poppy

london 26/1/08

David Batchelor - Festival Remix 2006

Didn't realise what this was at first. Sort of noticed the fenced off area with crap inside, didn't think much of it. Then saw the information signs and looked again at the fenced area. I like that I at first ignored it as an everyday sight, but slowly realised something wasn't right. At night it would have a different effect though, and would jump out straight away...



Anya Gallaccio - Starboard

Next to Batchelors information board was another one describing very similar sounding work. Had to hunt around the side of the building to find this. Upclose you see the work is made of old bottles which is interesting but annoying at the same time as it seems to be on the 'environmental' bandwagon. Looks pretty though!
Also on the side of the building are rows of little green lights. For such an expanse, it was fairly underwhelming. Perhaps at night it would have a different effect. Bit strange that half the time the piece doesn't really 'work'.



Hayward Gallery - Laughing in a Foreign Language.
Hardly walked through he door when little ginger invigilator twat pounces: No shitting on the walls, No suicide, No screaming like children ect. Ripped our tickets again, even though they'd already been ripped by someone before we were allowed in. Little power-tripping bastard. But then as the show had not been open very long some of the invigilators were rushing about looking at the exhibits, chatting and laughing with each other, standing directly infront of pieces of work. Ridiculous. In the downstairs area you can smell the food from the cafe, which surely affects how you experience the work, and all the sound/video piece fighting against each other. Can group shows ever work?
Now for the actual work:

Nedko Solakov - Doodles (Hayward 2008)
First piece that really caught my attention. Down the stairs, in the sort of space between the upstairs and downstairs galleries. Not really gallery space at all. Little figures and bits of writing. Some so small you might miss altogether. You want to hunt about and find more. Completely working with the space. Making use of the shadows on the wall. Awesome.

Roi Vaara - Artists Dilemma
Simple, very simple, but effective. Could work with anything not just art. Standing in a wasteland. signpost one way says life, the other art. He keeps walking one way then the other. Dunno why hes wearing a tux or why its in the location. Very literal but interesting none the less.

Kutlug Ataman - Turkish Delight
Very dark, black corridor. can't see where the entrance is. Most fantastic. Led by the sound a bit, come into the room and see the video (not hugely interesting) but its so so dark!! I had to explore the whole room, something sort of forbidden, like that you're supposed to just stand at the back as its too dangerous to go further in. I waited for my boyfriend to enter and jumped out on him. Fun fun. Like Solakovs work, thought has gone into the display. Not just shoved on a wall.

Taiyo Kimura - Typical Japanese-English
One of the invigilators kept fiddling with this. Didn't know if it was a piece of work, or if it was broken or what. Eventually he left it alone long enough to have a look. Writing on the wall explaining what to do, not not the same as the general information next to it. Most fantastic. Especially putting the catface in his mouth. Though didn't want to put my whole head in. Mixture of being self consious and not wanting to get flees. Probably the best thing there. very unassuming, but then a whole other world. Even smelled of clothes.

Jerwood - Space to draw
Annoying radio playing, but at least we weren't jumped on. Just a girl behind a big desk. Why is there so much working drawings in galleries at the moment. Don't get it. You don't have architects maquettes next to houses they've just build.

Antony Gormley - Feeling Material V
Just a mass of wires from the side, human form from the front. Person I was with hadn't even realised, only saw it from the side. From a different angle, is something entirely different.



Alison Gill - Sleep Night Witches
Didn't pay much attention to the gold giant chrysalises coming out of the box until I realised the heatbeat was emanating from them. Very subtle. Gentle noise changed the piece entirely.


Swiss Cottage gallery in a library. Damn hard to find. Not really worth it.

Sophio Medoidze - Laboratory for the future
Photos of derelict stuff. Been done before in more interesting ways. Blah.


I HATE THE ICA AND EVERYONE ASSOCIATED WITH IT

Horrible place and horrible people. Full of smug art-college cunts old and young. Rude self satisfied wankers behind the desk making sure you've paid you're £2 to see some crappy black and white photos (My god!!! Is that Andy Warhol!!! AMAZING!!!!). Found our way upstairs to some film, the room was full so we stood by the entrance waiting of our eyes to ajust when this invigilator grabs jez and tries to push him inside saying "You have to go in!" or something. Unbelievable. So we just left. I don't agree with the way films are shown in galleries, especially if there is a narrative. Interruptions, walking in half way through etc. Pfft. Unbelievable.

Peter Hujar - (some black and white photos, who gives a flying fuck)

Emily Wardill - (a film. Didn't get to see it as we were treated so rudely by staff that we left)

I want my £2 and time back. This is not how things should be.



White Cube

Marc Quinn - Evolution
Visually very impressive. Feels like walking into the v&a or something. Not quite of this time, but then the subject matter is. It was quite busy, so you couldn't really look at everything as you might like. Maybe they should stagger the number of people allowed in at once? Again, a whole room of working drawings...why?!? Arn't giant sculpture enough?? Be interesting to know who actually sculpted these (assuming Quinn didn't). Upstairs there was a room of garish flower sculpture and paintings As usual the information didn't seem to have anything to do with the actual experience of the work. How am I supposed to know the random lump of unsculpted marble is referencing "Michelangelo's Dying Slaves, sculpted in the 1520s for Pope Julius II's tomb in the Vatican" Ridiculous.

posted by poppy @ 11:53 am