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artblog entry 08.03.10
The House Of Fairy Tales Exhibition
- Opening
Millennium Gallery, Street-an-pol, St Ives, Cornwall
Saturday 06 March 2010
Angela Cockayne - Skitterings
Saturday Opening
Alice Herrick (Curator, House of Fairy Tales Exhibition), Joseph
Clarke (Director,
Millennium Gallery)
Gavin Turk (Artist), Mark Hammond (Artist). Painted headwear by
Maria Teresa Gavazzi
Gavin Turk
Dorian Gray
Two days St Ives and Penzance
Strata, St Ives Island
Aloe, Penzance
Window, Penzance |
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Wine, water, candle.
Damien Meade
Structure IV
Tim Shaw
Funerary Figures
Gordon Faulds
Finial
Mark Hammond (Artist)
Stones, St Ives
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artblog entry 03.11.09
Exquisite Trove and Old Halloween 31.10.09
Exquisite Trove
The New Art Gallery Walsall
Gallery Square, Walsall, WS2 8LG
Exhibition runs
31st October 2009 - 10th January 2010
Contributing Artists
Frida Alvinzi, Fiona Banner, Lydia Barnes,
Felix Berning de Monchaux, Peter Bond, Tony Brennan,
Clare Burgess, Rachel Cattle, Paul Chaney, Cedric Christie,
Toby
Christian, Angela Cockayne, Container PLUS,
Tom Crawford, Adam Dant, Ian Dawson, Jo Digger,
Annabel Elgar, Gordon Faulds, FIELDCLUB, Jen Franklin,
Dmitri
Galitzine, Maria Teresa Gavazzi, Bert Gilbert,
Rob Goodwin,
Carolyn Gowdy, Anne Hardy, Mark Hammond, Alice Herrick, Jimp,
John Jones, Nicola Jones, Josh Knowles, Daniel Langton, LEO, Dan
Lobb, Ruth MacDougall, Otto Mama, Maitland Mason, Jeff McMillan,
Charlotte Mew, Angus Mill,
B Minns, Cathy de
Monchaux, Amanda Moore,
Anne Charlotte Morgenstein, Annie
Morris, Rachel Newsome, Richard Niman, Lois Olmstead,
Orly Orbach, Cornelia Parker, Hadrian Pigott, Raul Pina,
Marlowe Chan-Reeves, Max Reeves, Steve Richards,
Paul Sakoilsky, Lindsay Sekulowicz, Colin Self, Jane Simpson,
Rodrigo Soloranzo, David Spero,
Brigitte Stepputtis,
Samantha Sweeting, Francis Thorburn, Katherine Tulloh,
Caesar Turk, Gavin Turk, Francis Upritchard,
Raisa Veikkola, Julie Vermeille, Jessica Voorsanger, Jon Welsh,
Vivienne Westwood, Simon Willems, Viktor Wynd, Elliott Young,
Yoke & Zoom.
An accumulation of artefacts, treasures, beach-combings,
memorabilia, unique objet trouvé, and idiosyncratic sculptures,
drawings and photographs.
At once, curious, endearing, fascinating and macabre, the fabric
of the installation has been selected and curated from the
studios and homes of contributing artists by artist Alice Herrick.
Beautifully displayed, lending extraordinary significance to
objects and stuff, some of which, in isolation, could
so easily be passed over. In other cases, the new
context and relationship offers completely alternative readings
of the items on display. This decided eclecticism, reflects both
the essence of The House of Fairy Tales ethos, to foster
creative engagement with and curiosity for the unique
experience, as originally conceived by writer Deborah Curtis and
artist Gavin Turk.
Derived, with a tip of the hat, in deference to André Breton's
Exquisite Corpse, the Surrealist, chance inspired, Consequences
like, game. The thread of Dada and Surrealism comes coursing
down through a century of artistic revolution,
counter-revolution and evolution.
Perhaps though, even stronger and more profound, the links to
our archaic past in the form of storytelling, myth-making and
fetish. The principle then, as now, being one of a passing-on of
wisdom, of a key knowledge base and learning tools. As much as
the joy and celebration of, the wonders of the universe, being,
in the detail and the diversity, and in our unique powers of
observation and accumulation.
The installation of both Exquisite Trove and The House of Fairy
Tales Portfolio here, at New Art Gallery Walsall, is uncanny in
it's seamless assimilation within the existing, extensive and
similarly, eclectic
Garman Ryan Collection the legacy of Sir
Jacob Epstien's lover, then wife, Kathleen Garman and her
life-long friend, the sculptor, Sally Ryan.
From the exhibition Press Release
"Exquisite Trove is an exploration of our passions and interests
in collecting, displaying, documenting and telling tales through
those things that surround us which reflect our own folklores
and mythologies.
Many of the contributors are involved with The House of Fairy
Tales as exhibiting artists, players or supporters and include a
few children. The sense of playfulness at the heart of the show
is a reminder that child-like play is a crucial part of our
understanding of life."
Alice Herrick
Hand by
Cathy de Monchaux
Journey to Old Halloween - March of The Dead, through the
streets of Walsall - 18.00hrs 31 October 2009
Master Of Ceremonies
The parade through the streets of Walsall, began as a shambolic
promenade of players, artists, gallery staff, members of the
public and assorted stragglers, ambling along Park Street, from
the New Art Gallery Walsall. At City Square, as the
drumbeats reached peak intensity, disarray transformed into a
coherent whole, summoning up a jubilant carnival like - spirit
of Old Halloween.
A spontaneous fusion of Victorian Music Hall meets
the streets of Port au Prince or New Orleans.
Those passers-by and participants from Walsall who, either by
design or default became swept up in the exhilaration of the
moment - a moment which, I hope, they will remember...
Remember and
recall as an extraordinary fanfare, welcoming-in an all
embracing link, both to our common ancient past and our most
exciting present.
Hullabaloo! Ah Hullabaloo!
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Skeletal
Drummer
Hullabaloo
Parade
Grim - up North -
Reaper
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artblog entry 08.09.09
Some Photographs 2008/2009
Bench, Torquay
Museum, Rome
Coast, Cornwall
Notice, Cornwall
Niche, Ibiza
Wall, Rome
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These images reflect examples of forms and textures
informing my recent work, particularly the
Future History
series
Harness, Ibiza
Document,
Vatican Museums
Tide debris, Somerset |
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artblog entry 10.06.09
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2009
Burlington Gardens - reflection in John Maine sculpture
Undo Do 2008 hung in Gallery V, curated by Gus
Cummins RA
Gallery V at Buyers Preview
Varnishing Day, after polishing off a few glasses of champagne.
Thanks to Sasha Bowles for the photo
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artblog entry 26.05.09
House of Fairytales - Tate Modern - The Long Weekend
22-25 May 2009
Sunday afternoon sunshine, the crowds around here...
Friday 8.00am before The Long Weekend
Cedric Christie and Tate Curator Cedar Lewisohn in The Big Bank
Holiday Monday Play-off, serious business
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Here...
Fairytales activities
Medallists |
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artblog entry 26.10.08
Royal West of England Academy, 156th Autumn Exhibition, Private
View, Saturday 25 October 2008
Undo Do 2008, included in exhibition, hung in splendid company
alongside works by eminent Academicians Peter Ford RE and Neil
Murison.
Also published this week, in the latest edition of Proof
Magazine, here is the accompanying text:
The drawing is one of an evolving series of studio based
still-life studies, which offer a contemporary interpretation of
the traditional still-life drawing.
Consistent with, Seed Sower 2007, a work, which was
short-listed for Jerwood Drawing Prize 2007, Undo Do is
essentially an objective drawing, in this instance, of a bird’s
nest, where the subject represents a significant visual
metaphor.
The nest was blown, entire, by fierce spring gales, landing
several metres from its original location. The dramatic shift
of context brought it to my attention, in the way one looks at
a sculpture or any work of art.
It occurred to me how the process of construction and then
destruction was a serendipitous metaphor for the inevitability
of change. The time, energy and instinctive skills involved to
construct this necessary, sanctuary for procreation, generate
into this complex woven form, made up of selected twigs, shoots
and deadwood.
The bird makes this beautiful thing, automatically and without
either learned template or aesthetic deliberation. When I
compare this with the process of bringing a contemporary work of
art into existence, it is almost diametrically opposite in
approach. The objective, similar to the quest for quietude in
meditation, is a striving for, simplicity, for the definitive.
A paring away of conscious decision-making to get to something
as perfect in its uniqueness as the bird’s nest is perfect in
its utility.
The introduction of over-written handwriting, illegible, in
these works, is an aesthetic choice, fetishising the drawings,
to look like antique relics. The writings are personally
significant and relate to the core subject of ‘change and
transformation’, but diffused, as it appears in the final work,
the text is impregnable, mysterious.
Excellent edition Jago, keeps getting better.
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artblog entry 02.10.08
James Goff called me back in June or July, he says, Gordon,
Claudia and I are getting married on 27 September, and I'd like
you to come...
and if you'd like, you can spin a few tunes, you know Charlie
Wrights style...
I first met James in 1992 when he handed me the keys to 18
Charlotte Road from his first Stirling Ackroyd office in Rivington
Street, London EC2, at a time when he had a team of only three.
The next notable moment in our friendship, a few weeks later, was playing for The
Old Street Onians Rugby Football Team, a raggedy bunch of ex-RCA
graduates, assorted architects, rock musicians and of course,
estate agents.
It was about their second game against a
team down in Chiswick. I remember the ref was just some guy who
happened to be dragged away from the bar, inspirational.
Typically, low on
try's, and probably just hanging-in there, with a score against us of
something like 60-0, the play fell into a ruck on the right
flank of the oppositions half, about 30 metres from their
touchline.
I remember James tearing in to the edge of this shambling ruck
like a young bull that needed feeding, he looked like the only
person in that exhausted knot of bodies who actually had a sense
of purpose and more importantly, a smidgeon of 'energy'. Within seconds he had
un-rooted the ball.
With ball firmly in both hands, he passed it
swiftly into mine as I ran onto the play, and this pony-tailed
veteran runner, affectionately monikered 'Alf Tupper', and still pissed
from too many Whisky Sour's in The Groucho Club the previous
evening, shot down the oppositions blind side and
popped the ball safely over their line for a magnificent try,
that turned the Onians fortunes around,
...at least that's how I remember
it.
Sixteen years on then, it was a pleasure and a privilege to be
guests at the wedding of Miss Claudia Chaplin to Mr James Goff,
in gorgeous Ibizan sunshine.
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artblog entry 12.07.08
Winner of RBSA Portrait Prize 2008 for the painting, Sometime
Before Now Later 2007/8
Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Imaginative Portraits, Open
Portrait Award
Selected by:
David Hemsoll,
Senior Lecturer in History of Art, Barber Institute of Fine
Arts, University of Birmingham.
Brendan Flynn,
Curator of Fine Art, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
Jon Perks,
The Birmingham Post's Magazines Editor
This is the first time the finished painting has been exhibited.
FANTASTIC - Thank you
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Subject and Portrait |
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artblog entry 03.06.08
Monday 2 June Varnishing Day, Royal Academy of Arts, Summer
Exhibition 2008
After setting out, in January 2007, with the objective, to get
work selected and into major national exhibitions, to be
selected for Jerwood Drawing Prize 2007 and now, in 2008 the RA
Summer Exhibition, is a fantastic endorsement of the work I'm
producing.
It was a privilege to accompany the other artists and RA's in
the traditional procession to St James's Piccadilly for the
Service for Artists, followed by the Varnishing Day Reception,
to meet so many peers, friends and senior Academicians like
Leonard MCComb RA who's work I have loved, since I first saw it
more than twenty five years ago.
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Geoffrey Rigden, Humphrey Ocean RA, and Gordon Faulds,
discussing the unquestionable merits of 'the hang' in the Small
Weston Room. |
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artblog entry 29.05.08
Appledore Visual Arts Festival 2008, Appledore, North Devon
Enter The Dance
Moving dance performance by choreographer, Sue Way and
internationally acclaimed ceramicist, Sandy Brown. This was
Willem De-Kooning done-live down Devonshire way.
Thanks also to Polly Thompson of Dora's House B&B, Appledore for
her wonderful conversation and hospitality.
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Dancing in unseasonable rainshowers, scantily dressed and
covered in clay and acrylic paint, deserves huge praise and
admiration...
despite the cries of the six year old who piped up, ten minutes
into the performance, "Mummy, what are they doing?".
Well done Sandy, Sue and Christoffer De Graal, who provided the
musical accompaniment. |
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artblog entry 15.09.07
Somewhere Before Now Later
Completed 14.09.07 (revised June 2008)
The painting originally began as a portrait of Liz in the
Hot-tub, because I loved the way, the light, from beneath the
bubbles, reflected on her face.
I developed the background later, adding the orchard outside, in evening light, moonlight. This
added space, depth, made the picture stronger, but I knew it
still needed something more. The expression demanded something,
I felt it wasn’t enough, as it was.
I wanted to introduce a figure, a male figure, nude,
perhaps the focus for her pensive expression, perhaps something to
shift the emphasis away visually, something which added more than the sum
of it’s parts, in terms of interpretation.
And the title, I changed the title from EAE, (Elizabeth Anne
Earley), a straight portrait, to the more enigmatic, Somewhere
Before Now Later.
I felt this conversational, anachronism, lent more emphasis to
the relationship of the central elements in the painting, the
portrait, the naked male looking out of the window, the
reflection of the hot-tub in the window.
I love the illusion that, there is a triangle, of connection,
possible but not possible. I like the contradiction.
A kind of hiatus exists, a hanging pause in the continuum of
events. Those moments where creative leaps occur, acts or
thoughts, open... |
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Somewhere Before Now Later 2007
Oil on board
137cm x 71cm
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artblog entry 26.07.07
Port Eliot Literary Festival in the sumptuous gardens of the
estate at St Germans, Cornwall.
Invited to participate in Deborah Curtis and Gavin Turk’s House
of Fairytales, a section of the festival designated for
children’s stories created by visual artists, writers, actors,
set designers and a variety of multi-talented individuals, all
coming together to camp-out for the weekends events.
My contributions;
Six word sculptures,
based on messages of affirmation or countering expectations.
"The little girl and the dream", A story,
for children and grown-ups.
Dressing like a Wizard,
aka, Mr Everybody, Nobody and yet Somebody.
A DJ set on Saturday night.
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Mr Everybody, Nobody,
and yet, Somebody...
Port Eliot Litfest 2007 |
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artblog entry 08.07.07
Completed
A large drawing of a patent Seed Broadcaster,
which I had bought some years ago at auction,
with the intention, at the time,
of using it for a work of art, in some way.
The work itself,
in colour pencil, a feat of concentrated observation.
The introduction of handwriting, though,
overwritten and often illegible, like alchemical clues or
ciphers
came about, influenced, in sensibility, by visiting Documenta
12, in Kassel, Germany, last month.
The metaphor of the Seed Sower
representing my-self, male gender,
my 'expected' life’s purpose, perhaps,
but, also, sowing the seeds of ideas,
of dreams,
many textured.
The object itself, transposed into two dimensions, thus,
appears anthropomorphic,
like a mechanical angel,
or some archaic musical instrument,
bag-pipe-like.
I like the link to my earlier work,
the wall hanging sculptures from 1980
and work I did for the Wilson Hale show in 1990
This drawing, is rich and engaging as a subject.
Aesthetically satisfying. |
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Seed Sower, 2007
Colour pencil on paper
90cm x 110cm
Shortlisted for Jerwood Drawing Prize 2007 |
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artblog entry 25.06.07
Cedric Christie ECM Tour – Basel Art Fair, Switzerland
Documenta 12, Kassel, Germany.
I know, when Cedric asks me to do something, that
agreeing, means opening up to the universe.
Wing and a prayer, 24 pairs of wheels.
The concept:
12 fast cars, (not the latest marque’s, I hasten to add),
sprayed up and branded, like intercontinental rally cars.
One car for each Documenta.
The branding, utilizing the names of participating artists from
each Documenta, and then applying the graphic spin, of name with
well known logo. For example, from the 1955 car, Pirelli becomes
Picasso, and so on. The photographs reveal better than words can
explain.
My part, one of the drivers, (Documenta 9, the VW Golf) with
passenger, (stepson and photographer, Alastair Brown), we set
off from Hackney at around 22.00hrs late on Sunday 11 June.
Objectives:
Cedric had'nt slept more than three hours a night for the past
ten days, at least. So he was, understandably, less than
inclined, to project-manage the route-planning or articulate any
definitive objectives, beyond getting all 12 cars to Basel Art
Fair Opening Party and then on, to Kassel for the Documenta 12
Opening Days.
The plan:
Although not scripted or even, a plan, at this stage, was, that
the long haul drives would be, through the night. This made
sense, the roads are quieter, making it easier to stay,
relatively, in convoy. The air temperature is cooler, none of
the cars had aircon, and the daytime weather was, sunny and
warm, for the best part.
The greatest challenge here, personally, was letting go of any
notions of a specific realisation of the project, ie, 12 cars
all in one place and at one time, for a photo opportunity or a
press call. Running a close second to that, was getting enough
sleep to cope with the driving. Actually the second objective
turned out to be much easier to achieve than the first.
There were hiccups, fortunately less than anticipated, the
greatest however was the Documenta Opening Party at the Schloss
on the Friday evening when, without advance security clearance,
we couldn’t get the cars anywhere near the event, anywhere that
is where they would be visible. This, in addition to the fact
that the heavens decided to open that Friday evening, which kind
of flattened the atmosphere for an outdoor party.
At this point, I declined another night under canvas, and broke
ranks along with my, ever so grateful passenger, in favour of
the delightful comforts of The La Strada Hotel.
Other guests at The La Strada, here for Documenta, whom I had
the great pleasure to meet and enjoy conversations with at
breakfast, in the sunshine, by the pond of golden koi, included;
Yasmin Canvin (Curator from UK), Gavin Turk (Artist), Mark
Hammond (Artist), Jaqueline Genie (Filmaker), Deepak Ananth
(Journalist and Writer, Paris), Cheryl Lynn Bruce (Performer and
Writer, Chicago USA), Kerry James Marshall (Artist, exhibitor at
Documenta, Chicago USA ) and Marie-Christine Gennart (Curator
and Artists Agent, Brussels).
Along with Amelia, Noah and Talullah Christie and Benin Artist
Romuald Hazoumé (Artist and exhibitor at Documenta), many of
these had a part to play in the day ahead…
On Saturday the tour rendezvous breakfast was located on the
terrace of the café/restaurant opposite the Neue Galerie and
overlooking the Fulda River valley in splendid tranquil
sunshine.
An idea was mooted to drive to Münster for the, once a decade,
sculpture show that was taking place there, this met with little
enthusiasm, on my part. With a long drive back to the UK less
than 24 hours away, I passed on Münster, and as a consequence,
the rest of Saturday 16 June 2007 became a relaxed, highly
enjoyable and, transformational experience.
Resistance to the “Contemporary Art” milieu, heightened by
walking round the indulgent, near empty, expanses of white
display boards and then spang'ly, commodified aisles and booths
at Basel Art Fair, shifted, on this day, in Kassel.
Evolving into a more open, acceptance of and in some instances,
engagement and pleasure in, both exhibits and curatorial
choices, here at the Documenta.
Chairs, courtesy of China
Each pavilion had a different flavour, an individual artists
work distributed selectively and in relationship, both
historically and sometimes, also, in context to, other artists
work, nearby.
I particularly enjoyed James Coleman’s film ‘Retake with
Evidence’, casting Harvey Keitel, Beckett-like in a faux
Greek-tragedy, a monologue, in parts. It had the magic and the
scale of cinema, but read, as virtual theatre. It engaged this
viewer, where other exhibits and video installations appeared
as, ‘measured’ and less memorable by comparison.
Having met Kerry James Marshall and his partner Cheryl Lynn
Bruce, I looked for his work, the storyboard Ho-strut, drawings
in the Neue Galerie were a comic-strip fusion of hardcore
hip-hop parlance and Indian ink, his painting of a house and
garden get-together, reminding me of the Jill Scott song
‘Family Reunion’, painted on tarp, nailed direct to the wall,
banner-like, it has a flavour of the early 20th century American
paintings of George Bellows or Reginald Marsh. Truly American
Romuald Hazoumé’s work was what really swung my viewpoint.
The oil-can masks, and the oil-can ‘dream’ boat.
These struck a resonance, confirmed a dialogue. The
African Sculptures in the Louvre, visited 01.07, (nail-fetish
dog, below)
Photographs of Picasso’s collection of African masks in his
Montmartre studio. Then, the culture of resourcefulness, of
necessity, re-using objects, usefully and ingeniously, which
are, in other circumstances, regarded as waste.
Political comment, done with such abundant joi de vivre and
proficiency, the work acutely accenting aesthetic pleasure so
that the Socio-economic, Political, Cultural and Art Historical
references, hover, within the layers of meaning and imbue the
work with textural depth.
A heartfelt dose of another reality, another way. |
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Wingin' it, on the forecourt
Car #1, doubles as bed...
Christie grabs 30min on Dover-Calais Ferry
No going back!
Aristotle, Socrates and Plato debate movement of vehicles
Whaa! Münster?... Naa! |
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