"Open See documents the experiences of people who travel from war torn, socially and economically devastated countries, to make new lives in Europe."
I saw this exhibition recently and was really moved by the things Goldberg had documented. The torture and suffering of these people just trying to better their lives was heart wrenching. The way the artist has chosen to display the work and record it really brought to life the lack of luxury these people live with every day. Tattered photos bound with string, polaroids scribbled on with biro, found objects. etc.
It was a mixture of small polaroids, blurred, almost amateur looking photography contrasted by beautifully shot portraits.
Jim Goldberg: Open See
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'Pop Life' was an exhibition i saw at Tate Modern. The exhibition began with the statement:'Andy Warhol claimed "Good business is the best art." Tate Modern brings together artists from the 1980s onwards who have embraced commerce and the mass media to build their own 'brands'. Pop Life includes Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and more.'
The exhibition was quite a miss match of works from pornogrpahic video pieces, ultra stylised japanese photography, museum styled cases containing converse trainers, large prints, posters, and the Damien Hirst identitcal twins piece with real life twins seated on two chairs changing every fours hours.
If you loved the idea of pop art then this exhibition was definitley something one would enjoy. Some of the works I loved as I had researched a few of the artists for essays such as Keith Harring. However I cant help but comment on the fact I dislike Damien Hirsts works. Gold cabinets full of diamonds to me are not art but rather a statement of wealth, but I guess hes always been a love/hate artist for many people, his success cannot be denied even if i do believe its all very much hype by media thats led to the ridiuclous prices his works sell for.
The video piece by japanese director Takashi Murakami was interesting. The short film made by the artist in collaboration with Hollywood director McG about Akihabara, Tokyo's manga epicentre. To try and relate this subculture for a Western audience, film star Kirsten Dunst was cast as Majokko ('magical princess') an anime archetype watched by girls in Japan. I dont know whether I like the fact mainstream actresses are being involved in art as on one hand I give Kirsten Dunst props for getting invovled in such a interesting project. Then some may view it as a cheapening of art, but then again it was an exhibition about pop art which is often seen as the art for "sellouts"
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