Gallery Visits since October '14

Gallery Visits since October '14

I haven't been to many galleries since I've been back, i am more focused on my practical work because this time, i actually have a focus on what i am doing. Last year was more or less experimentation which was a very spread out approach on my practice. 

This exhibition was really helpful to my practice, and toward sky knowledge of Appropriation. The artist that were exciting in this show were all more or less inspired by Marcel Duchamp. Majority of pieces exhibited were all "readymade" objects, what the artists had done was alter the properties and gave new meaning to the objects, they recontexualized. 

One of my favourite pieces in this exhibition was a piece done by Rob and Nick Carter, a piece called "Red 23, 2014". This was a french roulette wheel, that kept on spinning. They had added a motor to it, with its ballbariane inside never landing on a figure, it was interesting to see its original function, functionless. This kind of recontexualising interest me towards my theory and practice. 

This was a small gallery near Brick lane market, where i was doing research for my paintings 

It was helpful in the sense that the artwork captured this street vibe, it expressed the marks on a rough surface. You had the feel of an urban setting. 

Andrew Salgado, his work was very good to see

His paintings varied in different sizes, his paintings of portraits using a wide range of brush marks was inspiring to see. 

It was aesthetically pleasing, i was so interested in his work in fact, i asked for a price list for his pieces, if there was one in my budget, i wouldn't mind investing in one of Salgado's pieces. 

Price list 

Another exhibition we came across when walking about London 

I think the gallery visits so far, haven't been useless but not entirely useful to the subject of Appropriation. 

Winey Paper

Winey Paper

I was very inspired by the artist Elisabetta Rogai, she is an artist that paints using wine. She said that this process is very interesting because the colour of the wine changes over time. 

That part about changing over time, i do this in my other pieces of artwork, swell as these pieces. 

I soaked pieces of paper in wine, red and white. 

I spread that occurred was interesting too to watch. 

All this is with one kind of special paper. 

What i love about these pieces is that even after a long period of time, they still smell strongly of wine. 

And the colour has slightly changed, is not as bright red anymore, and the mix of white and red has created patterns within the image. 

Whilst pouring, this is to recycle the wine, not to waste any, pour back onto the paper 

Made a few

• They smell strongly of wine
• Colour changing as time passes
• Patterns being formed during process kept patterns intact afterwards

End of 2013 Chelsea Show

End of 2013 Chelsea Show

This is what i put up for the end of year show. 

4 Paintings

Acrylic

One on Canvas and others on 150gsm paper. 

Title of this is "Identity"

Studying human behaviour and psychology led me to these pieces. 

The display was different, coloured pins hammered into the walls to keep paintings up. 

Green pins for the Red background painting

Yellow for Blue

Red for Green

And Blue for the yellow background painting

I couldn't use the pins and pin it through the canvas, so i used it to hang up the canvas. The blue pins are there, just can't see it.

This is how i left it. Too much space around the painting? Makes the overall paintings look small.

I like the fact the the outline of the overall piece isn't like the usuals, square, rectangle. this is different. looks a but like Tetris. 

This is how i intended the piece to be displayed

Due to the overall show, several works were moved around. 

I was on the flight to Hong Kong and unable to rearrange my pieces

They were moved and displayed up for me

Not the greatest outcome overall.

Dan Colen “The Illusion of Life” (Botanic Gardens Edinburgh)

Dan Colen “The Illusion of Life”

At the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

This is in fact Colen’s very first solo public exhibition in the UK.

The work in this exhibition are being exhibited for the very first time.

“Dan Colen is a hard artist to pin down. His works, aesthetically, trampolines from one discipline to another” – Newspaper Article

“I spend my daily life trying to distil what art is” – Dan Colen

These stiff static sculptures act as vessels for both containment and concealment, and by delaying the punch line, breathe new life into a tired old joke.

I wasn’t too sure about these pieces that had whoopee cushions, they were all over the room, some made with glass, some plastic, it was rather confusing yet amusing at the same time.

"Chuckles" 2013

(Chuckles bie Clown, Cardboard box reinforced with MDF, glass sphere, blue velvet ribbon, light bulbs)

Above the clown is a glass orb. This orb is a incongruously reflective symbol reappropriated from Johannes Vermeer’s Painting “The Allegory of Faith”

Colen sees Chuckles as a stand in for himself.

It was an interactive piece where people can crawl into the boxes, get to either of the two ends, and at the end there is a switch, pull to turn on the light bulb.

The space was lovely, not much artificial light, mostly natural light which links in really well with the flower paintings. 

“Like a Virgin” 2013

Vintage coke bottle

Motor

This in my opinion was badly displayed.

When I walked in, I had no idea it was there, no sign or labels indicating it was there, I could have very easily kicked it accidentally and broke it.

We spoke to the lady supervising the room and she said that the bottle represents a truth and dare game.

The motor allows the bottle to move occasionally

“The Illusion of life”

2013

Catalogues, Metal Pole

This was the piece of literature that inspired him to create this artwork; this was an inspiration for him.

When I first looked at these, I had several thoughts.

It could be watercolors or food coloring.

Then I had a closer look, there were colored leaves that were lightly stuck on, I say this because as I got closer, I blew onto the painting and little particles of something flew off.

It looked aesthetically pleasing from up close and from a distance.

It hinted an impressionist theme within the image. Like light was bouncing off and through tree leaves, captured the image and painted it on canvas

These pieces were physically delicate and finely detailed.

They are produced by hammering and smashing thousands of artificially dyed flowers (‘Deli’ flowers and ‘Grave’ flowers of the sort commonly sold in New York delicatessens) and roses onto unbleached Belgian Linen.

 Colen “tries to let the flowers make the painting”

“I knew then that this was the place for the first flower show,” – Dan Colen

Dan Colen’s artwork here is infused with magic and joy