The history of the Turbine Hall is steeped in the presence of machinery, and Anicka Yi's new installation In Love with the World which currently fills this space has played off this. The Aerobes, as named by Yi, are round, soft balloon like shapes based on life-forms, sort of fungi like creatures. Yet these Aerobes are machines, AI which learns and moves around their environment independently. The softness of the Aerobes, contrasted by the vast industrial feel of the Turbine Hall creates this unique atmosphere in which Yi absorbs the viewers senses. Whilst as the viewer we recognise that that these are machines, intrinsically linked to the mechanical setting, the softness of these floating Aerobes feel organic and life like. The contrast created here, and the fact this is so evident to us as the viewer creates an amusement around the work. You walk into the hall and look up in bemusement, you watch the Aerobes bob around in a child like amusement. The slight buzz of the mechanics of the Aerobes fill the air, creating an almost soothing white noise, accompanied by the use of scents which are linked to the hall further utilises our senses in the viewing experience. Yi utilises our sense of sight, sound and smell to absorb and entrance us as viewers, allowing us to enjoy this simple moment as we are amused by the work before us. The way in which Anicka Yi uses the space and our senses to create this entertaining and entrancing installation in turn raises poignant questions. The way in which we are absorb into the work via our senses creates a relaxed and comfortable space in which we admire the way in which the mechanical and the organic blend, something which is so contrasting but so familiar in our daily lives. This in turn leads us to question the ways in which this is present in our own world and life. We, the viewer, are confronted that yes the organic and mechanic have and continue to blend together in our every day life. By doing this in such a simplistic way, a way which utilises the senses, Yi asks us the viewer to question how we relate to the organic and the mechanical in a secure and calming way. This is notably different to the way many other Artist have addressed the theme of the merging of organic and mechanical, commonly approached in an almost apocalyptic manner. An example of this theme being address differently is the exhibition Kristof Kintera: The End of Fun!, shown at Ikon Gallery. Anicka Yi, In Love with the World approaches the well covered theme, the merging of mechanical and organic, in an intriguing and soft way. Anicka Yi brings the viewer into the mechanical space and encircles their senses allowing them to become absorbed by the work. This work is so effective as it allows the viewer to simple absorb and ponder, something which the Turbine Hall is so suited too. As the viewer this work is accessible, you are quite simply meant to take the work in, reflecting on this independently, Anicka Yi allowing you to be taken in by the organic in this vast space. In Love with the World simply allows the viewer to enjoy the iconic Turbine Hall, reflecting upon it as they wish, and so in turn raising fascinating questions about the world we live in, generating responses which is just as unique and organic as the spontaneous movements of the Aerobes bobbing about the hall.
Visit Anicka Yi, In Love with the World at the Tate Modern until the 16th January 2022.
0 Comments
2020, the year we all stayed home. So many of us found ourselves spending more time in the home than we ever had before. With this new level of commitment to the home that 2020 brought, it too created space to reconsider the importance of the home. It is this centrality of the home which I believe would allow for an interesting look at the relationship between the home and contemporary art, and the ways in which it is presented within the contemporary arts. The work of award winning Korean Artist, Do Ho Suh, creates a playful and innovative reconsideration of the home. I am going to focus on his playful installation and sculptural pieces which construct familiar home spaces out of translucent fabrics. These works explore the concept of the home through merging boundaries of the physical home and the immaterial home. Do Ho Suh is a Korean born Artists, having studied in the US, he is now based and works in London. Do Ho Suh himself having moved across the globe is reflected in his idea of his home, exploring the contrasts between the childhood home and the adult home. Do Ho Suh creates lightweight moveable depictions of the home, ones which can be easily picked up, packed into a suitcase and moved on, this boundless idea of the home undubtly heavily influence by Suh’s own moves across the globe, and the continually changing image of the home, both culturally, physically and mentally. Do Ho Suh, Home Within Home Within Home Within Home Within Home, 2013 An interesting example of this is Do Ho Suh’s, Home Within Home Within Home Within Home Within Home. This truly mesemerising sculpture replicates his New York apartment block which shelters inside a replica of his parents’ tradition Korean home. This blends both the physical home and the concept of the home. The physical layering of the home, layers which appear merged when seen from the outside as a result of the translucent fabric allows the viewer to explore the more metaphysical layers of the home, the physical merging of present and past homes mirroring the merged memories and concepts of the home which the viewer holds. Do Ho Suh encourages the viewer to explore these layers, the full size replicas allow the viewer to physically move through the space of the home. Once again the use of translucent fabric removes the sense of solid walls, instead creating almost a suspended image, this dreamlike image further playing to the idea of the memory and concept of the home. The sheer material allows the viewer to see the full sculpture, we see straight through the phsycial walls of the home, and as a result of this layering and trasnlucient nature creates a blending of the two homes. By constructing a structure which is so similar to our physical homes, but then suspending this due to the transportable and transparent materials of the work, Do Ho Suh creates a space for reflection upon the home. We are encourage to move through the space of the home, and so through the memory like image which this work creates. Do Ho Suh is leading us the viewer to reflect and pause, his work creating this space for this. Do Ho Suh, Staircase-III, 2010 Do Ho Suh also chooses to place focus on the transitional spaces of the home, space of movement, space which you move through and never pause within, such as corridors, staircases and halls. It is theses spaces which again allow interesting explorations of the space of the home. An example of Do Ho Suh doing just that is Staircase-III, which is a replica of a familiar staircase, one which is found in so many homes. By framing the familiar within the unfamiliar Do Ho Suh forces us to reconsider these spaces within our home which so often go unnoticed. Once again the use of transclucent fabric creating a fascinating impact, the light passes through the sheer red fabric, casting a muted discoloured light throughout the spaces as we the viewer observes the work. This use of fabric and light creates an absorbing atmosphere. We are encouraged to pause and reflect within this space, preventing the tradition sense of movement and transition which are found in these spaces. This subversion of the familiar use of this spaces allows for a reflective view of the home, Suh has inverted the familiar in order to encourage the viewer to reflect on the familiar elements of the home creating space for reflection in relation to the home. Therefore, the creation of an absorbing space, framing the home in a new light. Do Ho Suh creates such engaging works as he allows us the viewer to physically engage with the work, we move through the work, and so are absorbed into this uncanny depiction of the home, creating an innovative and complex reflection of the home. This can be seen through many of his installation pieces, such as his 2017 exhibition at the Victoria Miro Gallery. Do Ho Suh, Passage/s, Victoria Miro, 2017 This piece is made up of connected corridor like spaces, once again exploring the transitional spaces of the home, allowing the viewer to move through this intsalltion creating an engaging and playful look at the home. Do Ho Suh once again plays with light weight translucent polyester fabrics, their bright colour creating playful casts of light. This use of bright colour is visually appealing, the viewer draw to this, creating an almost play like space, what springs to my mind is it is mimicking that of a childs play tunnel. This sense that the viewer is draw to a play like space once again considers the relationship between the childhood home and the adult home. But this playful nature too draws the viewer through the work, we are encourage to enter this unfamiliar yet playful home space, and once again this combined the light walls which create a sense of temporality, allows the viewer a moment of reflection in a space which is traditionally in motion. What I think is so engagaing about this work is that the use of transcluent fabrics creates a sense of impression, as though the work is just an image suspended in space, I think this is a clever ways to mimic the idea of memory. Do Ho Suh doesn’t present the concept of the home as a solid and physical building but rather as something suspended, momenetary, not solid but almost just an impression.
The removal of this sense of a solid space creates a light and gentle structure, one which is floating, suspended and I believe that is sense of almost portraying a memory which creates a sense of reflection and considereation around the home. Suh allows the viewer to pause within spaces of the home which are traditionally always in motion, a new view of the space is created. This partnered with the creation of layers blurs the space of the home, removing the sense of a solid structure and exploring the concept of the home as more of an impression, this metaphysical approach is something which is far more emotive. I think it is interesting to consider the work of Do Ho Suh in relation to 2020. Like the work of Do Ho Suh, 2020 has allowed for a pause within the space of the home, spaces which are traditionally in constant motion now lay still. This sense of stillness and reflection mirrors the work of Do Ho Suh, and so both very much allowing for reflection. Do Ho Suh’s work is reflective, playful and engaging, the use of colour and structure creates not only visually engaging spaces which draw the viewer through them, but creates a sense of suspension of the solid and instead creates an impression of the space, a projection of the concept of the home on which the viewer can reflect upon. The concept of the Artist as a genius is an enduring one, after all what sells an art work more than the name of an iconic artist. The ways in which the name of an Artist informs both the artistic and monetary value we place in a work plays to the question of how we define art. The question of how we define and value an artwork one which I have always found intriguing. In the case of Damien Hirsts' 2007 work, 'For the Love of God', it is the value of the name which is called into question. I can think of countless exhibition in which someone has remarked 'well I could have made that at home'. In cases such as this what is it which makes the work valuable? Is it the creation of the concept of the work, or is it the name of the genius artists which sits alongside a piece which places value and status in a work? It is the way in which Hirst calls into question an artwork value and the concept of the artists name which I believe makes this work so intriguing, and this is what I want to briefly discuss here. I could waffle on about the implication this has on the ways in which we can define an art work, but for today I will stick to Hirst playful 'For the Love of God'. Damien Hirst, For the Love of God, 2007 Damien Hirst will certainly be a name which would grab many an art lovers attention, and undoubtly a name which comfortably sits with the great genius's which fill the pages of Art History. For the Love of God is arguable one of Hirst’s most recognisable works, made up of a real human skull, teeth and all, encrusted with 32 platinum plates set with over eight thousand diamonds, a four million pound pink diamond crowning the skulls forehead. This work is undeniably a visually striking piece, the value this work holds quite literally glistening off its surface.
For the Love of God's raw material value sits at roughly £14 million, the sale price of the work reportedly sitting at beyond £50 million. One interpretation of this work is that the £36 million difference between the price of materials and finsihed artwork highlights the cost of the artists name. Hirst constructed the concept of this work, however it was jewellers and craftsman which conducted the physical construction of this work. We can argue that this £36 million is not the cost of the craftsmanship, but rather the Hirst name. After all, the same piece selling but selling credited to the craftsmen and jeweller who physically constructed to this work would simply not fetch anywhere near the same price. This £36 million difference is the cost of the Damien Hirst name. Hirst's choice of title 'For the Love of God' can be interpreted as Hirst himself calling into question the value the art market is willing to place in his name, possibly suggesting an excessive value that is placed in a name. Is this Hirst himself exclaiming ‘For the Love of God’ as the art market scrambles for the value within the artists name. Damien Hirst has also suggested he has named this work ‘For the Love of God’ as this is what his mother would have remarks, Hirst explains ‘she used to say, ‘for the love of god, what are you going to do next!’. ’ also calling into question how we value art, and possibly even critiquing the value placed in the name of the artist. The use of materials in this work also raise interesting questions. The use of the real human skull not only extravagant, once again nodding to the way in which this work questions how we value things, but also raising questions of death and our own transience. This is juxtaposed with the encrusted diamonds. Whilst the human skull and body is transient, a form which is temporary, a diamond is seen as solid and enduring. Diamonds are regarding as an undeniably valuable material, one which is seem as cold and hard yet desirable and beautiful, a signal of wealth and value. This contrast of the two materials can once again call into question the way in which society places a value on items. The contrast of the temporary human skull and the everlasting diamond possibly questioning why we see them as a thing of beauty, questioning if they are simply a glass symbol of a capitalist society. Each element of this work calling into question the ways in which society assigns value. Through this work Hirst has cleverly called into question the ways in which society places value. This an be seen through the striking use of materials and the contrasted created, the viewer ultimately confronted within this question through the satirical title of the work. This question of value is consolidated by the stark price difference in material value and the final price of the artwork, a value which can be accredited predominatly to the name of Damien Hirst. The title 'For the Love of God' once again aptly responding to £30 million price tag of the name. Hirst has cleverly called into question the ways in which we have defined art. He has used his bold and unique style partnered with raw material and the price of the name of an artistic genius to call out the art market for the value it places in all but a name, highlighting this with an arguably satirical title. ‘For the Love of God’ call out the art market and the value we place in the name of the artist, and the ways in which value is assigned within society. But Hirsts' clever use of material and title goes beyond this, calling into question the long standing narrative of the genius artist and the value of this status. ‘For the Love of God’ is a clever and playful work, one which raises important questions, and once again leads to the complex issue of how we can define and value art. I recently took a trip to see the highly photogenic exhibition which had been filling my Instagram timeline, the Van Gogh Alive exhibition at Birmingham’s Hippodrome Theatre. I was unsure of what to expect from this exhibition, but what I found was this was certainly a new and innovative way of exhibiting the ever familiar work of Van Gogh. The exhibition filled the room with projections of Van Gogh’s work using light, animation and music to create an immersive and emotive atmosphere. Unlike a traditional exhibition where the viewer is moved from one work to the next, directed through the exhibition by text to accompany each piece that creates a narrative for the viewer to follow, Van Gogh Alive creates a less rigid more fluid narrative within the exhibition. Van Gogh Alive takes on more of a video reel format, as a result of this you don’t necessarily enter at the start. I found that by removing this sense of start and end added to the absorbing nature of the exhibition. This less linear narrative was sort of liberating, instead of focusing on an art historical interpretation of the work, we are instead redirected to focus on the drama and theatrical nature of this exhibition. Through the removal of continuous information, as the viewer, this helps you remain the in immersive nature of the exhibition. However, a critique of this being it does fail to teach you about Van Gogh, the development of his work and the outside influences on his work. I would argue that this exhibition does to an extent overly play to the idea of Van Gogh as the troubled artistic genius, playing to the character of Van Gogh which pop culture is quite so fascinated by. Van Gogh Alive does drive home Van Gogh’s prolific nature, something which I had not fully appreciated the sheer scale of prior to this experience. Yet I found the focus on this prolific nature does further reinforce the ever present idea of the troubled artistic genius, which some may argue is a cliché and limited interpretation of the work of Van Gogh. One thing this exhibition can be applauded for is the sheer number of Van Gogh pieces displayed, not placing focus on the iconic works, but also using lesser known pieces to narrate the life of Van Gogh. Key to the success of this exhibition was the incredible use of light and sound, the sound track of classical music, partnered with the emotive Van Gogh quotes use to direct the exhibition creating not only an absorbing and immersive nature, but also emphasising on the passion, talent and fascination which was possessed by Van Gogh. One section I found particularly interesting was the presence of and exploration of the Japanese influence on Van Gogh, something which I was previously unaware of. In this part, projected were both the works of Van Gogh, but also the Japanese works which influenced Van Gogh. Here again I found information accompanying the exhibition lacking. The only text which accompanied the works were emotive Van Gogh quotes. Whilst these did contribute to the theatrical nature of the exhibition, it did limit the extent to which the viewer is able to learn about these wider influences on Van Gogh. I believe that the presence of, or in this case a lack of information raised interesting questions regarding the presence of information within exhibitions. I find that there is a fine line between bombarding the viewer with a strict interpretation and narrative of the framework, and creating an absence of information, failing to provide the viewer with any interpretation except their own. Whilst in many ways the absence of a strict narrative does allow for freer interpretation of the work, it does leave you questioning the intentions of the exhibition. In the case of Van Gogh alive I believe that the absence of information does contribute to the overall impact of the exhibition. The viewer is simply left to be absorbed in the work of Van Gogh, this show is creating something which detaches the viewer from the reality of the present and brings the drama of much love Van Gogh to life. This leads me to my thoughts on the intentions of this exhibition. At first I was judgemental of this lack of art historical interpretation or argument, until I realised this quite simiply isn’t the aim or intention of this exhibition. Van Gogh Alive instead intends to entertain, transport and absorb the viewer. This is what this exhibition did so well. It created a new frame in which to view the work of Van Gogh, creating a more theatrical exploration of the painters’ life, playing with the fascination with Van Gogh, the troubled artistic genius. This exhibition ultimately is not to be understood through the lense of art history, but rather as almost a show, the tale of Van Gogh through the animation of his works. This brings me to my final thought on the exhibition, the incredibly dominate, and ever presence lense of Van Gogh as the tortured artistic genius whose talents where never ultimately appreciated until his untimely death. This supports my view that this exhibition is not to be seen as an exploration of the art, but rather the artist, and the continuous fascination of Van Gogh and his artistic genius.
Throughout the exhibition there was a dominating presence of Van Gogh’s self-portraits, which were intensified with the additional of impending classical music. This added fuel to the fire of the narrative of Van Gogh as the tortured genius making it clear the lense through which the exhibition is encouraging the viewer to adopt. At first this made me think of this exhibition as clichéd, only driving home this narrow interpretation of Van Gogh, falling into the familiar interpretation of biography, somewhat of a tricky and divisive ground within art history. I thought how this failed to acknowledge the highly complex and diverse influences and interpretations within Van Gogh work, working at a time of artistic explosion and richness, a period of art history which was full of life and innovation. Yet upon writing this post, and reflecting on what this exhibition was aiming to achieve, my mind has been changed. This exhibition did not strive to educate and challenge traditional reading of Van Gogh, but rather create life within the familiar images of the much loved artist Van Gogh. Ultimately, Van Gogh Alive strive to bring our ideas of Van Gogh to life. Ultimately, this exhibition is not one in which you should attend if you expect to learn about the wide influence of this artist and movement. But instead, this is an exhibition which removes the traditional linear and informative narrative of an exhibition. Instead strives for something which is immersive and entertaining, building a play if you like through the images of Van Gogh, enhancing these through theatrical elements. In turn creating a show which separates you from the outside work, immersing you into the world of Van Gogh, an artist who fascinates so many. Van Gogh Alive is on show at Birmingham's Hippodrome theatre. Tickets can be found here. Krištof Kintera: The End of Fun! is an exhibition that can quite simply be described as bizarrely comical and worryingly applicable to todays’ society, an exhibition where the use of dark humour raises incredibly poignant issues in a way that entertains and unsettles us as the viewer. The exhibition is filled with mixed media sculpture, often crafted out of discarded electrical wastes. The work adopts an almost utopian lense, subverting the familiar to create humorous depictions of our cities and societies. It is striking and intelligent in the way in which the use of dark humour forces the viewer to confront the harsh realities and issues of waste we see in society today. Postnaturalia, Krištof Kintera, 2016-17 As you enter the exhibition on the first floor you are surrounded by old electrical appliances and wires, which are juxtaposed with small organic elements, dried flowers, sponge-like textures, and amusingly, the recurring presence of cauliflower. This introduces the concept off the unfamiliar in the familiar; materials we encounter and discard in our day to day lives, but framed in a new light. Postnaturalia Laboratory, Krištof Kintera, 2016-17 It was this contrast of the mechanical and electrical with the organic which struck me when I first entered, this juxtaposition invited me to consider the relationship between the mechanical, the organic and our everyday. The consideration stuck with me as I continued through the gallery space, and started to consider the questions of waste which Krištof Kintera seeks to raise. Postnaturalia, Krištof Kintera, 2016-17 The first piece of work, Postnaturalia, is sprawling metropolitan cityscape, constructed from old electrical components, that spans the floor of the first gallery space. This overwhelming amount of synthetic material fashioned the familiar reflection of the birds eye view of the metropolitan paradise an image which is ever present in pop culture. Yet this is very the combination of the familiar and the unfamiliar begins to really strike as the viewer, you instantly know what you are looking at, the sprawling city somewhere full of life and light, but building this out of worn out leads and circuit boards removes the liveliness we associate with this scene. We know what we are looking at and yet we find broken, burnt out material crafted into something which should be so full of life, creating an unsettling view. Once again Krištof Kintera cleverly forcing us as the viewer to address the issues we are being presented with. Krištof Kintera once again introduces another juxtaposition into this sculpture. Jetting off the edges are almost island like shapes which grow cloud structures out of a sponge like material. As the viewer I queried the material contradiction, yet again forced to question the relationships between the materials. The relationship between the mechanical and the organic is never allowed to escape the mind. As one is stood in front of this sprawling cityscape, a strange rattling can be heard- the use of sound and light in this exhibition only reinforcing the presence of the bizarre and humorous. This noise leads you the viewer round to the next room, where you are greeted by Nervous Trees. These sculptures stand tall, their twig like structures once again instantly recognisable, but the addition of a globes forming a head subverting the presence of the familiar, and the spontaneous rattling once again using humour and the unfamiliar to lead to question the work as the viewer. Nervous Trees, Krištof Kintera, 2013-17 The trees quite literally shake nervously, slowly shuffling their way across the gallery floor. The combination of the recognisable treelike body and the bizarre mechanical shaking, the rattling filling the traditionally quiet space, you can’t help but chuckle. The whole installation is infused with a gentle sense of strangeness. However, once again this clever subversion of the familiar raises wider issues. This work personifies the unconfident future of our environment- shaking with nerves and with quite some force. As we continued around the COVID safe space (which I feel only adds to the bizarre and darkly amusing sense of alienation in the exhibition), we follow our route up to the second gallery space where we are greeted by Drawings, accompanied by numerous other sculptural works. This piece was my particular favourite, where the presence of dark humour really took on its own presence. Large protest like placards covered the white walls of the gallery, overwhelming us the viewer with slogans, and ideas, addressing the insignificant woes of our daily life. Once again combining the familiar placards of protest, and the woes of society creating humour whilst allowing us as the viewer to address the issues being raised. Drawings, Krištof Kintera, 2007-20 Drawings takes an almost satirical approach to our everyday struggles, and the plight of contemporary society. This presence of satirical humour is only intensified by the flashing lights and banging of the other installations disrupting the traditionally peaceful white walled gallery. Once again this all allowing us the viewer to relate to the work on show through humour, this allow Krištof Kintera to raise the issues he wants to address in a subtle manner. Finally, as you move through to the end of the exhibition you are greeted by the bright flickering of My Light of Your Life. A physically dominating presence in the gallery space, made up of numerous lamps and lights, the flickering and buzzing of the bulbs fills the white space of the upper gallery. My Light is Your Life, Shiva Samurai II, Krištof Kintera, 2009 I found this work played less with the dark humour which is undeniably present in the other pieces, but rather formed quite simply a mesmerising sight. The flickering light of the sculpture and dominating size instead allows for a moment of reflection and contemplation as we leave the gallery space. This final piece creates an effective end to the exhibition. Much like Postnaturlaia which greets you at the beginning of the exhibition, My Light of Your Life is also constructed of electrical waste. This parallel creates a sense of circularity for the viewer. We are once again greeted with the familiar waste in an unfamiliar form, but doing so in a way that is reflective, allowing the viewer to consider the presence of this waste in a gallery space and in turn the significance and presence of this waste in society. Krištof Kintera allows for one final moment of contemplation of these issues, gesturing towards important questions of consumption and reflection of the issues raised in this exhibition.
The journey through Krištof Kintera: The End of Fun! cleverly plays with the viewer. I found as I began my exploration of this exhibition I was amused, and well, perplexed and intrigued by the use of mechanical waste which constructed such mundane sights. As I continued through the exhibition I found I was repeatedly confronted with humours depictions of our everyday society, and this allows use of the recognisable allows each and every viewer to individual review the issues raised. This exhibition and Kristof Kintera's work, the clever curation of the gallery space and use of light and sound led to an incredibly entertaining and thought provoking commentary on the issues of our society faces. This exhibition is one not to miss. One which will amuse you and possibly even confuse you, but undeniable is incredibly effective in its aim to make you think. Krištof Kintera: The End of Fun! is on show at Ikon Gallery, Birmingham until the 22nd November 2020. To visit, book tickets via Ikon's website, linked here. |
Archives
November 2021
|