psychi-artist

[psychi-artist]

Esther Nijenhuis: TRACKS

Rebecca Hossack Gallery, Charlotte Street Until September 29th

Currently on at the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery in Charlotte Street is Dutch artist, Esther Nienhuis’ stunning exhibition of new works, entitled TRACKS. With her art Nienhuis seeks to expose symbolic thresholds that distinguish the here and now from alternative realities and times. The central theme of Nienhuis’ work is the desire to be somewhere else; a longing for the unknown.

Nienhuis’ astonishingly beautiful oil paintings seem to come to life as their energy seeps off the canvas. Viewers are drawn into becoming a part of Neinhuis’ life and memories, as they are also invited to explore their own, summoning deep feelings of nostalgia and longing.

In ‘Saudade 63’ and ‘Saudade 62’ viewers are given a slightly obscured view from behind a rain covered windscreen of a car. This represents a physical boundary. The rain puts an imperceptible blur over the otherwise clear, transparent glass, leaving what lies beyond in an abstract appearance.  Many of the paintings feature a child or children, most of them are viewed from behind, as they appear to be focused on what is in front of them and where they are heading next, even if it is just a few steps forward.

Nienhuis’ works are created from a mixture of volatile and precise brushstrokes. The excruciating effort put into the small details of each painting is especially pleasing to the eye. Her paintings may appear slightly abstract up close, but from a distance they become more and more realistic, almost appearing as photographs.  

The human eye tends to be driven to infinity, to continue looking forward and beyond what we can physically see, however sometimes there is a concerning boundary that blocks the path between here and elsewhere. Tracks explores the notion of reaching beyond that boundary, pushing it aside and continuing to look forward with our journeys of delivering ourselves to somewhere new.

The Rebecca Hossack Gallery continuously plays home to some of the most beautiful and breath taking artworks and this month is no different with ‘TRACKS’. Every inch of each painting offers its own simple and elegant charm, delicately whisking viewers away as they become absorbed in the exhibition.

[psychi-artist]

Urs Fischer: Soft

Sadie Coles HQ, Kingly Street

Urs Fischer’s ‘Soft’ at the Sadie Coles HQ gallery in Kingly Street is simply exquisite. The stark white walls of the gallery make the extraordinary colours used appear even more bold and vibrant as the bright lights from above flit around the room making each work come to life with their luminescent colours in front of viewers’ very eyes.

The entire exhibition is incredibly magical and surreal causing viewers to enter a world that is entirely their own through Fischers paintings. The works are extremely hypnotic and dreamlike, with some works featuring cat like characters that viewers will find familiar as they appear in many of the works, floating through the air, over cities, and in beautiful gardens, much like a recurring dream or thought. Some of the more positive pieces feature elements such as gingerbread houses covered in candy, multicoloured birds, and relaxing scenery.

Other works feature things that seem to represent some of the horrors people face in their dreams, or nightmares. One of the works shows what appears to be a giant tooth, its shadow behind it baring a grin the original does not. The tooth's alone and could relate to the common dream of losing ones teeth, which is often translated as symbolising anxiety and stress. Another work shows a barely visible figure hidden in the vibrant dangerous red that makes up much of the piece. The face appears worrying and menacing as it’s hollow and lifeless eyes stare out at viewers in an almost uncomfortable manner. Another interesting piece shows a wooden mannequin knelt over in a crumpled position. The pose seems perfectly normal for a wooden figure, arms lying lifeless by its sides, head hanging in despair, yet if it were a person it is incredibly defeated and hopeless. The use of wooden mannequin instead of a humanoid figure possibly represents the anonymity and isolation a person might feel as they’re lost, the world on their shoulders pushing them down into the crumpled position in the painting.

In the centre of the room lies a mammoth tree branch; multiple rainbow coloured birds perched upon it. The branch is incredibly simple, yet it is elegant and stunning. The branch sculpture works in contrast to the paintings, which appear as dreams open to many interpretations from viewers, yet the branch simply is what it is. It stands in the middle of the room, becoming a beautiful focal point of the exhibition.

Urs Fischer’s ‘Soft’ is truly a magnificent exhibition that invites viewers to explore their dreams and subconscious thoughts through the delights of kaleidoscopic artworks.

[psychi-artist]

Thomas Cole: Eden to Empire

The National Gallery, London Until October 7th

Currently on at the National Gallery in London is Thomas Cole’s exquisite exhibition, ‘Eden to Empire’. The exhibition includes over 50 works, including Cole’s iconic painting cycle, ‘The Course of Empire’ and the stunning master piece - which has never before been seen in the UK - ‘View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm - The Oxbow’. Also featured are paintings by various British artists with whom Cole was personally acquainted, as well as paintings by those who influenced him most, including Joseph Mallord William Turner and John Constable.

Cole was a self taught English-born American painter known for his landscapes and history paintings He is one of the major 19th century American painters, and was the founder of the Hudson River School. He is known for his beautifully romantic portrayal of American wilderness, that was largely still unspoiled in his time.

The main focal point of this exhibition is Cole’s phenomenal painting cycle, ‘The Course of Empire’, a series of paintings that explore Cole’s significant distaste for manmade destruction on nature. The series begins with ‘The Course of Empire: The Savage State’ (around 1834), which shows an incredibly beautiful scene of greenery and blooming life of plants and natures pure untouched beauty. In the foreground stands a man with a bow, while new England/Native American style tents are situated by a river near a collection of canoes - signifying the start of colonisation. The camp is set up in a circle, representing the start of where a temple will later be built in arcadian state. In the background a mountain towers over the scene. This mountain can  be seen in each painting throughout the series, representing a natural stability. The mountain towers over the landscape, as nature watches and waits to take control.

‘The Course of Empire: The Arcadian or Pastoral State’  shows a gradual takeover by man and the arts as children are seen drawing on the roads while a man plays the pipes. Soldiers seen in the painting portend future violence, and giant tree stumps foreshadow the environmental costs of progress. Where the circle of tents were once situated now stands the beginnings of a circular temple, indicating the beginning of the architectural takeover.

Viewers are then left astounded as the next part of the series, ‘The Course of Empire: The Consummation of Empire’ shows the same landscape, however aside from the mountain in the background it is virtually unrecognisable. Buildings cover the entire surface of the land, while bridges streak across the rivers. An Emperor is seen making his way across a bridge, an elephant marching in front of him - presumably this was Cole’s dig at the British for their colonisation of India. African slaves are being dragged along the bridge, followed by looted treasures from their homeland. Cole’s use of stunning colours, perfectly capture the essence of life and light; water and sky appear woven together seamlessly and appear as though glistening. The end result of this painting shows a gorgeous landscape and wildlife community completely taken over by civilisation.

Mankind is fighting. Luxuries are debased. The once cream roads of the city run red as innocents are butchered in the streets. ‘The Course of Empire: Destruction’. The inevitable has happened as mankind turns on itself, once again destroying the surroundings in the process. The majority of the city is aflame, a scenario which could possibly have been inspired by Cole’s childhood memories of arson and fire. While women and children are lying injured a gladiator statue towers over the city, his head lies broken on the floor beside him as he failed to protect his city and its inhabitants. Viewers may find the stance of the gladiator familiar as he is posed in the same position as the hunter from ‘The Savage State’, a pose which was inspired by the Borghese gladiator. ‘Destruction’ shows all the achievements of civilisation destroyed.

After turning on itself and running itself into the ground, civilisation ceases to exist and nature begins to reclaim the earth. ‘The Course of Empire: Desolation’ shows the effects from mankind beginning to heal. The art and architecture created by mankind is resolving into nature. The earth is starting fresh while the mountain remains standing tall in the background; it watched and it waited and eventually was able to reclaim its home. Cole adds a slight touch of humour to ‘Desolation’ with a barely visible face in the moon, who winks out at viewers.

With various times of the day as settings for each painting ‘The Course of Empire’ takes viewers on a journey that shows mankind will inevitably lead to destruction, and at the end nature will always be there to take back what it’s owed. Cole created this series of works as a warning to modern America regarding it’s greed. A warning which was, unfortunately, not heeded.

With his works Cole continued to reject government expansion policies. He constantly tried to to express his views to Americans to minimalize industrial progress taking over America’s beautiful, natural wildlife. One of his most famous paintings, ‘The Oxbow’ was an attempt to speak to America, while ‘Course of Empire’ was a message to the then president, who was interested in building bigger and better, solely focused on greed and possessions, not the American landscape.

‘Titans Goblet’ 1833, humours the idea that the Earth was inhabited by giants. This was possibly inspired by Turners ‘Ulysses deriding Polyphemus’.  The painting shows a ginormous goblet, in the centre of vast amounts of greenery, taken over by nature. On the rim of the goblet tiny buildings and aqueduct ruins are visible.

In ‘View on the Catskill - Early Autumn’ 1836-37, Cole wanted to capture the beauty before a railway took over. In the scene a mother can be seen bringing flowers to her baby, a hunter returns home, and in the background a farmer can be seen chasing his horses in huge, luscious fields. The stunning scene is swept away in ‘River on Catskill’ as smoke is seen spewing from a locomotive that poisons the wildlife as it crashes through the land. No more happy scenes of parents and their children or animals roaming. ‘River on Catskill’ most certainly contains a more ominous feel, that leaves viewers with trembling goosebumps when they recall the delicate beauty they saw in ‘View on the Catskill’  that has now perished. A man with an axe is shown surrounded by tree stumps. He is the destroyer of nature. The entire painting is incredibly sorrowful, and it is truly a sad sight to see the difference and the changing of brilliant scenes of nature. Viewers will feel a sense of loss and mourning that spills out of the painting.

‘The Oxbow’ simultaneously shows both sides of nature. The right side of the painting shows light in the pale harmonious sky, with luscious green grass and fields spanning across further than the eye can see. Nature and wildlife thrive everywhere; the river snapping through the fields, delivering life. On the left side of the painting, a painter is shown capturing the beautiful scene before him. Behind him the death of nature creeps up. Trees have been cutdown and are left to die. Darker paint tones have been used to portray the dark, cloudy sky that looms over the right side of the painting like a poisonous, destructive wave.

Cole left behind a brilliant legacy as he founded the first national school of landscape art in America, ‘The Hudson River School’. While Cole’s technique and aesthetic had a lasting impact, his responsibilities to societies attitude towards landscape became lost. Artists increasingly championed the theory that national expansion was their God given right - the very antithesis of Cole’s beliefs.

One student who stood by Cole’s beliefs was Frederick Edwin Church. Church was a student at The Hudson River School and one of his most beautiful paintings, featured at this exhibition, is ‘Above the Clouds at Sunrise’ 1849. The use of light and colour is exceptionally stunning with an unusual usage of pink, a colour not commonly seen in landscape paintings, contrasting perfectly with the typical greenery. In the painting nature is thriving and viewers can not see what is hidden beneath the cloud. Viewers can not see what man is possibly doing to the land below - ignorance is bliss.

‘Eden to Empire’ is a rare chance to see Cole’s epic works; allowing viewers to observe the rise and fall of empires and lose themselves in the American wilderness.

[psychi-artist]

you wouldn’t download a niffler

[psychi-artist]

You don’t get explanations in real life. You just get moments that are absolutely, utterly, inexplicably odd.

Neil Gaiman (via quotemadness)

[psychi-artist]

If a writer falls in love with you, you can never die.

Mik Everett (via wordsnquotes)

[psychi-artist]

Kathryn MacNaughton: Intervals

BEERS London 8th June  -  21st July, 2018

Currently on display at BEERS London is Canadian artist Kathryn MacNaughton’s ‘Intervals’, her first ever solo exhibition in the UK. MacNaughton’s work is a delightful cocktail of expressionism, abstraction, geometry, and even her own style of still-life where she flattens the ‘objects’ to face the front of the canvas, she paints using heavily applied acrylic after having worked out each piece digitally, which assists in creating the clean straight lines often seen in MacNaughton’s work.

MacNaughton’s work shows meticulously painted crisp lines and bold, spirited colours that form shapes and patterns that exude a beautifully nostalgic retro feel. Viewers will experience an atmosphere that is incredibly reminiscent of the 1980s and early 1990s. Viewers will be dazzled and dazed as they marvel at the stunning optical illusions that create depth and transparency, created by MacNaughton. Broken lines and swirls in a kaleidoscope of colours, that appear to have no particular destination on the canvas, create gorgeous, yet erratic, display of illusions that hypnotise viewers. Contrasted against the clean cut lines are more curvaceous, bold lines and swirls, that at the same time overlap and also blend in with the the background to create rounded images of the female form or a spirit of bodily movement.

MacNaughton is hugely inspired by the female body, which is apparent to viewers as they view this exhibition. Although paintings are still, MacNaughton’s work is full of life and movement as the illusions play tricks on the mind and the eyes. Imbedded into her work is the strong idea of sexual liberation which reveals itself in the shape of nude bodies. MacNaughton finds inspiration for her works from vintage Playboy magazines; referencing the posture and body types of the women pictures in her works, as they are more full and sensual that what we might see today.

Some of the paintings, including ‘Poser’ show circles or semi circles that are filled with gradient colours. These circles and half moons appear to relate to the retro feel of MacNaughton’s work in that against the bold or black background they are incredibly similar to the colourful, neon sunset art style heavily seen and used in the 1980s.

The paintings on display in ‘Intervals’ create a sort of movement. Whether viewers admire each pice individually or the exhibition as a whole, the works contain life that calls and and beckons to viewers. The works give viewers the illusions that the paintings themselves are almost pulling away from their canvases.

[psychi-artist]

Lisa Brice

Tate Britain Art Now Until 27th August, 2018

Lisa Brice's exhibition currently on display at the Tate Britain is a stunning collection of works that really highlight Brice's stunning works that revolve around the female form. Lisa Brice is a South African born artist currently living in London. Her paintings are inspired by her early life in South Africa as well as her life in London and time spent in Trinidad over the past 20 years.

Brice's painting in this exhibition are a blend of new and old works that explore the historical art tradition of the female nude. Brice's depictions of women show them in their downtime, relaxing as they would when they're alone and no-one is watching. They show women lounging casually, lost in day dream, or getting ready presumably for a night out, she shows women performing normal everyday rituals, some that viewers will recognise and develop a very personal feel for.

Brice's work is especially important as it reverses the standard portrayal of women in paintings by male artists, who show women as unachievable sex goddesses in order to please the male eye, while Brice shows them as realistic women that many can relate to. She doesn't sugar coat her portrayals and she doesn't portray them as passive creatures that are there simply to appease the viewers or other figures that may be hidden behind the scenes of the painting. The poses and movements of the women in the paintings will seem slightly familiar to some viewers as they recognise the light nods to historical art sources found in the works of Picasso, Manet, Degas and Vallotton, as well as John Everett Millais' 'Ophelia' which is on display as part of the Tate's own collection.

The personal nature of Brice's paintings forces viewers to feel more like an intruder in the lives of these women rather than the usual guest that has been invited in to absorb and scrutinise every detail for their own pleasure. The exhibition while beautiful and completely pleasing to the eye, with it's beautiful deep blue colour palette, is verging on the edge of uncomfortable for viewers.

The women in Brice's paintings do as they please on their own terms and for their own sense of pleasure. They appear to be un-phased by their appearances, as they go about their lives, not minding that they might have more flesh than some might prefer, or that their breasts are no longer petite and perky. Brice shows natural women with nothing no hide or be ashamed of, spreading this message into the subconscious of viewers. This exhibition is truly a beautiful collection of works that displays a secret, sneaky glimpse into the lives of the women on display.

[psychi-artist]

How beautiful to find a heart that loves you, without asking you for anything, but to be okay.

Khalil Gibran (via quotemadness)

[psychi-artist]

Aftermath: Art in the Wake of World War One

Aftermath: Art in the Wake of World War I Tate Britain Until 23rd September 2018 Currently on at the Tate Britain is Aftermath: Art in the Wake of World War One. Marking the 100 year anniversary since the end of the First World War 'Aftermath' explores the impact that this infamously great war had on British, German and French art; exploring not only the physical but the psychological scars that this time left on Europe and its artists. World War I (often abbreviated to WWI), also known as the First World War, was a global war that originated in Europe and lasted from 28th July 1914 to 11th November 1918. It was described as the 'War to End All Wars', with more than 70 million military personnel mobilised in one of the largest wars in history. Over 9 million combatants and 7 million civilians died as a result of the war; it was one of the deadliest and gruelling conflicts in history, and precipitated major political changes. One of the triggers for the war was the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip in June 1914. As a result international alliances formed over previous decades became entangled and involved in the conflict. Within weeks the major powers were at war, and soon it spread across the entire world. After the war art was used in many ways, from the building of public memorials to documenting its destructive impact both socially and on the land itself. This heartbreakingly fascinating and moving exhibition shows how artists reacted to the memories and life the war created. William Orpen's 1918 'Zonnebeke' shows a dark and gloomy scene, displaying dead bodies strewn about the place, almost like dolls tossed aside by children done playing with them. Orpen drew on his own experiences elsewhere to express the horrors and destruction of war. The scene is truly horrific, almost causing viewers to feel slight guilt as they can't help but admire the beauty in the piece that contains such awful images. The horrors of the painting are even more unimaginable when viewers are reminded that it is not a scene taken from one's imagination, but rather one that was, sadly, a very real daily view for so many people. However, amongst all the darkness and dismay, Orpen has painted a small crack in the dark black clouds, where a blue sky peeps though, offering just a glimmer of light and a symbol of hope amongst all the death and destruction. One of the most inspiring artists featured is British artist Paul Nash. Immediately after the war Nash painted 'Wire' in 1918. Showing hoards of dead trees and nature, Nash documented the sad reality that was not only human life but all life was taken as a result of the war. Every inch of the painting shows destruction of the worst kind, from charred, blackened trees with barbed wire wrapped around them symbolising mutilated bodies, to the soil that once held life, now burned, blitzed and devoid of any living thing. Nash grew up in Buckinghamshire, where he developed a love for the land. Nash found much inspiration in landscapes with elements of ancient history and the artworks he produced during WWI are some of the most iconic images of the conflict. Shortly after the start of the war Nash reluctantly enlisted as a private for home service. Nash's duties, which included guarding the Tower of London, allowed him time to continue drawing and painting. In December 1914 he married Margaret Odeh, an Oxford educated campaigner for Women's Suffrage. He then began officer training in 1916 and in 1917 was sent to the Western Front as a second lieutenant. Based at St. Eloi on the Ypres Salient Nash has a reltivley quiet time. The desruction to the land was tremendous, however Nash was overjoyed when he saw that with the arrival of Spring the landscape was starting to recover from the damage inflicted on it. In May 1917 Nash fell into a trench and broke a rib and was sent back home to London. A few days later the majority of his former unit were killed in an assault. Nash considered himself incredibly luckily to have evaded death and adopted a new outlook on life. In November 1917 Nash returned to Ypres Salient as a uniformed observer, at this point however the war in this location was three months old and Nash often found himself under shellfire. Nash was horrified to discover the that the landscape he returned to was very different to the one he had last seen in Spring. The ditches and small canals had been all but destroyed by the constant shellfire, months of incessant rain had led to flooding and miles of deep mud. Nash was outrages at this desecration of nature, believing the landscape no longer capable of supporting life or recovering. This realisation led Nash into becoming angry and disillusioned with the war. Nash's anger, although painful, was a brilliant creative stimulus which led him to produce dozens of paintings a day, working with an angered frenzy that caused him to begin taking great risks to create his art which took him to the front line trenches. Nash's 'Landscape at Iden', painted sometime after the war finished in 1929, shows a surrealist farm yard setting. A huge pile of logs to one side represents the piles of dead soldiers from the war, while the snake coiling around the fence symbolises the rod intertwined with serpents that was held by Mercury as he accompanied the dead to the underworld in classical mythology. Many paintings show the graveyards that were created almost as monuments to the dead soldiers. They show the identical graves all in rows, stretching far and wide into the hundreds of thousands. These mass graves show the mathematical perspective of the carnage and body counts that the war bought. Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson's painfully ironically named 'Paths of Glory' shows an unflinching depiction of soldiers whose bodies have been left to rot in waste land. The title is taken from the 1750 poem by Thomas Gray, 'Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard', “...the paths of glory lead but to the grave”. This exhibition serves as a painful reminder to viewers that death didn't just happen on the front lines of war, but that it was taken home to the citizens and other that had witnessed the horrors of war and could not escape them. Such is the case with Wilhelm Lehmbruck who sculpted 'The Fallen Man' in 1915-16. The statue shows a man on all four, begging, pleading, distraught, devoid of anything but hopelessness. Lehmbruck could not recover from the horrors he had seen and experienced at war and ultimately he committed suicide. One thing each war artist had in common was the ability to show their revulsion of the war. Artists from all countries, some opposing, all showed the horrors as they truly were, there was no propaganda from any sides from any self respecting artists. Many artists also showed the dehumanising of soldiers, as they were all in the uniforms stood in rows waiting for death; each soldier just a number in the grand scheme of things, instead of a son; a father; a husband; a brother, just wanting to go home to the lives and their families. Conrad Felixmüller's 'Solidet in the Madhouse I & II' are representations of the psychological effects the war had on people. The use of sharp edges, distorted forms, and twisted, confined bodies represent the feelings anxiety and pain are a result of Felixmüller's time spent in a psychiatric hospital after he refused to join the German army after being drafted. He spent four weeks in the hospital and during this time he developed this distinctive fragmented style of art. Many people during this time took to religion, including artist Winifred Knights, whose 'The Deluge' shows citizens fleeing form a great flood in reference to the Old Testament flood. It shows people with sheer terror in their faces, as the flood is used as a metaphor for conflict and bombing. The painting exudes a dramatic sense of panic. Pablo Picasso also used religious references in his works after the war. 'Family by the Seaside' includes Christian imagery of the pietà, the dead Christ moourned over by the Virgin Mary. His painting shows a mother and child lamenting over a dead fathers body, displaying the melancholy that remained even after the war. Dorothy Brett's 1916 'War Widows' shows a group of women all dressed in black, surrounding a central woman who is pregnant. This painting is a result of the enormous death toll that affected the women of the war. Although not directly in the heart of the battles the women and children were deeply affected, suffering constant worries, pain and loss. This painting gives viewers the opportunity to reflect on the social bonds of bereaved women and how the war negatively impacted the next generation. Tucked away in corner of this exhibition is an area of colour and hope showing paintings of golden fields, and vibrant green countrysides that remain beautiful and untouched by war. These thriving areas, full of colour and bountiful life, offer a quite life away from the cities. Showing the hope and wonders to come after the war. They show the peace that so many longed for. The painted images of twisted, mangled bodies that lay in the blackened, hellish landscapes of senseless destruction do not do justice to what was experienced during the war. As viewers to these tremendous pieces of art we can not even begin to comprehend or imagine how life was during this time. These artists have given us these small, heartbreaking glimpses of life during the war, creating pieces of art that though horrifying and disturbing are beautiful in a twisted way.

[psychi-artist]

Serpentine Pavilion 2018 Private Preview and talk with designer/architect Frida Escobedo 

Every year since 2000 the Serpentine Gallery has commissioned temporary summer pavilion by a leading architect. The pavilions are the works of international architects who have not yet completed a building in England at the time of the commission. Mexican architect Frida Escobedo has completed this year’s Serpentine Pavilion and it is a stunning woven tapestry of concrete tiles that features water, light and geometry.

Escobedo’s design includes aspects of both Mexico and Britain, using British materials to create her take on Mexican architecture, she has also taken inspiration from the Prime Meridian line. The Pavilion is comprised of two rectangles that have been positioned t a particular angle. The outer walls are aligned with the Serpentine Gallery, while the Pavilion’s pivoted axis refers to the prime Meridian, located in Greenwich which is the global standard marker of time and geographical distance. Including aspects of both Britain and Mexico makes it so the structure belongs to no one in particular; the Pavilion belongs to everyone.

The curved underside of the pavilion’s canopy is created from dark mired tiles, while along one of the outer walls a shallow triangular pool of water traces the line of the canopy along the north axis of the Meridian. Escobedo chose to work with the Prime Meridian as she wanted to create something that would not only be site specific to Kensington Gardens, but to wherever it is moved to after the summer. The concrete tiles of the Pavilion walls are a hard material, and yet the structure still maintains a soft appeal to it, with care and attention woven into each raw, industrial segment of the structure. The reflective surfaces distort the reflections creating new and exciting images each time you visit; the pavilion will constantly change with each visit  from the visitors, the weather and your owns thoughts and experiences with the pavilion. The water can be seen as the ocean which is occupied by hundreds of tradespeople and good being transported back and forth across it, referring to the passage of time and travel. The pool is also aesthetically pleasing, creating a refreshing and calming atmosphere for viewers.

Due to the materials Escobedo used in the creation of the structure, the Pavilion will forever be changing - it will never be complete. Escobedo is inspired by ruins of old buildings, she has only completed the first half of the Pavilion, the rest is left to the weather, and the wear and tear of the people that visit it. The building is comprised of raw materials and will rust and start to chip away over time. Escobedo’s ambition of the pavilion becoming a “ruin” is completely contradictory of what an architect should aspire to create. This evolution of the Pavilion also relates to the uncontrollable theme of space and time.

Though simple materials have been used the design of the Pavilion is a complex geometric structure. The UK manufactured tiles have been strategically placed in a very specific pattern that from certain angles, when the light slips through, the walls appear transparent. Architecture is always transforming over time, however this structure transforms in a mere matter of seconds. Through the gaps in tiles viewers can catch a glimpse of the vibrant green trees of the Serpentine courtyard and Kensington Gardens, viewers then need to only move slightly and their view is hindered. The Pavilion has an opaque feel to it - you can and you can’t see through it, it is not either or.

The Pavilion itself is somewhat a distortion of space and time, it is never going to be the same thing twice. It could also be compared to a giant architectural Russian doll. Parks are a place inside a city, that take you out of the city. The Pavilion is a place inside the park (that is inside the city taking you out of the city) that takes you out of the park, while inside the park. The whole concept is incredibly complex, but no less should be expected of the gorgeous creations by Frida Esobedo.

Escobedo’s Pavilion is truly a stunning harmony of both British and Mexican influences, it will no doubt be a space for people of all cultures to reflect and enjoy, be it in London or wherever it ends up next.

[psychi-artist]

Tomma Abts

Serpentine Sackler Gallery 7th June - 9th September

Best known for her abstract oil paintings, German born Tomma Abt’s new exhibition at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery is her largest exhibition to date and consists of painting and casts produced over the last ten years. The works on display show how Abts  is able to find endless possibilities and experiments with her work even though it is typically confined to a 48cm x 38cm format.

The titles of Abts paintings are all derived from a German dictionary of first names, and her canvases are all 48cm x 38cm, Abt has said that this size and style is work best for her. Her works take on rich and somewhat neutral colour schemes, the colours being not obviously vibrant and work in harmony together within the works. A stunning detail that viewers will notice on close inspection is that ABts created a three dimensional effect by continually and meticulously layering each painting. She uses thick layers of paint which almost appear as though they are covering up something underneath the finished product, giving viewers the impression that the works were created through trial and error - something only Abts knows, keeping a small secret between her and the paintings as they are put on display for hundreds of people to marvel at.

Her paintings have a slightly old fashioned air about them, as though they're from an entirely different era, giving the exhibition an incredibly beautiful retro feel. The paintings are simple and pure, with a direct line to abstraction. Some of the paintings have been split in half or had their edges curved. Ants work is utterly stunning, with the clean lines and confidently applied paint. Some of the paintings that include optical illusions that playfully hypnotise and have fun with the eyes of viewers.

This entire exhibition is an absolute wonder; it is fresh and organic with a touch of nostalgia and vintage abstract charm. Viewers visiting this exhibition can relax entirely. None of Abts paintings are representational, there are no references to nature, the worlds, or any other theme; there are no hidden meanings to figure out, it is simply just exquisite colours and shapes.

[psychi-artist]

Amy Judd: Beautifully Obscure

Hicks Gallery 25th May - 16th June, 2018

As London bounces head first into Summer Amy Judd’s “Beautifully Obscure” at the Hicks Gallery is very much welcomed. the Hicks gallery itself a beautiful work of art, the floral theme on the canvases spreading into the gallery as flowers are situated everywhere, giving it a refreshing and light atmosphere that makes viewers feel incredibly welcome and relaxed. Also on display is a bookshelf containing items and told that are straight from Amy Judd’s studio that she uses to create or as inspiration for her works. Judd’s collection of artworks all feature female figures that tower over viewers on the monumental canvases on which they're painted. Each figure is obscured by tremendous, bold and vibrant blooms of flowers, either as some sort of headpiece or as flowing hair.

‘Fall and Flourish’ shows a woman, her face covered by voluptuous pink flowers, that continue to flow down her back and across the canvas. ‘Celestial Light Catcher’ shows another woman, her face also shielded, but this time by gigantic white wings that stretch around the woman’s face, wrapping themselves around her and engulfing her in their innocence. Although seemingly casual with the woman wearing a white tank top, the piece has an angelic and dreamy air about it.

‘Blue Jay Girl’ shows another young woman, her head engulfed in giant pink flowers, this time her head assemblage contains a blue jay, nestled amongst the flowers, it’s tail hanging loosely against the woman face. Similarly, ‘Blue Jay Stowaway’ shows another girl, maybe the same girl, her head also hidden by bouquet of flowers, only now the blue jay has worked his way further into the flowers, and appears half hidden peeping out from the middle, his magnificent bright blue feathers contrasting beautifully with the pastel pink flowers.

‘Butterfly Hymn’ replaces flowers for a mammoth sized butterfly. It’s wings spread wide, displaying it’s perfectly symmetrical heavenly white wings. The butterfly has replaced the face and head of the woman in the painting who is appearing nude as she embraces nature and her natural body. As well as a floral theme, nudity is also a huge theme in Judd’s paintings. ‘Wondering Warrior’, ‘Inflorescent Amazon’, ‘Elegant Petals’ and ‘Midnight Arrangement’ also contain nudity that is displayed in a sensual yet elegant manner. The pieces are incredibly pure and natural, embracing the wonderful form that is the female body.

‘Flora’s Cascade’ is possibly one of the most beautiful pieces on display. The beautifully slender model runs her hands through her hair; hair that has been replaced by huge white flowers that cascade down her back and spread across the canvas. The simplicity, pureness and naturalness of the piece will leave viewers stunned, desperate for more.

Viewers will find it incredibly apparent that every figure in Judd’s paintings has her face hidden. This gives viewers more ownership over each painting; Judd’s removal of the face allows viewers to create their own image, making each piece much more personal and unique to viewers as their own faces and images swirl through their heads as they admire each of Judd’s beautiful paintings.

[psychi-artist]

Work in Process

The Photographers Gallery 27th April - 9th June, 2018

‘Work in Process’ at the Photographers Gallery champions the work of five female contemporary artists who use alternative methods and processes in their photography. The show centres around women and their approach to photography, giving some viewers a much more intimate feeling to the exhibition. The exhibition explores new and recent works by Julie Cockburn, Jessa Fairbrother, Liz Nielsen, Alma Haser and Felicity Hammond.

Felicity Hammond’s ‘Surfacing’ (formations 1 & 3) take on a more sculptural form of photography. The three dimensional appearance of the photographs give the illusion of thick and relentlessly applied paint. The works jump out at viewers in luscious tones of purple, lilacs, and blue, creating a dreamy and pensive atmosphere.

‘Gust’ by Julie Cockburn shows a cool, breezy setting on top of a remote hill. The scene is captured in a black and white photograph with specks of colour drizzled across the sky in the form of rainbow polka dots that appear to be colourful streams of leaves blowing away from the tree. The rainbow dots add a splash of colour to the otherwise monotone work, that gives it an entirely new edge and depth.

The first series of works by Alma Haser on display ‘Pseudo’ shows a collection of three dimensional   plants. The works were created in various stages re re-photographing real plants, then assembling them and cutting away parts of each layer to reveal the multiple layers beneath. This creation of new deeper layers invites viewers to get up close and personal with Haser’s works, looking deep into the image, to see the beauty that hides below. The plants are all on fresh brightly coloured background of ivory, pastel pink and blue, green, and blazing orange.

‘Within 15 Minutes’ is the second and most recent series of works by Haser, with ‘Lee and Clinton’ and ‘Maria and Katerina’ on display. The pieces are made from 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles from portraits of identical twins’ which have been assembled and combined to make entirely new individuals that are no longer recognisable semblances of either twin.

Jessica Fairbrother’s series of works entitled ‘Armour Studies (Regarding Skin)’ is an ongoing collection with three pieces on display titled ‘Dragonfly’. The black and white photographs show a seated young woman, curled up with her back to the camera. Needle perforations are made in the silver gelatine prints, using the human body as a sight to perform. On the woman’s back the needlework has created complicated and intricate patterns resembling wings and scales. The aftermath of this technique is incredibly stunning with the woman appearing to be evolving and unveiling an entirely new and elegant creature.

The works featured by these artists display alternative processes to creating photographic works that celebrate the medium of photography. ‘Work in Process’ is an incredible opportunity to reflect on the works and movements from women in the world of photography.

[psychi-artist]

Jane Hammond, Natural Selection: Botanical Garden

Lyndsey Ingram Gallery 10th May - 15th June, 2018

This month London has been blooming with botanical and floral themed exhibitions in celebration of the Chelsea Flower Show, and Jane Hammond’s stunning new collection of works ‘Natural Selection: New Botanical Collages’ fits in perfectly.

‘Natural Selection: New Botanical Collages’ is American artist Jane Hammond’s first London solo show of botanical collages. She combines printmaking with painting, photography, found objects and digital elements that when combined create one of a kind large scale collages that explore the infinite complexity of the natural and man made worlds.

The exhibition is a stunning cocktail of grasses, seeds, insects and birds, sheet music and prints from Japan. Hammond’s work have a beautiful, vibrant rhythm to them and are full of life. Each collage contains a specific theme; the plants in ‘Elephant Vase with Basket Stinkhorn, Heartbreak Grass and Strychnine’ are all poisonous, ‘French Glass with Emerald Cuckoo, Malachite Sunbird and Carmine Bee-eater’ on a variety of birds, ‘Piety Vase with Royal Flycatcher, Angelica and Sphinx Moth Caterpillar Stage’ focuses on caterpillars, while ‘Japanese Vase with Borage, Moonwort and Monarchs’ focuses on the stages of the Monarch butterfly and its food supply.

Botany itself was considered a woman’s subject. Self taught women collected butterflies, ferns, grasses, shells and seaweed and would arrange their found specimens in albums. The practice was both a scientific and sensual delight. Victorian women would paint their finds in watercolours and make decorative arrangements from cut paper. The same natural images were also invading wallpapers, fabrics and printed china; the dresses women wore, the plates they ate off of and the rooms they lived in were all bejewelled with flowers. Soon flower arranging itself became a recognised form of art. Hammond’s own legacy with these feminine touches springs from time she spent as a child with her grandmother, a hugely ambitious gardener, who made Hammond learn the Latin names for around 100 plants when she was just six years old.  The titles of Hammond’s work are incredibly precise as to what each work features, however they still have a slight charm, keeping things perfectly clear and simple for viewers.

Hammond’s collages appear be carefree and spontaneous, however they demand remarkable care and attention with their application. In a collage the arrangement is everything. With a collage you are not as committed as you are with a drawing, where the line son the paper are final, with a collage you can pick and choose, constantly rearranging and moving stuff about, until finally it feels right.

In ‘Elephant Vase with Basket Stinkhorn, Heartbreak Grass and Strychnine’ all the plants featured are poisonous. In this energetic arrangement everything can bring harm, from the aptly named deadly nightshade, opium poppies and the stinking voodoo lily, to the pretty coloured leaves of Caladium which causes swelling in the throat. Mother Nature - as beautiful as er creations are, can also be a femme fatale.

‘Natural Selection: New Botanical Collages’ displays a collection of works that creates a harmonic chorus of all the delights of Spring and Summer with Hammond playing the role of Mother Nature as she alters the plant life to suit her creation. The Rafflesia Arnoldii, otherwise known as the ‘corpse lily’ for its unpleasant odour of decaying flesh, is noted for producing the largest individual flower on Earth, some reaching up to a metre wide, and yet Hammond has placed a shrunken Rafflesia Arnoldii in a French champagne bucket. Even in its dwarfed form the plant still looks slightly sinister sitting among the rest of the foliage, and it is details like this that alert viewers to the dedication and the intensive thought process that hammond goes through while arranging her collages, and incorporating these witty little details.

We take nature heavily for granted, especially when we see an abundance of plants and birds in paintings and photographs. The kingfishers used in Hammond’s collages are among hundreds of different varieties of kingfisher alone, thousands of glorious creatures. However, will all of this be around in the next fifty to one hundred years? Paintings have always created a sort of Eden for viewers and admirers of nature and art, and it is with urgency that these paintings and collages capture the beauty and evanescence of nature, holding the power to preserve it, containing its richness throughout time.

[psychi-artist]

Barbara Hoogeweegen

Don’t Judge, 2018

[psychi-artist]

Maria Torroba

(Left to right) Queen Claudia, 2018 Mixed media on canvas 120 x 100 cm

Queen Luisa, 2018 Mixed median canvas 120 x 100 cm

Mariana Carise, 2018 Mixed media on canvas 160 x 100 cm