Within the gallery space of my blog, I wanted to present lesser known living artists. Artists that are successful, but not known to a mainstream audience. I didn’t want to write about Brancussi, James Turrell or Richard Wilson etc. ( who I adore ) because too much has already been written about them, and indeed myself has written quite a lot about them. So I have taken the task of choosing lesser known contemporary artists that have a language whose voice is unique to themselves.
‘ I think, therefore I am’ Descartes
‘ I am where I think not ‘ Lacan
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Susan Collis
Don’t get your hopes up
1 – 31 March 2007
SEVENTEEN
Collis sits her work meticulously to be over looked, to be dismissed as being something that has happened or as something that is in the process of about to happen.
Susan Collis’s work is dealing with issues about the ephemeral, traces, ghosts, left overs, and preconceptions of what is of high or low value.
The very process of the work is the work, there exists a wonderful poetry within the existing work as process and the making which is high craft.
What appears as paint drips across the gallery floor, miscellaneous paint drips of various different shapes and sizes dripping with ease from the entrance of the gallery into, or does it trail from within the gallery to exit ? Has the paint been spilt from the preparations, of the oncoming show ? Upon close inspection the paint is revealed to be perfectly cut mother of pearl, inlayed within the wooden floor of the gallery.
A very convincing trope-l`oeil and a nice play about meaning and process.
1 – 31 March 2007
SEVENTEEN
Collis sits her work meticulously to be over looked, to be dismissed as being something that has happened or as something that is in the process of about to happen.
Susan Collis’s work is dealing with issues about the ephemeral, traces, ghosts, left overs, and preconceptions of what is of high or low value.
The very process of the work is the work, there exists a wonderful poetry within the existing work as process and the making which is high craft.
What appears as paint drips across the gallery floor, miscellaneous paint drips of various different shapes and sizes dripping with ease from the entrance of the gallery into, or does it trail from within the gallery to exit ? Has the paint been spilt from the preparations, of the oncoming show ? Upon close inspection the paint is revealed to be perfectly cut mother of pearl, inlayed within the wooden floor of the gallery.
A very convincing trope-l`oeil and a nice play about meaning and process.
Rezi van Lankveld
The approach
The oil and gloss paint of her pictures, is mixed with drying agents to slow the process of the drying down, so the paint can be manipulated while going through its coarse of drying. The first impressions upon seeing her paintings is that you are looking at totally abstract expressionist painting which nods towards the New York School.
While looking at the surface of the picture a feeling of the baroque appears and caught within that gaze the deliberate suggestion of figures emerge.
The oil and gloss paint of her pictures, is mixed with drying agents to slow the process of the drying down, so the paint can be manipulated while going through its coarse of drying. The first impressions upon seeing her paintings is that you are looking at totally abstract expressionist painting which nods towards the New York School.
While looking at the surface of the picture a feeling of the baroque appears and caught within that gaze the deliberate suggestion of figures emerge.
Peter Dreher
The approach
25.01 – 25.02.2007
A room reflected within a simple drinking glass appeals to me because of my mirrorglass studies. When I first heard about him I thought he must be a joke –
Painting the same common glass, in the same position, same place painting a new
picture every day. On seeing the show, I was immediately stunned by how the time of day – the time of year – even the weather was reflected within each painting. The style and attack of the brush mark varied also making me realise he not yet exhausted the study which he has been working on for over thirty years producing more than seven thousand, eight by six inch canvases. From my initial feelings upon hearing about the show and in just thinking it was only an obsessive joke, I was pleased to discover such a rich study of delight and visited it about six times.
25.01 – 25.02.2007
A room reflected within a simple drinking glass appeals to me because of my mirrorglass studies. When I first heard about him I thought he must be a joke –
Painting the same common glass, in the same position, same place painting a new
picture every day. On seeing the show, I was immediately stunned by how the time of day – the time of year – even the weather was reflected within each painting. The style and attack of the brush mark varied also making me realise he not yet exhausted the study which he has been working on for over thirty years producing more than seven thousand, eight by six inch canvases. From my initial feelings upon hearing about the show and in just thinking it was only an obsessive joke, I was pleased to discover such a rich study of delight and visited it about six times.
Gary Webb
The approach
The mirror wall piece ( Approach Split ) I enjoyed but have issues with, because it so easily lends itself into behaving as mearly being decrative. I preferred the plain coloured mirror piece to the coloured piece which I think overplayed its intention. This problem re-occurs throughout many of his pieces. I do love his idea of having somewhat object based sculpture, which is blending and contrasting many diverse materials, creating many great effects. I love that he will add sounds within the crome and faux fur etc. But for myself, he seems to take it that bit too far, when if he had just held back, I believe he would have had a better piece. Even so with my reservations I still find his work very exciting even with what I consider to be its flaws.
The mirror wall piece ( Approach Split ) I enjoyed but have issues with, because it so easily lends itself into behaving as mearly being decrative. I preferred the plain coloured mirror piece to the coloured piece which I think overplayed its intention. This problem re-occurs throughout many of his pieces. I do love his idea of having somewhat object based sculpture, which is blending and contrasting many diverse materials, creating many great effects. I love that he will add sounds within the crome and faux fur etc. But for myself, he seems to take it that bit too far, when if he had just held back, I believe he would have had a better piece. Even so with my reservations I still find his work very exciting even with what I consider to be its flaws.
Adam Fuss
Timothy Taylor Gallery
The Adam fuss show probably effected me more than many a show in the last couple of years. It made me think about materials and photography.
Mercury droped on silver plate, snakes withering through pigment on photographic paper, the results were wonderful, and made me think about process.
The Adam fuss show probably effected me more than many a show in the last couple of years. It made me think about materials and photography.
Mercury droped on silver plate, snakes withering through pigment on photographic paper, the results were wonderful, and made me think about process.
Melanie Manchot
‘Security’
Fred
Security
In security
Insecurity
In fairness to the men who took parting the project, I believe they did so as a quick dare. Its daylight and you can hear traffic etc. in the background. They were possibly coerced into this as a dare which would explain their anxiety which makes uncomfortable viewing. I think its interesting that a female has made this piece of work. Its very revealing about sexual politics and is also revealing about the men who took part and their insecurities. It is difficult viewing because of the men’s ackwardness, Here you have big hunky guys striping towards shyness, and we’re not comfortable with someone exposing themselves becoming vulnerable and uncomfortable with it. Its done in a sort of mean voyeuristic way. It is about the desire of the gaze towards genitals. These huge guys, these muscular built alpha males revealing their insignificant tackle. You can’t help but be let down, which is so unfair of us. These guys are very much about their bodies – they hire themselves out as security guards as protectors. They are very much about the power that their bodies exude, and we respect and admire them on this level. But to have their masculinity undermined by their visible insecurity is hard for us to take. And then again when several of the men wouldn’t expose themselves, you felt that they were even greater wimps, so all in all it’s a no win situation for these guys. Now that I’m away from the show, I think it was tackling a big uncharted subject and is probably doing work asking questions that men should be doing within themselves. Identity and body issues are not only the preserve of women.
Fred
Security
In security
Insecurity
In fairness to the men who took parting the project, I believe they did so as a quick dare. Its daylight and you can hear traffic etc. in the background. They were possibly coerced into this as a dare which would explain their anxiety which makes uncomfortable viewing. I think its interesting that a female has made this piece of work. Its very revealing about sexual politics and is also revealing about the men who took part and their insecurities. It is difficult viewing because of the men’s ackwardness, Here you have big hunky guys striping towards shyness, and we’re not comfortable with someone exposing themselves becoming vulnerable and uncomfortable with it. Its done in a sort of mean voyeuristic way. It is about the desire of the gaze towards genitals. These huge guys, these muscular built alpha males revealing their insignificant tackle. You can’t help but be let down, which is so unfair of us. These guys are very much about their bodies – they hire themselves out as security guards as protectors. They are very much about the power that their bodies exude, and we respect and admire them on this level. But to have their masculinity undermined by their visible insecurity is hard for us to take. And then again when several of the men wouldn’t expose themselves, you felt that they were even greater wimps, so all in all it’s a no win situation for these guys. Now that I’m away from the show, I think it was tackling a big uncharted subject and is probably doing work asking questions that men should be doing within themselves. Identity and body issues are not only the preserve of women.
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