Distruction. Community, Individual. Identity. Loss. Absense. Traces of Life. Real. False. Desolate. Humanity.
After our heavy convo we headed to the Trafalgar Square to see the Forth Plinth. Not knowing much history about the British Empire we were asked to think of an idea for the Forth Plinth... Let's just say I dont know where to start reading. We talked about trade and how many outside places make the British Empire what it is. We got onto a discussion about that based off of what is on the Forth Plinth right now. I personally, especially seeing the other ideas on the internet about what could be the Forth Plinth, I like the one done by Yinka Shonibare. Felt it was well preserved in the glass, other then the fabric later on bleaching out from the sun, but I felt it was a good contrast to what else is there. Because the Plinth is so high it's hard to see the top of the base of it, which in turn makes it hard to see the boat from all angles. I liked the idea of adding textiles from other cultures who have helped make them who they are. It deals with colonization and trade, communication too. As a US citizen trying to think what should go there is hard, I feel to niave about the subject. I do like Rachel Whitereed's proposal for her Fourth Plinth. The casting of the Plinth its self. Feel that maybe it's become more about the Plinth. That maybe nothing has to be done right away. Why are they looking to fill a space that maybe there's no rush. But Rachel Whitereed's resin cast is an interesting yet clever twist. And to me, one of the better ideas. I feel though after looking at some of the other online, there has to be more ideas out there!... but hey... considering Bloomberg is everywhere maybe a statue of Bloomberg should be on the Fourth Plinth, considering he seems to be alot of the money behind the arts here in London... perhaps holding the most amazing chocolate... (just for laughs)
We started our "art looking" at the ICA. By my surprise the ICA was not as big as I thought it was going to be. The upstairs rooms I felt were small and I was confused by the space because I kept thinking there must be more.. am I missing a room.. I did however like the photographs by Agata Madejska, i liked the use of printing on aluminum. I felt it was a good choice for steal and glass structures. The one thing I found interesting was the video by Johann Arens, Untitled 2010. There was a projected screen and in front of that a tv with a video also playing on them. I felt her videos were cubist, it was interesting the layering, textures, colors, and geometric, form, how they bounced off of each other and from one screen to another. They felt apart but at the same time they felt the same video. Her video played with your eyes. It made me think of the ideas of outside versus inside.
After the ICA we headed back to the National Gallery. I enjoyed the 2 shows on exhibition and in an odd way tied both of them back to some of the similar themes i spoke about earlier. Though their work is completely different I was able to make a connection to works. I think the theme that stood out the most for me was false versus real and illusion. Ben Johnson and Bridgette Riley work in 2 dimensional mediums, while some of the other connecting artists, work with installation based work.
Ben Johnson's extremely large scale paintings at first looked like digital renderings of a place. Not until I read the blurb about him did I realize they were actually paintings. I think his paintings play on the eye, or better yet play on the idea of something we already know. I couldn't believe when I got up close that these finely detailed images were paintings. I was honestly taken back. This paintings were like a modern version of the paintings of Venice. But then he can even be compared to Muybridge with the manipulating of the place/space to get a better view.
Bridgette Riley's work was also on exhibit at the National Gallery. Her geometric color paintings so deal with the illusion. I felt that the circle wall played with your eye. All of her works played on the eyes based on either color or shape or both. In Sarabend the colors start to merge them move away. Bouncing off one another but pulling them together again.
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