This week on the digest you will mostly see pictures and videos from the “New Chinese Art” exhibition that was held for three days only at the Saatchi Gallery, but also images from my other gallery visits as I tried to go see a different show everyday.
People often asks me if I only go see what I like, and the answer is no. I like to be surprised, I rarely check what’s on before stopping at a gallery and I don’t like the idea to over prepare a visit. I have a very spontaneous approach to art.I make an effort to not judge to fast, to take the time to appreciate (or not) the aesthetic or to interpret the concept behind (if there is one). I particularly love modern and contemporary art because I like to be stimulated both visually and intellectually, when I enter a gallery that is exactly what I’m looking for. Art is always somehow the reflection of a society or a particular place at a given time, that is why for me it’s more than just a gallery hopping I’m traveling during theses visits, and I hope than through my daily art sharing I make you travel too.
Let’s start seriously now. On Tuesday I visited the Marian Goodman Gallery for the first time, more than just being a role model for any lady working in the art world, the 80 something art dealer is on fleek. The art space is breathtaking, and the two very different exhibitions currently showing were interesting and well curated. On the ground floor you have the architectural sculptures of the Basque artist Cristina Iglesias. Cast in aluminium her three bas-relief “fountains” are very organic (branches, leaves, rocks, and caves) and choreographed giving to the art space a sense of movement and somehow a sense of relaxation (the noise of the water maybe). On the first floor you have the hybrid photographs of the brilliant Jeff Walls, the gallery is presenting his most recent body of work.
After Marian Godman Gallery I stopped by Almine Rech Gallery, I was surprised to discover such a small space being used to their massive Brussels’s gallery. On a viewer perspective I think that De Wain Valentine‘s smoky glossy sculptures would have been easier to fully appreciate in a bigger space. During my visit a student group was there and it really felt overcrowded and difficult to enjoy the playful sculptures. But all in all it completely worth a visit. Open until November 14.
On Wednesday I discover l’étrangère Gallery which is located just in front of Carl Freedman Gallery. They are currently showing a London based artist David Ben White, I was not particularly sensitive to his work, it felt unfinished like something in his process was missing. He is clearly influenced by modernist architecture and designs, and we can tell that he played with the gallery space in an attempt to reorganise it for the viewer but it did not work for me. I quiet enjoyed his series of portraits though, but once again undeveloped.
Before the weekend I went to the National Gallery, I just like to pop up there for short visits and have a tea with a mate. It’s so big that I would be overwhelmed if I was spending more than an hour in it. On Sunday I went to see “The New Chinese Art” at Saatchi Gallery (museum will be more appropriate) to finish the week on an arty note. As my interest for Eastern contemporary art is growing, I was excited by this exhibition organised by the Tianrenheyi Art Center (an independent contemporary art center engaged in exhibition, exchange, research, publication, education and promotion) even though it was for three days (which is a shame honestly). Three Chinese artists were featured : Jin Feng, Shen Qibin and Guan Ce. Their art production is so diverse that it gives you a good feel of the technics they use and of the themes that they addressed. I was particularly impressed by Shen Qibin work, his piece “Two Love Stories” made on carved African Sapele Board was imposing and intense. I like narration in an art work, I like when an artist is telling me a story and it is exactly what Qibin did.
https://instagram.com/p/91HwiByShH/?taken-by=the_bubblist
To follow my daily art visits don’t forget to join me on Instagram at @the_bubblist and on Snapchat at @thebubblistarty. Have all a beautiful week.
Cover picture courtesy of Almine Rech Gallery.
The Bubblist 