Sunday 27 February 2011

Thursday: Arnolfini

Cosima von Bonin

On Thursday, the lovely Rosie and I went to the Arnolfini to see the Cosima Von Bonin show. It is her first exhibition in the UK, one of the most prolific artists working in Germany today. Her practice incorporates a mixture of sculpture, installation, painting, textiles, performances, sound and films.

Cosima von Bonin uses a combination of fabric and wood in her work to create a complex web of references to high art, popular culture, craft, as well as notions of domesticity, that look to challenge bourgeois constructions of femininity. oversized stuffed animals, sewn paintings, minimalist sculptures, formalism and Pop references are balanced somewhere between seriousness and fun, the concrete and the fictitious, and are all weighed down with melancholy and critical wit.

Her exhibition at Arnolfini is part of a wider European partnership, with the collective title of The Lazy Susan Series. She will present an exhibition featuring a combination of new and existing works around notions of sloth and fatigue. The title refers to the tabletop appliance, the Lazy Susan, a rotating disk that is used in restaurants to present an array of dishes.

Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to take my own photos but here is some from the Arnolfini site.

TOTAL PRODUCE (MORALITY) detail, 2010.

Wednesday 23 February 2011

Collecting.

Collecting has the power to express not only a person's wealth but also their ideals. It is said that to know a man, simply ask him what he collects. If we are what we own, then what do these intimate scraps of everyday life say about their owners? To an outsider they may seem banal or even peculiar but every object means something to someone; on further inspection, it is clear these objects were hand picked and are treasured by the collector.

Collectors accumulate object to either distance themselves from the universe, or they may have collected from a need to belong to the greater whole. or perhaps collecting objects that carry memories of past experiences demonstrates that you are still alive. Unquestionably, in a world that can seem chaotic, this is one aspect of our life that we can manage, so perhaps we collect simply for control.

Freud would say that possessing is all about fetishism: again and again irrational and obsessive substitution of the love of a person with the love of an inanimate object: compulsive repetition in order to prolong the original pleasure of acquiring.

Martin Kelner explains in his 'Theory of the Meaning of Life', "life is about acquiring stuff, the acquiring more stuff, changing your stuff around a little, then acquiring more stuff, then getting a bigger place because there's no room for your stuff, getting rid of some stuff then getting a smaller place because you haven't got as much stuff...then you die..."

I do love a postcard.

I'm really pleased with how these photographed the blue really pops. I wish to install this piece on the wall instead of resting on the floor.

Memories.

Recently I decided to go and play around with my collection of ornaments a bit more. However this time I rid them of their character and spray painted them all entirely white.

Here is what happened so far.

Something about a Wee Little Piggy comes to mind....

Tuesday 22 February 2011

D.A.V.E exhibition

D.A.V.E was an exhibition held at Milson Place with Darragh Boyd – Louise Grant – Adam Hughes – Amreen Khan – Michala Pike

‘D.A.V.E – an exhibition of contemporary art’, is a exhibition showcasing new work by five very different artists all studying in their final year of Bath School of Art and Design. This exhibition aims to show how variable and unpredictable art practices can be, and how different working methods and ways of responding to one’s environment can have their own unique and exciting results.

Adam Hughes

Lou Grant

Darragh Boyd

Amreen Khan

Michala Pike

I, Me, Mine Private View

I feel the evening was a great success. The 2nd years had organized a DJ- which was unexpected but turned out to be a brilliant idea, who played tunes like Mary Poppins..

And lots of red red wine and Brazil nuts!!

This exhibition was divided into two categories; 'cooked' and 'raw'. Each piece provokes an interest into the identity of the artist. RAW: An unchanged collection COOKED: An artwork inspired by collection.

Monday 21 February 2011

I, Me, Mine.

I have recently been asked to be part of an exhibition curated by second year students on the theme of collections.

I sent them a selection of my works and they decided they would really like my train ticket piece in it.

It took me 8hours to install and am very pleased with the outcome.

The private view was amazing and all the work is brilliant!! They have decided to incorporate art works made from collections and then a selection of collections just to be on show.

More pictures to follow but here is my piece.

Sunday 20 February 2011

Sad Sad news today folks.

Although I noticed this a few weeks ago I think I have come to terms with it enough to share the news with you.

Upon my normal walk home I happend to look at the Dear Old Cat Lady's house..and noticed over a period of three days the windows have slowly started to empty.

Although I never received a phone call from the lady for a 'chat about her cats' I hold no grudge!! The cats will be missed.