MAC 17/08/11

Doug Jones Alieni Iuris (From somebody elses Authority) exhibition.

Entering through the double doors at the front of the exhibition, we were greeted by a group of 15-20 figures majestically standing in the centre of the room. Not heading anywhere or looking at anything, they reminded me some what of the Klu Klux Klan, the robes made from a miss match of fabric explore different themes such as camouflage print and some embroidered with messages. The air is stiff with tension and the erie silence adds to the atmosphere in the space, you are constantly on edge waiting for one of the models to move and the faceless nature of the figures adds to your curiosity, though not too much as fear very much prevents you from touching them. Into the dark room which was too odd for me, the figures crowded round a tiny bed, though the atmosphere continues and intensives in the dark surroundings with the lighting set up high, casting authoritative statues.

The let down for me was the other side of the exhibition loosing all atmosphere, a plethora of different elements, a table laid out with lots of commemorative plates on aprons, some interesting and controversial cross stitches, ten pin bowling pins with patters on, a set of mops and a video, was the space to small or too much squeezed in? was it the curator or the artist?

The exhibition is on 26th March till 22nd May.

Recommended for the robes and the MAC is well worth a visit on its own a fantastic facility just down the Pershore road and make a left by the cricket ground, with artist studios and tonnes going on for all age groups, space may be available here for my negotiated project in L6?

Image from MAC Birmingham- http://www.macarts.co.uk/event/doug-jones-alieni-iuris--from-somebody-elses-authority-

Ikea

On twitter and I found a tweet from Wolf Ollins about the 365 day Ikea campaign, such a brilliant idea, you can't get bored of an advert if you only see if for a day, and it just highlights all of Ikeas amazing products!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNFOLmpWdBg

I then found how Ikea had promoted there new store in Milano, they basically highjacked the tag application on facebook, allowing people to tag themselves in pictures on the store managers own page, if you were the first to tag yourself on an object in the photo you won it!! The campaign get lots of free press and basically took over for a wee while!! Have a look at the link below, such a simple and unique idea!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TYy_3786bo&NR=1

03/04/11

Posh Nosh

Cross Generations

Rock Hard Fruit Cake

A Walk in the Rain

Chit Chat

Pale Pastels

Salmon, Beef, Lemon Sole

A Grandpas Smile

A very family affair.

09/03/11

On a recent visit to London I went to the Whitechapel gallery, to see an exhibition by John Stezaker. Getting off the tube and Aldgate East, you are practically in the gallery already. The exhibition was in the main gallery through the giant glass doors, an interesting mix of colour and black and white photos collaged together in a whimsical and charming manner, the work was from a timescale spanning several decades though the outcomes were so modern at times the dates seemed some what unbelievable. The optical illusions seem to have happened so very randomly, the black and white images were more seamless than the coloured. My favourite pieces were the women with two sets of eyes, the small images of tiny people along the back wall and the train tracks. The pieces were beautifully spaced along clean white walls, at eye level, the natural recesses and different wall spaces allowed the work to be organised into sections of similar work which both flowed but also sectioned off work into loose groups. The work was framed in white plain frames, adding to the clean and minimalist feel of the exhibition. When looking at the section of work at the back of the gallery, music flowed in from an near by gallery space, a video piece by Giorgio Andreotta Calò, this added to the atmosphere in the gallery making conversation flow more freely in this end of the gallery, a mistake which took away from the formality and one that I quite enjoyed, and would maybe consider using in the future.

The exhibition is now closed, It ran from 29th January to 18th March 2011.

More information- http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/john-stezaker

Images from the above web address.

Tea and cake after so very needed but a tad too expensive on any budget, a very modern gallery with some interesting exhibitions coming up, very excited for the Fred Sandback Exhibition minimalist sculpture created using colourful threads, I wonder how close you will be able to get to the pieces? climbing inside would be interesting!! 25th May till 14th August, I hope I get there before America.