followed a young American Soldier named Ian Fisher and his family. The photographs taken tell the story of Ian's first enrolment into the Armed Forces to the present and truly expose the lifestyle of a USA soldier. Walker captures fragile, important and fascinating moments that people on the outside of this job do not see. We hear so much about the happenings of a soldier in the war against terrorism, but we hardly ever get such a detailed insight. Click on the top link to see the whole series of photographs.

Joseph Rodriguez

2010-04-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Joseph Rodriguez is a photojournalist based in New York. He has travelled America to take photographs of and expose the violent gang issues that his Country is experiencing. He focuses on the use of weapons, gang tattoos and graffiti and also shows mothers and their children being present around guns, ammunition and violence, as their partners show them off to the camera. (clickity click to enlarge)

It's that time again!

2010-03-22T13:26:00.000-07:00

Dutty bass, Cheap drinks, Top people & an amazing little venue. Do not miss the second installment of Compa & Curlzz's dubstep night @ 41 King Street, Blackburn.

Last month was the first ever Wax night and it was off the chain - completely packed out! Can't wait for this next one!

Turfone

2010-03-20T02:31:00.000-07:00

Turfone is a street artist, an illustrator and also a sculptor. He works with a vast amount of media such as found and ready-made objects, acrylic, cavas, wood, gold leaf, metal and various fabrics. His style is reminiscent of the Victorian era, with hints of carnivals, gypsies, freak shows, the Flemish Primitive, Russian icons....and road kill (dead birds).

Turfone has a real signature style, by creating creepy, antique and rustic looking works in both 3D and 2D.

David Gillanders

2010-03-07T11:39:00.001-08:00

Gillanders is a photojournalist from Glasgow, Scotland. He travels the world photographing situations and issues that affect us all in one way or another, from homeless people to violent crimes on the streets. He captures so much emotion and really brings forward the reality of the world's ever growing poverty and it's violent crimes.

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson

2010-03-07T04:47:00.001-08:00

I've been in two minds whether to write about this, but seeing as a delete button is so accesible, I'm going to anyway.

It's about the James Bulger killers, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. Everyone knows about the new revelations that Venables has been recalled to prison on "very serious allegations". The government refuse to say anything else at this moment in time about the incident, as they are hoping that Jon Venables will be investigated, tried and brought to justice as fairly as possible, under his new identity.

Due to a very similar personal experience involving an extremely unfair murder case, I do not think that Venables even deserves a trial, let alone a fair one! The government spent hundereds of thousands of pounds of tax payer's money to protect these animals, after serving a mere 8 years in a detention centre. Against the public's wishes and James Bulger's mother's warnings, the government released the two killers back into society, claiming they posed no threat to the public and are no longer a danger to society. How wrong they were.

Personally, I think the government are hiding the information on Venables' re-call to prison because they have messed up in a collosal way. They took no notice of the public and most importantly of all James Bulger's parent's feelings about the release. Now one of the monsters is back behind bars, because he has obviously violated the terms of his license of release. The government told us that he posed no threat or danger to society! They gave Venables and Thompson an oportunity for a new life, where no one could know who they were and what a horrific thing they had done. The two child killers have almost been given permission to forget about what they did and how many lives they have destroyed. It is not right and it is not fair. In circumstances so vulgar and disturbing, no one should be able to walk free again. What about poor James? He'll never be given that chance. What about James' parents? They'll never be able to see their little boy grow up, they'll never be able to hold him, they'll never be able to forget what happened to him and they'll never stop wondering what James' last horrifying moments alive were like.

Jon Venables and Robert Thompson should both be exposed, not protected. What have they done to deserve such fair treatment? What have James' parents done to deserve such awfully unfair treatment? There is no such thing as justice and personally, I have no faith that there ever will be.

Rest in peace James

Rot in hell Venables and Thompson.

Rob Hornstra

2010-03-07T04:11:00.001-08:00

I'm currently looking at documentary photography and film, as I'm doing something along these lines for my art practise in University. I've been surfing the net trying to find images that can really inspire and explain what I want to achieve. Most of the images I came across are black and white, war photography, which isn't at all what I want. Finally, I discovered a photographer called Rob Hornstra. He's a documentary photograper from the Netherlands who travelled to Russia to take some amazing, moving and astonishing photographs of the poverty and the economic recession under Vladimir Putin's rule.

Oh Betty

2010-03-03T01:48:00.000-08:00

Stephen Willats

2010-03-02T13:16:00.001-08:00

Willats is an artist that was suggested to me by a tutor, as I am currently doing some documentary work on Liverpool youth gangs. Willats is a pioneer of conceptual art. Since the early 1960s he has created work concerned processes and theories in sociology, cybernetics, semiotics and philosophy. He has produced a number of extended projects working with residents of public housing estates across Europe. These images are from an exhibition he put on the the Victoria Miro gallery where he concentrated on 3 families that resided in a tower block in London. He displays the majority of his works as diagrams...

Matthew Williamson

2010-03-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

Williamson is a graphic designer and uses an abundance of media and works with collage. I love his work as he uses photographs and blueprints of machinery, adds paint to the images and turns it into a piece of art. It reminds me of industrial landscapes, in an abstract kind of way. He has a signature colour scheme, which is a mixture of earthy tones, angry darks and a slight touch of bright blues and pinks.

Spring had sprung

2010-03-02T12:42:00.000-08:00

I was walking to the train station this morning and decided to go through the park seeing as the sun was shining. The air was crisp and the wild spring flowers were out, what a blissful feeling. It's the first time in a long time that I've taken a deep breath and took it all in. I walked extra slow and enjoyed it (usually I'm getting battered by rain, wind or snow).

As the weather is getting better and the nights are gradually getting lighter, me and my mum have decided to build a little wildlife pond in the garden. We're not going to have fish, it causes too much heartbreak when the heron comes to visit, so we're going to have frogs instead. We've been getting clued up on how to attract all the frogs and newts from an old Charlie Dimmock book I got when I was younger. Apparently the trick is to get a few bottles of water from a really old natural pond and some rotting logs from the woods. I've always been infatuated by ponds, I really can't wait.

So it's March! It's quite the month for my family and I. My Nan and Granddad are Celebrating their Golden wedding anniversary! 50 solid years together and they're still so in love. They are the glue that holds my family together, we're going to celebrate this one big time!

My boyfriend and I are also celebrating our anniversary this month. Our first :) it's not exactly 50 years but it could be one day. I love him very much.

Anyway, I've finished my Contemporary Art and Globalisation essay, which doesn't have to be in til the 19th, so it gives me loads more time for my own art practise. Life is good..

Jean-Michel Basquiat & SAMO

2010-02-28T14:42:00.000-08:00

SAMO© Graffiti appeared in New York City from 1977 to early 1980. They were short phrases painted on the streets of downtown Manhattan. The tag SAMO© has been primarily associated with the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, but was developed mainly as a collaboration between Basquiat and Al Diaz, with help from a few friends. Diaz had previously been part of the New York graffiti scene, using the tag “Bomb I”. Later Basquiat took on the tag himself, creating some non-graffiti work on paper and canvas using that tag, just before and after killing off the SAMO graffiti by painting “SAMO© IS DEAD” around the streets of downtown in early 1980.

Gordon Parks

2010-02-28T11:38:00.000-08:00

Gordon Parks was an American photographer that dealt with issues of racism, bigotry and discrimination. He started his photography career in Washington D.C where these issues became very apparent to him. Parks was a trainee under Roy Stryker, an American economist, government official and photographer.

Gordon Parks is well known for his 1942 photograph, 'American Gothic in Washington D.C' - a parody of Grant Wood's painting 'American Gothic', 1930.

Here are some of my favourite pieces by Parks:

Paul Gonella

2010-02-22T10:07:00.001-08:00

I first saw this guy's work when I was skimming through an independent art magazine called +1, in Manchester (on a night out - that's right, I'm a loser). Needless to say I stuffed the magazine into my bag, cut out his work and put on my bedroom wall. The photograph's I'm going to put up are literally but a few of what else he's done, these are just some favourites and what initially caught my eye.

Part of a multiple exposure set using the whole film with 10 click wind-on shot in one session in winter.

Click here for Paul Gonella's Flickr

My Sketchbook

2010-02-15T02:14:00.001-08:00

A few scans of some old sketchbook pages by moi

Illegal Facebook Squat Rave!

2010-02-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

How amazing is this. Yet again the power of Facebook has taken over England with an illegal rave in a £15million mansion! The rave took place in Mayfair, London and 2000 people turned up. The mansion was abandoned, so it's not as bad as the press and other people are making out. I wish I could have been there to witness the chaos - riot police stormed the house and the surrounding area to get rid of everyone but everywhere was trashed. I found some photographs of it on some news websites. This is going down in history I swear!

Sarah-Jayne Parsons

2010-02-10T14:13:00.000-08:00

Sarah-Jayne Parsons is the Bluecoat (Liverpool) Gallery's curator. She came into Uni on Monday to tell us about her job, what it entails and how we, as young local artists, can get involved with the gallery. She gave us some really valuable information. My paper was on fire with the amount of notes I took. Here's a few useful things I picked up...

-What is a curator?

A curator is someone who organizes art exhibitions, designs the exhibition, selects the artists that will feature in the gallery and what work they will show. They're also in charge of caring for the objects and works and ensures they are displayed in the best possible way.

-How to become a curator:

Some people take the educational route and others take curating into their own hands. It's a good idea to curate or co-curate your own exhibitions and gain experience this way. There's nothing like the real thing I guess.

- Different types of curators:

It is possible to specialize in different areas of curating, such as photography, painting, sculpture, ancient artefacts, antiques and so on. You can cover all bases also.

- Why are curators relevant?

This can be a spiky subject for some curators, but it is an important question. Curators supply an element of critical thinking. They can respond to artists and ask questions others may not get the opportunity to ask. Most importantly of all, they are able to document and display some really important works of art and history.

- The core elements of practise:

1. Visualise and communicate

2. Research, scholarship and critical thinking

3. Advocate and network

4. Fund raise

5. Manage people (artists, audience and staff)

6. Manage objects and projects (selection of works, production, installation and interpretation)

7. Manage expectations and budgets

My King...

2010-02-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

Quid was the most up writer in Liverpool and made his mark across the globe also. He was taken away from his family, friends, trains and tracksides in 2007 when he was brutally killed in an unprovoked attack. This guy is one of the most amazing/odd/loveable characters I have ever met and I miss him very very sorely. The world is NOT and never will be the same without him but luckily he left us some unbelievable memories and the freshest flicks known to graff...

R.I.P Bro xxx

Joe Van Wetering

2010-02-09T09:20:00.001-08:00

Jennifer Crouch

2010-02-09T08:57:00.000-08:00

These works make me feel wierd, in a really good way. Kind of like when I see the centre of an Aero or bone marrow. It freaks me out, but I like it.

Tracey Moffatt

2010-02-09T07:58:00.001-08:00

Hew Locke

2010-02-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

Hew Locke created this 'Liverpool Coat of Arms' on a wall in the Bluecoat art gallery. Armed with a hot glue gun and 1000 glue sticks, Locke and some of his technicians projected his initial sketch onto the blank white wall. He used black upholstery chord to create the lines.

Nicholas Tassone

2010-02-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

Tassone is a T-shirt designer from Rochester/Brooklyn, New York. He's also an illustrator and graphic artist. His work is beautiful

Click on the images to enlarge :)

My Idol - KING HORFÉ

2010-02-08T10:38:00.001-08:00

This guy, in my opinion, is one of the best painters on the planet. When you compare his dedication and skill to most of the modern and contemporary artists of today, they don't have a patch on him. Soak it all in....ahhhhh.

Click on the images to enlarge :)

Astronomy Photography

2010-02-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

OK, I know I sound like a teeny tiny bit of a geek when I say this...but these photographs send shivers down my spine. Check this website out for more natural masterpieces http://apod.nasa.gov/

Click on the images to enlarge :)

Jacqueline Bos

2010-02-07T09:56:00.001-08:00

Bos is a Brooklyn based illustrator, designer, and painter. Check her out on here www.jacquelinekari.com and Society6, feel good art at it's best :)

Javier Jean Benavides

2010-02-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

My new phavourite fotographer

2010-02-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

Lewis Koch

He uses text and images found in "the real world", which makes him my kind of guy! Take a look at these stunning photographs from a set called Touchless Automatic Wonder...

Andreas Zingerle - La Forma Interiore

2010-02-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

La Forma Interiore (The Interior Shape)

Zingerle has created blow up dolls entirely out of cement. These sculptures have really interested me, as the cement looks soft and like suede. The way the blow up doll's material has set, as though it has been scrunched up and folded, makes the cement look like a totally different material. Love them!

Dubstep Warriors Listen Up!

2010-01-17T18:45:00.000-08:00

Hiring, firing, perspiring

2010-01-17T18:22:00.000-08:00

Photography by Stephen Langdon

I went to a sick show on Saturday night in Blackburn, The River Card, Bays, Times Together, xCurraheex and Heartless played. All from pretty much the same area...Manchester, Blackburn and Stoke. I'm still buzzing from it, I haven't been to a show like that since Summer, when I went to see Shook Ones in LDN. I can honestly say the night, the bands, the crowd and the atmosphere as a whole has thoroughly inspired me. Hardcore (punk) is such an amazing thing to be part of, apart from when you get the little emos or fresh boys who don't know anything about it. They just turn up to a show and throw themselves into people, X up and cause annoyance. Back to the actual point though, Saturday night made me want to do something about all the bad shit that's happened in the past 3 years. It's all playing on my mind and I've just let it swallow me up. Sticking with the poster theme, I'm going to let Barbara Kruger's influence give me a nudge in the right direction.

David Shrigley

2009-12-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

Every book store I go into these days seems to stock little books and zines by David Shrigley. He's great. He's a situationist artist, he kind of reminds me of the Yes Men.. not directly, but they're pretty much on the same page. Shrigley intervenes with every day objects; stuff we take for granted i.e street signs.

Rock 'n Roll

2009-12-11T04:51:00.000-08:00

I was having my annual Christmas clear out the other day, sorting through my book case and having a good look at all my favourite art books. I rediscovered my Art of Modern Rock book, which is pretty big, so it was at the very bottom of a large pile. It is beautiful, filled with thousands of concert flyers, posters, demonstrations and information on the artist's and their work. It got me thinking about my current project, which is focusing on war and propaganda posters. As much as I enjoy looking through all the war time posters and flyers, I think I would much prefer to start basing my own posters on music. I've got a pretty wide selection of concert posters saved onto my computer, mainly advertising hardcore punk shows and the occassional hip hop gig. Here are a few images that I've collected over the years and want to create myself:

DLA Piper: Sculpture Remixed, Tate, Liverpool

2009-11-11T06:46:00.000-08:00

Curated by Wayne Hemingway & Son

Lighting Design: Kathrine Sandys

Red or Dead founder, Wayne Hemingway & Son present symbolic sculpture in a contemporary, interactive environment. The sculptures are displayed in a deep purple room filled with spot lights, disco balls and a light up dance floor. Outside the room, there are pairs of headphones that you can wear when inside the disco room, they play 70’s disco music to help you become engrossed into the atmosphere. As I walked around this room I felt that I became one of the sculptures, as though it was a party.

‘The life-size figurative works, created over a period spanning one hundred and twenty years, tell the story of the human body as represented through sculpture, from the neo-classical ideal of beauty of the late nineteenth century to the increased naturalism typical of the early twentieth century.’ - www.tate.org/liverpool

2009-11-11T06:42:00.000-08:00

“Ghost”, 1998 by Ron Mueck. It is a sculpture of an adolescent girl, she leans against the wall looking vulnerable, sad and aloof. At closer examination, the girl has light hairs on her top lip. Mueck's early career was as a model maker and puppeteer for children's television and films, more famously the film Labyrinth, and the Jim Henson series The Storyteller. Mueck's sculptures reproduce the minute detail of the human body, but play with scale to produce distorted and almost frightening figures. This sculpture is also shown in Hemingway’s Sculpture Remixed collection.

2009-11-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

"La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans" ("Little Dancer of Fourteen Years"), 1881, is a sculpture by Edgar Degas of a young dance student. The sculpture was originally made in wax before it was cast in 1922 in bronze. When it was shown in Paris at the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition of 1881, it received mixed reviews. The majority of critics were shocked by the piece. They thought it was ugly, that it looked like a medical specimen, in part because Degas exhibited it inside a glass case. Some considered the head and face grotesque and primitive. Shown in Hemingway's Sculpture Remixed room

Bridget Riley - Flashback, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

2009-10-28T05:56:00.000-07:00

“You cannot deal with thought directly outside practise as a painter, ‘doing’ is essential in order to find out what form your thoughts take ” - this a quote from Riley that you are presented with as you enter her exhibition. I was quite excited about seeing her work, as a lot of people have compared the work I do to hers. The exhibition contained works from the beginning of her career to her most recent pieces of Optical Art. Although excited to see the work up-close, I can’t help but find Bridget Riley’s work quite boring, as it has been completely sold out throughout the years. There’s no escaping replicas of the patterns she creates, they’re on notebooks, posters, wallpaper, furniture and so on. I do, however totally admire and appreciate the fact that Riley is the pioneer that has created such a popular style of art.

John Moores Prize Winners, the Walker Art Gallery

2009-10-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

I revisited the Walker Art Gallery today and wandered off with my notebook having a really good look around. I particularly enjoyed the John Moores Prize Winners section, a lot of the paintings were very much to my taste. Peter Doig’s painting 'Blotter' won first prize in John Moores 18, 1993. This was a turning point in his career and he was short listed for the Turner Prize in 1994.

2009-10-21T05:29:00.000-07:00

'Double-Tongued Knowability', David Leapman, 1995. The painting establishes a contrast between areas of pure, bright colour and a nervous, charged draughtsmanship, creating a collision of formal ‘opposites’

2009-10-21T05:28:00.000-07:00

Michael Raedecker’s earthy paintings contain a various range of media, such as thread, painted thread, sequins and paint. The thread is mainly used to create horizontal shadows and until you fully examine the painting, it is quite hard to tell that he has used these other materials. I love the atmosphere he has created in this John Moores winner from 1999, it is called ‘Mirage’.

2009-10-21T04:54:00.000-07:00

Martin Greenland, winner of the John Moores Prize of 2006, with his piece ‘Before Vermeer’s Clouds’ depicts his idea of what Heaven may look like. The sheer depth to this painting stunned me, the dark and rich colours work together so effectively and it was very easy to become engrossed in this artist’s idea of Heaven.

The Rebel, 1961

2009-10-14T04:07:00.000-07:00

In this session we watched the film ‘The Rebel, 1961’ is a ironic comedy starring the British comedian Tony Hancock, and written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.

Hancock plays a downtrodden office clerk in London, who fancies himself as an artist. He becomes so fed up of his dull office job and moaning landlady, he decides to up and leave England for Paris. There he sets to work on his masterpiece Aphrodite at the Waterhole. Hancock believes that the artists and critics of Paris will appreciate his work and ideas more than anyone. While his "ideas" and persona do gain acceptance among the legitimate art critics, like Sir Charles Broward, (George Sanders), he manages to achieve success. However, the work that Sir Charles and the others are gawking over, isn‘t actually Hancock‘s, it is his ex flat-mate‘s, who left Paris because his work was not getting him any kind of success. The misunderstanding is eventually resolved after a series of art exhibitions, where Hancock finally confesses all. This doesn’t dampen his spirits and he decides to return to London and peruse his art career, with the help of his once pessimistic landlady.

The film pokes fun at the way art lovers and critics etc, dream up ideas of what artists should actually be like. Hancock is made out to be some kind of tortured soul, expressing his dark and deep emotions, when really he is this light hearted character that wants to make it in the art world with his “child-like” paintings and sculptures.

In September 2002 the London Institute of ‘Pataphysics organized an exhibition at The Foundry, Old Street, London based around the recreation of all the artworks seen in the film and presented the exhibition as if it were an exhibition belonging to this unknown artists Tony Hancock.

Some of my favourite quotes from the film:

Hancock: “I‘m an impressionist!”

Landlady: “Well it don‘t impress me!”

Landlady: “What the hell is that?”

Hancock: “It‘s a self portrait!”

Landlady: “Of who?!”

Flat-mate: “It (Hancock‘s work) has a childlike quality”

Hancock: “Of course it does! I paint like a child, children see the truth”

2009-10-07T04:04:00.000-07:00

The first painting we looked at was 'Dante's Dream', by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1871, this was his very last painting before he died. The painting was based on a poem by Italian poet, Dante Alighieri in 1295. The poem was called ‘La Vita Nuova‘, which in English means ‘The New Life‘. In it Dante dreams that he is led by love to the death-bed of Beatrice Portinari, the object of his unrequited passion. The model for Beatrice was Jane Morris (the wife of William Morris), with whom Rossetti had a long-term affair. Every woman Rossetti painted seemed to bare resemblance to Jane Morris. He painted her so much, that he could paint her portrait without her even being there in front of him.

In the painting Rossetti’s use of colour and connotations is very symbolic to the narrative of the poem. For example, he uses rich red colours that represent love, also there are two red doves entering and exiting the chamber which symbolise the transition from life to death. The attendants stood either side of Beatrice are wearing green which denotes mourning. On the floor there are poppies scattered around Beatrice, these poppies indicate the sleep of dreams and death. Apple blossoms are shown to signify a love that is unfulfilled, which refers to Dante and Beatrice’s unrequited love. And lastly, there is a flock of angels carrying a white cloud above Beatrice, symbolising Beatrice’s soul being carried up to Heaven.

2009-10-07T04:03:00.000-07:00

The second painting we looked at was ‘Triumph of the Innocents’, by William Holman Hunt, 1876. This painting depicts the Holy Family attempting to escape Bethlehem, where there was a massacre of baby boys. The landscape is set on the road to Gaza, where there is a flock of baby boy’s ghosts guiding Jesus out of harm’s way. One of the infants has a rip across his chest where he was stabbed to death. There is no blood because the baby has now been healed through the life to death transition. From one end of the canvas to the other, these baby boys seem to become more aware of the transition from life to death as they appear to be more determined to pull the Holy Family away from harm.

In the distance of the landscape Hunt paints pin pricks of light, which are beacons, signifying urgency, warning and danger. Also in the distance, amongst the dark trees there is a ladder, this symbolizes Jacob’s Ladder. Jacob's Ladder is a ladder to heaven, described in the Book of Genesis, which the biblical patriarch Jacob envisions during his flight from his brother Esau. The piece is painted on Egyptian cotton as Hunt didn’t receive the usual canvas that he usually used for his work. When he tried to stretch the cotton, it ripped across the Virgins face, many people saw this as a superstition and thought it was the work of the Devil.

2009-10-07T04:02:00.000-07:00

The third and final painting we looked at was 'Lorenzo and Isabella', by John Everett Millais, 1849. Millais created this painting when he was just 19 years old. In this painting there is an entire story told through one scene. Lorenzo is in love with Isabella and she is also in love Lorenzo. This is made obvious by a white rose growing behind and above Lorenzo’s head and also a passion flower growing behind Isabella’s head, the two flowers are intertwined, symbolizing love. Lorenzo is an apprentice to Isabella’s rich and greedy family and her brothers did not like this, as Lorenzo couldn’t bring any money to the family. They lured Lorenzo into a wood and there, they murdered him. That night, Isabella saw the spot where he had been killed in a dream. She fled to the woods with her nurse and dug up his body. She cut off Lorenzo's head as his body was too heavy to carry, took it back to her home and planted it in a pot of basil.

In this painting, there are various uses of symbols and connotations. Behind Isabella’s brothers, there is a Falcon chewing on a white feather, this indicates murder. One of Isabella’s brother is glaring at Lorenzo through a glass of red wine, this suggests that this brother is imagining seeing Lorenzo covered in blood. On the dining table, there is a pot of spilt salt, symbolising a spilt and wasted life, which is obviously referring to Lorenzo. There are two dogs amongst the crowd, one of them is resting it’s head on Isabella’s lap, which signifies devotion. The other dog is lying underneath one of the brother’s chairs, the brother is leaning on his chair and it looks as though he is about to crush the dog, which shows the brothers are about to crush the devotion between Lorenzo and Isabella. On one side of the table there are only 4 people, yet on the other side there are eight. The wall behind the group of people is flat, although there should technically be a 90 degree corner between the wallpaper and the windows. A lot of the painting is not in proportion, though it isn’t obvious at first glance. Finally, every person on the table is in profile, except for Lorenzo. Lorenzo is the only person who has been displayed with both eyes. Maybe this is so the viewer can connect with Lorenzo and feel empathy for him.

Now then...

2009-10-06T01:58:00.000-07:00

I’m in my second year of Fine Art in John Moores, but I started the course by spending my first year in Southport College. It’s a decision I live to regret, so I am soaking up everything I possibly can this year until the next. Along with the core work that I’m creating, which is predominantly based around propaganda, political and socio-political posters, I am part of a module named Learning by Context with Emma Roberts. In this module I will be ‘talking and documenting about what I have learnt from my experiences, in my learning contexts of collaboration, by context and through discourse’.