Couples
August 2013 Ventenac,
France
This
exhibition consisted of six short films showing simultaneously in a beautiful
old, empty wine cellar. The nature of ‘romantic’ relationships was the central
theme to all the films.
It so happened that on the day I went, with my reluctant
boyfriend, relations between he and I were pretty strained, so much so that the
pertinence of the violence in Marina Abramović and
Ulay’s
films made me laugh in recognition, especially the slapping sequence; ‘Slap!
Wince. Slap! Wince....two people locked in a repetitive pattern of spite and
retaliation. In the bow and arrow sequence the gradually building strain in Abramović’s
whole body is evident as she keeps the bow wielding the arrow which is pointed
at her heart taut. Ironically without her pull on the bow the arrow would have
no force behind it. I should point out here that my boyfriend and I have never
slapped each other and are happily over our blip. He didn’t find any of the
films remotely amusing.
Marina Abramović’s performance piece ‘The Artist is Present’ is cited by Kelly Grovier in this
Sunday Times Culture supplement article as being one of a ‘hundred contemporary
art masterpieces which will still be remembered and discussed centuries from
now’. I defy anyone to watch without emotion this clip in which she and Ulay are reunited
after 30 years without contact; it makes me cry every time.
Clap
August 2013 Paraza, France
The two artists in residence, Sofu and Rémi Magnouat,
had a month to create two exhibitions called ‘Over the Trees’ addressing the
theme of the dying Plane trees which line the Canal du Midi, on the bank of
which the gallery sits.
I loved Sofu’s ceramic installations made up of small
components chained together which are a metaphor for the connected parts of a
whole, be it an individual life, the lives of many or a territory.
This ‘united division’ is also illustrated in this installation of hanging
coloured strands which look like a tree trunk.
Upstairs there was a room full of small sculptures of
the human form in various poses and groups which inspired in me a feeling of
good humoured fascination probably becuase of their small size and appearance
of patient observion, like little white human meerkats.
It was also very interesting and inspiring to see the work displayed
withing the studio space, to see the materials lying about, the trials and
‘workings out’.
I wasn’t so keen on these painted aluminium characters ‘in
the flesh’; they seemed brash and rough after the serenity of the ceramic
pieces, but seeing them later in my photographs I enjoyed them more.
Shop window paintings
August 2013
Carcassonne, France
I was a bit divided by these works of street art by Mohamed Lekleti that I
saw painted on shop windows in Carcassonne; when I saw the first one my
interest was piqued but on closer inspection I thought it missed the mark
slightly in terms of colour and proportion, however my admiration grew as I saw
more and more, probably because the style was consistent (something I think my
work lacks), the ground was ingenious and the amount of work involved in the
project must have been huge. I was also envious; I’d love the opportunity and
audacity to do something like this.
Museum of Art and
History
August 2013 Narbonne, France
The number of art works in here was huge, they seemed a bit
jumbled and some were poorly lit but it was very enjoyable. Here are a few of
my favourites:
Winter Garden by Stephen
Marsden, is an installation of six 17th century style busts with
their heads replaced by roses, lit with different coloured lights and standing
on a lawn of herbs. These looked like giant chess pieces and it was shame not
to be able to see them from closer quarters as they appeared to lack emotion
from a distance, I also felt that it was really just one piece multiplied as
the only difference between them was the colour of the light directed upon
them.
The detail in these 17th century paintings was
astounding:
Portrait of a
Woman by Elias Pickenoy
Portrait of a Woman by Jan Anthonisz van Ravesteyn
And this 15th century religious painting by Neri di Bicci looks
remarkably modern
The
sheen on the dress in this unlabeled painting is mesmerizing
And this 18th century portrait of a beggar by Gaspare
Traversi is a marvel of suffering and perspective
You
can feel the dry heat in Max Moreau’s 1936 oil painting of a water seller
