Stitched self portraits

Self Portraits in stitch :)

self portrait #1

self portrait #2

self portrait #3

Anish Kapoor

I've just got back from London, and I have ALOT of exhibitions to review for my journal/blog/diary so I'm going to add them in when I've wrote them out but they will be dated on the day I visited them so look back If you are interested (I love the fact I say that like people read my blog)
One of the artists I saw was Anish Kapoor at the Royal Academy, I didnt actually see the whole exhibition just this sculpure in the courtyard. I really liked the fact which ever mirrored ball you looked in you saw yourself from a different angle. I took some photos of myself viewing the sculpure, which I think I may use in my print work as i think they would transfer well into that type of work.

Tate Modern- Pop Life / The Photography Gallery

"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"

Saatchi Gallery/ Tate Britain - Turner Prize 09

ABSTRACT AMERICA:

NEW PAINTING AND SCULPTURE

29th May 2009 - 17th Jan 2010

"Cuban born American artists Alain Guerra and Neraldo de la Paz are the collabortive duo Guerra de la Paz . Originally sourcing their materials from the waste bins of second-hand goods shipping companies in Miami’s Little Haiti, Guerra De La Paz make their sculptures from the discarded items of daily life. Viewing their practice as a kind of ‘archaeology’, their work engages with the history inherent in common debris and its possibility for recycled usage. In Nine, a giant mound of clothing heaps with strata of prom dresses, Christmas jumpers, and embarrassing yesteryear fads, bearing down with the weight of a civilisation and its disowned memories. Beneath the fringes of the hulking mass can be seen the feet of nine people supporting the load, a testimony to the strength and value of community."

[

Guerra de la Paz

Nine

2007

Mixed media sculptural installation.

365.8 x 213.3 x 213.3 cm

I loved this piece, it was quirky and original. I love all the different textures of the clothes overpowering your view. You just wanted to go up and feel each sleeve, collar and button on each item of clothing. The legs were kinda scary because I wasn't sure if they were actually people under the clothes. The piece has so mch weight behind it, physically and emotionally, you can feel the weight on you shoulders when you look at the peoples feet supposedly holding the load.

It makes me think if I had kept every shirt or pair of jeans I've ever thrown out in my life how many would I have?

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Enrico David

• confusing
• pornographic
• cheap looking...

Roger Hiorns

• consisted of condensed brain matter? vile but genius and very intriguing
• The jet emissions used to make the floor peice which looked like a lunar landscape was simply beautiful

Lucy Skaer

• my favourit to win
• Prints were really detailed
• sculpture, real wale skull with obstructive view,
• a peculiar mix that worked on so many levels...truely inspiring

Richard Wright

• the gold leaf transfer produced so much reflective light coming from the gallery lighting. stunning

Stiched

I've been stressed out alot lately with one thing and another sotherefore I found myself going back to stitching, which I personally find really relaxing and therapeutic. So to keep myself calm I've decided to do a mini series of stiched pieces for assesment which I intend to frame and present as a triptic.

Angels of Anarchy...

Francesca Woodman
On Being an Angel # 1, 1977
Photograph.
Courtesy of George and Betty Woodman and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York

"Angels of Anarchy is the first major exhibition in Europe to explore the crucial role that women artists played in the surrealist art movement.The exhibition features over 150 artworks, including paintings, photography, sculpture and surreal objects, created by three generations of artists from around the globe."

I recently saw this exhibition as part of my research for my essay I have coming up next month. I originally wanted to write it about John Coplans but I struggled to find information on his work. I knew I wanted to write about an artist who I have alot in common with (in my work anyway) and his indepth documentation of his own body through photography I thought would tie in well with the themes In my own work. As I stated before he was hard to find information on. Then my tutor told me about the 'angels of anarchy' exhibition and the fact there would be work of Francesca Woodman's on display.

Woodman is an artist I have researched before and I find her fascinating as an artsit and as a human being. Her life and tragic suicide are surrounded in so much mystery I cant help but be fascinated in her art work, which to me, showed signs of what may (and did) come.

Woodman was fascinated with photographing her own body within its domestic environment. Her work in my opinion is a statement about the stereotypical views of womens roles in the home aswell as being viewed for their bodies alone.

The 13 min video piece of Woodmans that was being shown at the exhibition contianed images of her behind paper and tearing away smalls pieces to reveal certain areas of her naked body. A simple concept of wanting to reveal yourself, hidden identity, etc but very effective as a piece of footage.

Overall I loved the exhibition just for Woodman's work because Its really going to help my essay. However there were other great works by artists such as Frida Kharlo etc.

Great show.

Tate Liverpool

Helen Chadwick - from Ego Geometria Sum 'The Labours I'

I recently visited Tate Liverpool on the hunt for some art to write about in my up coming assignment.

These portraits by Helen Chadwick are one of my biggest inspirations for my own practice. Chadwick is hands down my favourite artist. An absolute inspiration. The portraits show her struggling with large objects that have images of her nude figure printed on. I read this as a struggle with the body and the pressures of body image. Its a "labour" to be human sometimes. I considered using Chadwick for my essay however I wrote my essay last year on her work and feel i refer to her way too often so I think I should find other inspiration before I become obsessed.

John Coplans - Self Portrait

Another artist who's work was on display at the Tate was John Coplans who I have also considered for my essay, His self portraits of his ageing body are on such a huge scale they are like massive, intricate landscapes of the contours of his body

Drawings

Some of the drawings I did today

and a monoprint..

doubt....

I dont think I want to make a series of large monoprints anymore. It worked for my exhibition as a one off piece, but as a series of works to be submitted for marking in my final year I'm not so sure. I need something with more impact...

Trust me to start doubting my ideas when I've already begun preparation.

I'm so confused.

:(