Monday 3 August 2015

02.08.15 "Modern Girl"

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"Somewhere just between the past and somethin' dawnin' new,
there's a break in the chain,
there's a skip in the clock,
Girl that's where I'm gonna find you"

I [was] extremely excited to hear about the Frida Kahlo exhibition in London for the next month,and  obviously booked the day off work to go with S, supportive boyfriend that he is.




"After Frida Kahlo died in 1954, her husband Diego Rivera shut her belongings in a bathroom at their Mexico City home, the Blue House- then demanded it be locked until 15 years after his death. In fact, the room wasn't opened until 2004. Ishiuchi Miyako was invited to photograph its intimate contents when they went on show at the Frida Kahlo museum in Mexico City in an exhibition curated by Circe Henestrosa."
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/costume-and-culture/gallery/2015
/may/05/what-frida-kahlo-wore-artists-wardrobe-locked-up-for-50-years

So we did go and see the Frida Kahlo exhibition last month in London, got to say, more than a little disappointing. Considering the photographer was invited to photograph 300 pieces of relics once owned by Kahlo, there was about a hand full of works downstairs, and another hand full upstairs. The publicity, and the feedback in the visitor book was so high, and positive, I am doubting my own experience, but I wasn't as blown away as I expected. Maybe that was the problem, my expectations. One of the things I love in a gallery environment, is the narrative beside a work, helps expand upon your own initial interpretations. For this exhibition, there was none of that, just a folder with press coverage from magazines, and newspapers about the exhibition displayed. Seeing an exhibition for me, is an experience. Faced with this, I felt that maybe purchasing the exhibitions accompanying book would help, sadly it was sold out.





All was not lost, after we wandered over to the V&A. I had never been before, it had some amazing stand out pieces.




Studio Drift by Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta. 2015.

I still can't get over the visual aesthetic of this work, it's so stunning and I love the way it has been displayed. It was part of the What is Luxury? exhibition. I have a childhood reminiscent love for dandelions, so the visual of this work attracted me over, and had me engrossed. The dandelions were applied to the led lights seed by seed.




"The project can be seen as a critical yet utopian vision on the future of our planet, where seemingly opposite evolutions have made a pact to survive [...] This labour-intensive process (applying seeds one by one) is a clear statement against mass production and throwaway culture. Are the rapid technological developments of our age really more advanced than the evolution of nature, of which the dandelion is such a transient and symbolic example?"
http://www.studiodrift.com/work/fragile-future-iii

I love that artists are always questioning the development of technology within our time, although it allows us more and easier access to everything, we are so fixed on it's use that we forget to stop and smell the roses. Literally, We live in a technological controlled time, and while it has gradually become the norm, and life develops as we know it will, and should, simpler times aren't as valued as they should be. When my phone drowned in January, I didn't have daily internet or a camera and I began to notice things around me again. Quickly this disappeared once my phone was repaired, we are all guilty of it. Falling quickly back in to old habits.


Although not a work of art, how beautiful is this staircase in the jewellery room? I've always loved spiral staircases.

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