The Big Art Gallery Dilemma

Tweet I found recently that it is increasingly difficult for me to view some of the big shows at the capitals major galleries, e.g. Tate, Saatchi, National gallery etc. This isn't due tot he nature of the shows, but more down to a guilty feeling I have myself. I want to go view these shows, but with lack of time an issue I feel I should be viewing some of the art in the smaller galleries just to get more of a feel of what is in the Zeitgeist. 

Another thing that doesn't help is that when I do see a bigger show, my tutors kind of expect me to have seen these so me going to these instead of other shows leaves me stumped when they say "what have you seen?", when I reply with "um the Richter show" they kind of of go "and?". Now I no this is no fault of my tutors and it is solely mine, but I just hope there are some of you who can empathise. There is no solution to this problem other than get up earlier and spend more time with my head In the game, even so The Big Art Gallery Dilemma remains.

Great Advert

This video shows some of the great adverts for the new Show The Jury on ITV, I haven't watched the show, but the advert on the screens on the escalators is truly unerving. I first discovered it at Leicester Square Tube station and I found it fascinating. Having the eyes there while you were moving up the escalators really made you feel like you were being watched, like they were following your every movement. For me this is an example of a well designed thought out advert, rather than the memorable but awful Cilit Bang adverts for example which are memorable for the wrong reasons. 

Damien Hirst - Retrospective at TATE

Love him or loathe him, as many do, you can't deny that he has certainly been a huge figure in the bringing of art from the aristocracy to the people. While critics are still divided, papers still undecided, i believe that a Damien Hirst retrospective is a great idea. Why you ask, well to start with many of his works which have been out of the country for years will return in time for the Olympics, while this maybe a rather crude showing of success and culture on behalf of TATE and Britain in general, I myself will be excited to see some of the works that i haven't seen in the flesh. 

While there are other down sides such as another cash injection for a man already called "the worlds richest living artist", I feel as though it will be a great educational opportunity as well for budding young artists and art lovers, seeing some of the work from the roots of the YBA movement. 

Personally I am really looking forward to seeing some of these works, and getting a chance to view them with my own eyes rather than on a screen or book, that is something that you can never replace and no one can tll you otherwise.

Bob Dylan- Hammersmith Apollo

Wow! after 50 years of gigging and at the age of 70 Bob Dylan still knows how to rock. Despite recent criticisms of his gigs as of late i could not pass up the opportunity to see him supported by a truly majestical Mark Knopfler. Yes true the voice has perhaps changed, not faded, but this only reinvents old classics such as All along the Watchtower, this voice means that it was a very bluesy affair which suited the rocky swing of the night with Knopfler opening with an hour long set and then continuing to play guitar for half a dozen of Dylan's songs. 

As well as his Never Ending Tour continuing he has also had his own show of his painting at the Gagosian Gallery earlier this year. In all a Great gig with a fantastic evergreen Like a Rolling Stone to end. It proves that he still has a lot to contribute to music. 

Book review- I, Partridge

Steve Coogan reprises his role as Alan Partridge in this Autobiography of anecdotes and stories about his life. There are many memorable lines where we laugh at the small mindedness, or lovable arsehole, often spiteful, nature of Alan, "The divergence between our two lives (mine: successful, his: pathetic) is best illustrated in our choice of garden furnishing. I've enhanced my lawn with a rockery. McCombe has chosen a broken washing machine."

However, there is something i think a little sinister in our apparent likeing of Alan and his misguided ways. It is perhaps just as bad to laugh at his belittling un-pc way of thinking, as even though it is intended for us to be laughing at him for being to backward in his views, we should perhaps find it insulting that we can in fact say, "o i know someone who says that" or "my mate Jim is just like that", maybe showing the lack of acceptance in our society. Some say that in order to get over things such as this we need to laugh at them, while i appreciate the sentiment and admit begrudging to loving this sort of humor at times, i do think that there is something fundamentally wrong at finding someone like this funny.

Modern Day Superhero?

Today while at work handing out flyers in Leicester square for 99 Comedy Club, i encountered a rather strange event, which has lead me to think about the notion of "the people", and to a possibility of its functioning within the city. I was told by a colleague that there had been a gang setting up a game in the streets and were ripping people off by having people planted in the crowd, then handing out fake money to winners if they bet on the game. As i went to have a look at a distance a man in his mid 20s grabbed the guy on the stall and pushed him against a fence, at this point I was thinking police, then it became clear that this was more a reprimand or threat than an arrest. The thought of a rival gang member crossed my mind, but luckily the violence ended with the threat, and the throwing away of the man's equipment to play the game further. If this was indeed just an innocent bystander standing up for the unsuspecting members of the public, it makes me think about unity and a feeling of duty. 

This hero of sorts raises thoughts of the functions of these acts in a society divided by communities and beliefs, or even a city like London divided by the same issues, and the importance or role of looking out for one's fellow man. Is there a show of unity here or is there something more personal, this we will never know; however, i like the romantic idea of someone genuinely caring about the others around him. 

Frieze Art Fair

Ok so i know that this is a week post fair; however, i was so disappointed that it has taken me the best part of a week to recover from it. Unfortunately when one attends one has to realise that this is a purely commercial event, with every galleries goal to make money and network. When has this concept in your mind the experience is far more enjoyable, as you see that the work there is purely because it is sell able, the reason for the extortionate amount of paintings, not because it represents the best work of the artists the gallery represents. A great example of this is Huma Bhabha's work at the Stephen Friedman Gallery's stand. Some of Bhabha's best work are the fantastic sculptures she makes, of which there was only 1, the rest of the work were her still beautiful paintings, but they do not quite give the same impact as the sculptures. 

Despite the shier quantity of paintings and "sellable" work there were a lot of well presented works; however, my overall conclusion is based upon something that my friend told me, this isnt the exact quote but it goes something like this. Frieze to an artist is like seeing your parents have sex, your glad it still happens but its something that you don't want to see.