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D&AD’s Day Of Fun!

Today the 23^rd October 2009 a few students went on a day trip to Liverpool! The day consisted of visiting the TATE Liverpool and the Walker Art Gallery. Unfortunately we ran out of time and couldn’t go to the Slavery Museum or have  a ride on the ferry, but I think we will visit again soon, as it was a brilliant day out.

The tate resided with three exhibitions: DLA Piper Series: This is Sculpture, Joyous Machines: Michael Landy and Jean Tinguely, Mark Rothko: The Seagram Murals.

 I did enjoy the tate and there was lots of sculpture and art I did think was incredible, the exhibition I enjoyed the most was DLA Piper Series. Some of the scluputures were just so random yet brilliant, for example: Allen Jones R.A, Chair 1969. This piece was situated on a 60’s furry rug with a woman formed as a chair on top. Allen Jones is renowned for his erotic sculptures, other work he has produced similar are the Table and Sat stand (1969). These works hint at rubber fetishism and did put a smile on my face when I saw it. It felt naughty to look at and was not what I was expecting to see in a gallery. But it stuck in my mind and I will remember this more than others.

Also in this exhibition there was a sculpture of Jim Lambie: Ska’s Not Dead 2001. This memorised me literally, I loved it, it was by far my favourite piece. A record player covered in glitter with a glitter record spinning round and round. It was hypnotising, I don’t know what it represented (to be honest, most sculptures are a little bit out there) but it was inspired.

As well as these two pieces there were lots more to lose your train of thought to, Salvador Dali popped up a lot in this exhibition and I never knew he also did sculptures, his Lobster Telephone 1936 was genius. One man who I had not seen before was Francis Alys, he had two works on display, his first was images on a protector of different images of milk bottles at doorsteps, which to me Screamed Silence and would work brilliantly with our Silence Project. The next of his work was called ‘a personal repertoire of possible behaviour while walking the streets of London town.’ This was a series of photography and written word, explaining feelings and emotions that were possibly felt during a certain circumstance. Beautiful imagery and layout was elegant and subtle compared to the explosions of other works surrounding it. There was a wide range of different styles and thoughts of sculpture throughout this exhibition, some worked and some I didn’t really think was sculpture, example a mirror box with holes in (other people who I saw look at this, were generally looking at them selves or wondering what its purpose was. Or slate flooring, we spoke to a man who worked their and it was his favourite piece, but I just don’t get it.

I briefly went into the Mark Rothko exhibition, it was amazing to see in person, and the paintings were enormous. I’ve heard his work can reduce people to tears because of the emotion that comes out of them, but I don’t think his work is that spectacular.

 

The Walker Art Gallery

Bridget Riley Flashback

25 September 2009 to 13 December 2009

Bridget Riley is one of Britain’s most celebrated contemporary artists. Her stunning black and white paintings of shapes and lines are entrancing; they suck you in and make your mind frazzle. The exhibition showed her work from the 1960’s to the present. There were eight large-scale paintings and thirty drawings showing how she made her magnificent paintings. They look simple from far away but when you see them with your own eyes they really do stand out and make a loud vibrant statement.