Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Antony Micallef: images from LA group show
EuroTrash group show - Showcasing Antony Micallef. Conor Harrington, JR and Vhils.
The show dates are June 9th - 27th, 2010
The LA Lazarides gallery. 320 North Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills , CA 90210.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
LOUIS VUITTON YOUNG ARTS PROJECT
The Louis Vuitton Young Arts project: A cultural collaboration for the future of London
Louis Vuitton is delighted to announce the launch of the Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project, an unprecedented partnership between Louis Vuitton and five of London’s leading art institutions: Hayward Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts, South London Gallery, Tate Britain and Whitechapel Gallery.
The Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project embodies the brand’s creative spirit and its long tradition of arts patronage, as well as its ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility and to London. Following the sponsorship of numerous exhibitions at major institutions, and the success of the Louis Vuitton Art Talks series at which artists interact closely with the invited audience, Louis Vuitton wanted to celebrate the opening of the New Bond Street Maison with a major new project that would extend opportunities to younger, often less privileged people to access the art world. Louis Vuitton’s discussions with the five partner institutions, as well as artists Chris Ofili and Charlie Dark, helped shape the project’s current form. The project initiated by Louis Vuitton, will be led and managed by the South London Gallery who will work hand-in-hand with the Louis Vuitton team, and the other four institutions.
This three year arts and education programme will give young Londoners from across the city unique access to the museum directors and curators, artists and collectors who shape the British contemporary art scene, which is widely acknowledged as one of the most dynamic and successful in the world. A number of these figures sit on the Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project’s Committee, which brings together high profile people including artists such as Tracey Emin, Gary Hume, Michael Landy, Keith Tyson and high profile art collectors. The committee members will be pivotal in providing opportunities for the young participants to gain unparalleled insights into the art world, from the point of view of those who have already achieved so much in their own careers. The Young Arts Project will add a vibrant cultural dimension to these young people’s lives, and allow the participants to gain the insight, skills and experience necessary to consider the possibility of pursuing a career in the arts.
The Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project will see five panels of young people, all from different areas of London, interacting as part of a peer-led youth forum for the enjoyment and further understanding of art. The five panels, one from each institution, comprise young people aged 13-25 recruited from local borough schools and community youth groups. The panels will collectively visit exhibitions at the five partner institutions, where they will be given exclusive tours and unprecedented access to the inner workings of the art world. The panels will also be invited to creative sessions and site visits, led by high profile art world insiders, which will include artists, collectors and museum directors. Through additional focused workshops the young people will help create a project website, complete with project title, to be launched in 2011. The website will be an evolving record of the project, providing an online community for debate, for showcasing work, for blogs and for reviews, and also enabling engagement with other art-interested young people who are not currently members of the Project.
A selected group of young people from each panel will be chosen by the individual institutions to attend an intensive, five-day annual Academy, the first of which takes place in August 2010 at the Royal Academy Schools and Louis Vuitton New Bond Street. The Academy will offer behind-the-scenes visits to galleries and conservation studios, and talks by curators and critics. At the end of each year, there will be an opportunity for all the panel members and their families to celebrate their achievements. While Louis Vuitton has committed to the project for a three year period, encompassing cultural activity before and during 2012, it hopes to continue the Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project into 2013 and beyond.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has endorsed the project: “What is particularly exciting is that Louis Vuitton wants to use its cachet and its cash to involve young people in the arts and is working together with such high profile cultural institutions. This chimes with so much of our work at City Hall to provide positive opportunities for young people and to promote culture in these difficult times. London needs businesses like this to think creatively about what they can give back”.
Of the project, Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO, Yves Carcelle, says: "We are proud that the Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project has been formally endorsed by the Office of the Mayor of London and The Arts Council of England. As the leader of the luxury industry we believe that we naturally have a responsibility to the world around us. Moreover, transmitting savoir-faire and creativity is one of our founding cornerstones. Preserving the past and preparing for a brighter future are fundamental values that have inspired us for more than 150 years. Supporting children and young peoples’ futures are one of our main actions worldwide. The Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project seeks to instil and nurture an exploration, enjoyment and passion for the arts among young people which they can take into adult life and perhaps follow as a career”.
www.louisvuittonyoungartsproject.com
Louis Vuitton is delighted to announce the launch of the Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project, an unprecedented partnership between Louis Vuitton and five of London’s leading art institutions: Hayward Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts, South London Gallery, Tate Britain and Whitechapel Gallery.
The Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project embodies the brand’s creative spirit and its long tradition of arts patronage, as well as its ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility and to London. Following the sponsorship of numerous exhibitions at major institutions, and the success of the Louis Vuitton Art Talks series at which artists interact closely with the invited audience, Louis Vuitton wanted to celebrate the opening of the New Bond Street Maison with a major new project that would extend opportunities to younger, often less privileged people to access the art world. Louis Vuitton’s discussions with the five partner institutions, as well as artists Chris Ofili and Charlie Dark, helped shape the project’s current form. The project initiated by Louis Vuitton, will be led and managed by the South London Gallery who will work hand-in-hand with the Louis Vuitton team, and the other four institutions.
This three year arts and education programme will give young Londoners from across the city unique access to the museum directors and curators, artists and collectors who shape the British contemporary art scene, which is widely acknowledged as one of the most dynamic and successful in the world. A number of these figures sit on the Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project’s Committee, which brings together high profile people including artists such as Tracey Emin, Gary Hume, Michael Landy, Keith Tyson and high profile art collectors. The committee members will be pivotal in providing opportunities for the young participants to gain unparalleled insights into the art world, from the point of view of those who have already achieved so much in their own careers. The Young Arts Project will add a vibrant cultural dimension to these young people’s lives, and allow the participants to gain the insight, skills and experience necessary to consider the possibility of pursuing a career in the arts.
The Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project will see five panels of young people, all from different areas of London, interacting as part of a peer-led youth forum for the enjoyment and further understanding of art. The five panels, one from each institution, comprise young people aged 13-25 recruited from local borough schools and community youth groups. The panels will collectively visit exhibitions at the five partner institutions, where they will be given exclusive tours and unprecedented access to the inner workings of the art world. The panels will also be invited to creative sessions and site visits, led by high profile art world insiders, which will include artists, collectors and museum directors. Through additional focused workshops the young people will help create a project website, complete with project title, to be launched in 2011. The website will be an evolving record of the project, providing an online community for debate, for showcasing work, for blogs and for reviews, and also enabling engagement with other art-interested young people who are not currently members of the Project.
A selected group of young people from each panel will be chosen by the individual institutions to attend an intensive, five-day annual Academy, the first of which takes place in August 2010 at the Royal Academy Schools and Louis Vuitton New Bond Street. The Academy will offer behind-the-scenes visits to galleries and conservation studios, and talks by curators and critics. At the end of each year, there will be an opportunity for all the panel members and their families to celebrate their achievements. While Louis Vuitton has committed to the project for a three year period, encompassing cultural activity before and during 2012, it hopes to continue the Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project into 2013 and beyond.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has endorsed the project: “What is particularly exciting is that Louis Vuitton wants to use its cachet and its cash to involve young people in the arts and is working together with such high profile cultural institutions. This chimes with so much of our work at City Hall to provide positive opportunities for young people and to promote culture in these difficult times. London needs businesses like this to think creatively about what they can give back”.
Of the project, Louis Vuitton Chairman and CEO, Yves Carcelle, says: "We are proud that the Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project has been formally endorsed by the Office of the Mayor of London and The Arts Council of England. As the leader of the luxury industry we believe that we naturally have a responsibility to the world around us. Moreover, transmitting savoir-faire and creativity is one of our founding cornerstones. Preserving the past and preparing for a brighter future are fundamental values that have inspired us for more than 150 years. Supporting children and young peoples’ futures are one of our main actions worldwide. The Louis Vuitton Young Arts Project seeks to instil and nurture an exploration, enjoyment and passion for the arts among young people which they can take into adult life and perhaps follow as a career”.
www.louisvuittonyoungartsproject.com
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Louise Bourgeois: From Venice to London
Hauser & Wirth is proud to announce the inauguration of its new space at 23 Savile Row with a solo exhibition by Louise Bourgeois.
The exhibition will feature over seventy fabric drawings made between 2002 and 2008, as well as four large-scale sculptures. Made from clothes and other domestic effects accrued over decades, Bourgeois’ fabric drawings are abstract yet acutely personal works, retaining allusions to the materials’ past incarnations.
Curated by Germano Celant, the exhibition will travel from the Fondazione Vedova, Venice (5 June – 12 September 2010) to Hauser & Wirth London.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a substantial catalogue published by Skira, which focuses on this major aspect of Bourgeois’ practice.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Antony Micallef for the British Heart Foundation
Antony Micallef will be releasing a new print to support the British Heart Foundation. The Mending Broken Hearts Appeal is one of the most important fundraising efforts ever undertaken by the British Heart Foundation. Its goal is simple; to raise £50 million to fund the cutting-edge cardiac-regenerative research that could literally ‘mend the broken hearts’ of millions.
Published by CCA Galleries, Printed at Coriander Studio.
Created especially to raise awareness and funds for the British Heart Foundation. All profits go to the BHF.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Triq id-Dejqa... jew ahna dojoq?
Can't help blogging about this yet again, seeing as some silly nitwit who was first protesting against the release of the film Da Vinci Code in Malta is now protesting against the random association of V words. Not that these narrow-minded people have any idea why V words were chosen mind you but they necessitate some petty issue or other in their life about which to nag and bitch... why don't we start objecting to and protesting about the real things that matter in life? Isn't God omnipresent anyway? Aren't there some fanatics who have crucifixes and little shrines in public conveniences anyways... but we have to object to a sticker bearing the name of the Virgin Mary. Why doesn't this Vince Marshall go protest about having to pay to enter a cathedral to go say a prayer? Let's stick to real life issues... pettiness is just for petty people.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Oh come on! The Strait Street Saga continues
"The organiser of a petition against the Strait Street toilet is claiming to have got 150 signatures, and is planning to present it to the authorities on May 1.
The newly-opened public toilet in Valletta has a glass wall inscribed with words that start with the letter “V” – and alongside the words vagina and viagra is the name Virgin Mary, which the objectors find offensive.
“We do not even agree that such words should be written in a public place, but our plea is for the name of the Virgin Mary to be removed from the glass panel as soon as possible. If they wanted words starting with V, they could have stuck to virgin and not specified Virgin Mary,” the petition says.
Another of the words on the panel is Vatican, which they also feel has no place alongside the “vulgar” words.
Those wishing to sign the petition should send their details and ID card number to xandarop@yahoo.com"
Published yesterday on di-ve.com; titled: Petition against Strait Street toilet
Please go have a look at the ridiculous comments below the article... which, by the way doesn't even include the name of the "organiser" of this petition. Even the info is wrong: The glass wall if anything, is INSIDE not outside... what one finds outside is a window pane. But can these people tell the difference, of course not. Have the petitioners even been to the public convenience because from what can be read here above it certainly seems as though they haven't. And FYI the words are not INSCRIBED they are affixed/attached... they're just stickers. No part of Norbert's installation is permanent. Some people need to get a life and accept a good thing when it happens.
The newly-opened public toilet in Valletta has a glass wall inscribed with words that start with the letter “V” – and alongside the words vagina and viagra is the name Virgin Mary, which the objectors find offensive.
“We do not even agree that such words should be written in a public place, but our plea is for the name of the Virgin Mary to be removed from the glass panel as soon as possible. If they wanted words starting with V, they could have stuck to virgin and not specified Virgin Mary,” the petition says.
Another of the words on the panel is Vatican, which they also feel has no place alongside the “vulgar” words.
Those wishing to sign the petition should send their details and ID card number to xandarop@yahoo.com"
Published yesterday on di-ve.com; titled: Petition against Strait Street toilet
Please go have a look at the ridiculous comments below the article... which, by the way doesn't even include the name of the "organiser" of this petition. Even the info is wrong: The glass wall if anything, is INSIDE not outside... what one finds outside is a window pane. But can these people tell the difference, of course not. Have the petitioners even been to the public convenience because from what can be read here above it certainly seems as though they haven't. And FYI the words are not INSCRIBED they are affixed/attached... they're just stickers. No part of Norbert's installation is permanent. Some people need to get a life and accept a good thing when it happens.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
A SERIOUSLY good opportunity
The Embassy of Malta in France would like to inform young Maltese designers of the fourth edition of the Talents de la Mode competition, organised by the Village des Créateurs.
This competition is open to fashion designers aged between 18 and 40, who speak either French or English, and who plan to either open their workshop in the course of 2010 or for those who have launched their label since January 2009.
The winning prize includes:
- A workshop set up at the Village des Créateurs in Lyon, France (23 months lease - rent of the first 12 months free of charge and the following 11 months at half price);
- During the first year the Village des Créateurs offers an economic development support for the development of the workshop of the winner and then finances up to 50% of the expenses during the following 11 months;
- A paid stand at the Prêt-à-Porter Paris fashion show;
- A cheque of 5000 Euro;
The winner is chosen by a panel of judges experts in the field, presided by Jérome L’Huillier.
Further details on this competition can be obtained on www.talentsdemode.com. Candidatures are to be submitted by no later than 17 May 2010 at 18.00 hours.
“Winning Talents de Mode has really enabled me to launch my brand. To benefit of a shop was the most important thing for me. My brand was already created before the contest but as I was living in the countryside, it was really difficult to have sufficient visibility in order to increase the sales. Of course, because of the marketing relay which the Village des Créateurs offers has always been and is still fundamental. Some programs on TF1, France 3 and M6 have been a nice surprise! Talents de Mode made a lot of advertising for me, I have acquired a good reputation in the fashion for dogs world and after the good press, came the orders: my designs are already sold in Lyon, Paris, Antibes, Cannes…”
Céline Boulud, equally placed winner of Talents de Mode 2009
http://www.talentsdemode.com
This competition is open to fashion designers aged between 18 and 40, who speak either French or English, and who plan to either open their workshop in the course of 2010 or for those who have launched their label since January 2009.
The winning prize includes:
- A workshop set up at the Village des Créateurs in Lyon, France (23 months lease - rent of the first 12 months free of charge and the following 11 months at half price);
- During the first year the Village des Créateurs offers an economic development support for the development of the workshop of the winner and then finances up to 50% of the expenses during the following 11 months;
- A paid stand at the Prêt-à-Porter Paris fashion show;
- A cheque of 5000 Euro;
The winner is chosen by a panel of judges experts in the field, presided by Jérome L’Huillier.
Further details on this competition can be obtained on www.talentsdemode.com. Candidatures are to be submitted by no later than 17 May 2010 at 18.00 hours.
“Winning Talents de Mode has really enabled me to launch my brand. To benefit of a shop was the most important thing for me. My brand was already created before the contest but as I was living in the countryside, it was really difficult to have sufficient visibility in order to increase the sales. Of course, because of the marketing relay which the Village des Créateurs offers has always been and is still fundamental. Some programs on TF1, France 3 and M6 have been a nice surprise! Talents de Mode made a lot of advertising for me, I have acquired a good reputation in the fashion for dogs world and after the good press, came the orders: my designs are already sold in Lyon, Paris, Antibes, Cannes…”
Céline Boulud, equally placed winner of Talents de Mode 2009
http://www.talentsdemode.com
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Austin&Patrick
I never cease to be amazed at Maltese artists' stamina... well some of them at least... so many of them are busy with projects... locally and abroad. Some of these projects/competitions are really quite prestigious and it baffles me how artists manage to fund themselves and pack so much into their personal calendar year. We most definitely need some form of mobility policy which facilitates for those representing the Maltese Islands.
Patrick Fenech and Austin Camilleri are currently showing their works in the Museum of Tunis - held at the Palais Khereddine till May 8. Tomorrow's art article will delve deeper...
Here's a little taste of their works on show:
Above: Encounter with a Siren - Patrick Fenech; Gabriel's Gift - Austin Camilleri.
Patrick Fenech and Austin Camilleri are currently showing their works in the Museum of Tunis - held at the Palais Khereddine till May 8. Tomorrow's art article will delve deeper...
Here's a little taste of their works on show:
Above: Encounter with a Siren - Patrick Fenech; Gabriel's Gift - Austin Camilleri.
Installations @ St James
The above are Raphael Vella's works made specifically for Harba the first festival of children's literature showing at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, Valletta till Sunday.
Monday, April 19, 2010
A must-see
Ħarba Festival of Children's Literature
April 21-25 St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, Valletta
Organised by Inizjamed and the St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity, with the support of the Malta Arts Fund, Merlin Library, Literature Across Frontiers and the EU Culture programme, the Direcção-Geral do Livro e das Bibliotecas, the Portuguese Ministério da Cultura, Institut Ramon Llull, the British Council, the National Book Council of Malta, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) and the Malta Foundation for Educational Services.
Participating artists and illustrators: Katya Borg (and the students from MCAST), Nicole Diacono, Pierre Portelli, Mark Scicluna, Darren Tanti, Raphael Vella.
www.inizjamed.org
Friday, April 16, 2010
Seen on the streets of Malta (for just a few hours)
These images were spotted (NOT by me unfortunately) between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. They were quickly painted over. I am told that the artist is not the same as the one who created Pedo-bear.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Once you pop you can't stop
Pop art. Or rather... pop the art. Because that is what everyone was doing last Friday at Karl Consiglio's Leisure Centre - popping art.
For those who haven't the foggiest what I'm on about, this Leisure Centre is not some new gym, fitness or newly-inaugurated children's “play” area. Rather, it is the title of a visual art installation by Karl Consiglio at Artitude Gallery in Sliema.
In a nutshell, this installation constitutes the enveloping or shrouding of a large part of the gallery's interior in a layer of bubble wrap. This malleable transparent plastic material was laid on the floor like a carpet and on the counter to mimic a table-cloth; it was wrapped around exhibition panels in a parcel-like fashion and imparted a general sense of privacy to the corner gallery by acting as a veil or curtain, somewhat shielding the world from the goings on within.
Despite this, I expected more. Knowing Mr Consiglio to be the kind of uninhibited, pushing-all-boundaries, experiment and unconvention-embracing artist that he is, I had pictured myself having to burrow my way through the gallery's interior. This was one case in point however, where Mr Consiglio felt that less is more, where he decided to opt for a more subtle approach.
But selfish me wanted absolutely everything to be bubble wrapped. I wanted to hear popping sounds whenever I inhaled or exhaled. And really, multiple layers of bubble wrap could have easily been added onto everything - especially the floor, which I felt needed to be taped down properly.
Gauging by the three rolls of “extra” bubble wrap acting as tables during opening night, there was plenty more material which could have been utilised. Happily, the “rolls” didn't remain upright very long, and became haystack-looking bouncy seats, much to the enjoyment of yours truly.
The extra stretches of material could have also been made available for patrons to cut lengths and affix their “patch” onto the artist's layer of bubble wrap. In fact, Pierre Portelli's 1999 work titled Ism, worked in a similar fashion although the goal of this work was alteration through the public's direct interaction and manipulation. Had Mr Consiglio utilised such a “scheme” it could have only intensified the overall sense of interactivity.
This said, all those present at the opening had a go at popping one, two or hundreds of bubbles, addictive personalities were most welcome and felt most at home. Some lunged into the boards, some did nifty dance moves, some used their nails and others furtively popped away when they thought no one was looking.
With this installation, Mr Consiglio proves that he is clearly not interested in the commercial side of art; actually I think this aspect is the farthest from his mind. He is out to represent the playfulness of art. Although, I am pretty sure that many would contest the classification of this show under the broad heading of art. But that is an entirely different debate, and one which is best left out of this discourse.
Wrapping “stuff” up is no novelty or oddity. In fact, the Bulgarian/Moroccan duo Christo and the late Jeanne-Claude dedicated their life and art to performing such grandiose interventions as was the empaquetages of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago (1968-69) or the Reichstag in Berlin (1971-95) for instance. Closer afield, Austin Camilleri exhibited a cellophane-wrapped baby titled Hello, as well as life-size religious statues at the beginning of the Noughties.
However, the wrapping of objects for art-sake was introduced much earlier than the late 1950s or early 1960s (the time when Christo and Jeanne-Claude hit the “scene”), with Dadaist/Surrealist artist Man Ray and his readymade/assemblage work titled Enigma Of Isidore Ducasse dating to 1920, in which he wrapped a sewing machine in cloth and cord.
Mr Consiglio's intervention is quite different nonetheless, in that the choice of material is a chiefly transparent veneer, which merely disguises slight imperfections at best rather than completely concealing an item from view. Bubble wrap is a safety cushion, it blurs, perhaps also giving a false impression of that which it is somewhat distorting. This premise is one which was already “under investigation” by Mr Consiglio back in his 2008 A Most Sensational Exhibition when he exhibited a series of blurred photographic works resembling abstracted paintings.
So it may seem that Mr Consiglio is taking this notion to a new level. However, he is not pushing it as far as he could have - and by that I mean far enough for this project to resonate, or create a ripple effect. And this is a real pity, because as a concept, his Leisure Centre is pure fun, which is, and has been immediately accessible, by all visitors young and old. In fact, the project, funded by the Malta Arts Fund in collaboration with the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, was also devised to be able to attract and target young audiences, including school children and allow them to experience alternate art forms first hand.
I do wonder whether this intervention is the first in a sequence.
The joys and possible uses of bubble wrap are indeed many, and a website (www.bubblewrapfun.com) dedicated solely to this stress reliever claims there are some 1001 options. I didn't go through the entire list, but Mr Consiglio has definitely demonstrated that “art” should make the cut.
Published in The Times of Malta, 15/4/2010, p 25. All photos by Chris Sant Fournier.
For those who haven't the foggiest what I'm on about, this Leisure Centre is not some new gym, fitness or newly-inaugurated children's “play” area. Rather, it is the title of a visual art installation by Karl Consiglio at Artitude Gallery in Sliema.
In a nutshell, this installation constitutes the enveloping or shrouding of a large part of the gallery's interior in a layer of bubble wrap. This malleable transparent plastic material was laid on the floor like a carpet and on the counter to mimic a table-cloth; it was wrapped around exhibition panels in a parcel-like fashion and imparted a general sense of privacy to the corner gallery by acting as a veil or curtain, somewhat shielding the world from the goings on within.
Despite this, I expected more. Knowing Mr Consiglio to be the kind of uninhibited, pushing-all-boundaries, experiment and unconvention-embracing artist that he is, I had pictured myself having to burrow my way through the gallery's interior. This was one case in point however, where Mr Consiglio felt that less is more, where he decided to opt for a more subtle approach.
But selfish me wanted absolutely everything to be bubble wrapped. I wanted to hear popping sounds whenever I inhaled or exhaled. And really, multiple layers of bubble wrap could have easily been added onto everything - especially the floor, which I felt needed to be taped down properly.
Gauging by the three rolls of “extra” bubble wrap acting as tables during opening night, there was plenty more material which could have been utilised. Happily, the “rolls” didn't remain upright very long, and became haystack-looking bouncy seats, much to the enjoyment of yours truly.
The extra stretches of material could have also been made available for patrons to cut lengths and affix their “patch” onto the artist's layer of bubble wrap. In fact, Pierre Portelli's 1999 work titled Ism, worked in a similar fashion although the goal of this work was alteration through the public's direct interaction and manipulation. Had Mr Consiglio utilised such a “scheme” it could have only intensified the overall sense of interactivity.
This said, all those present at the opening had a go at popping one, two or hundreds of bubbles, addictive personalities were most welcome and felt most at home. Some lunged into the boards, some did nifty dance moves, some used their nails and others furtively popped away when they thought no one was looking.
With this installation, Mr Consiglio proves that he is clearly not interested in the commercial side of art; actually I think this aspect is the farthest from his mind. He is out to represent the playfulness of art. Although, I am pretty sure that many would contest the classification of this show under the broad heading of art. But that is an entirely different debate, and one which is best left out of this discourse.
Wrapping “stuff” up is no novelty or oddity. In fact, the Bulgarian/Moroccan duo Christo and the late Jeanne-Claude dedicated their life and art to performing such grandiose interventions as was the empaquetages of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago (1968-69) or the Reichstag in Berlin (1971-95) for instance. Closer afield, Austin Camilleri exhibited a cellophane-wrapped baby titled Hello, as well as life-size religious statues at the beginning of the Noughties.
However, the wrapping of objects for art-sake was introduced much earlier than the late 1950s or early 1960s (the time when Christo and Jeanne-Claude hit the “scene”), with Dadaist/Surrealist artist Man Ray and his readymade/assemblage work titled Enigma Of Isidore Ducasse dating to 1920, in which he wrapped a sewing machine in cloth and cord.
Mr Consiglio's intervention is quite different nonetheless, in that the choice of material is a chiefly transparent veneer, which merely disguises slight imperfections at best rather than completely concealing an item from view. Bubble wrap is a safety cushion, it blurs, perhaps also giving a false impression of that which it is somewhat distorting. This premise is one which was already “under investigation” by Mr Consiglio back in his 2008 A Most Sensational Exhibition when he exhibited a series of blurred photographic works resembling abstracted paintings.
So it may seem that Mr Consiglio is taking this notion to a new level. However, he is not pushing it as far as he could have - and by that I mean far enough for this project to resonate, or create a ripple effect. And this is a real pity, because as a concept, his Leisure Centre is pure fun, which is, and has been immediately accessible, by all visitors young and old. In fact, the project, funded by the Malta Arts Fund in collaboration with the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, was also devised to be able to attract and target young audiences, including school children and allow them to experience alternate art forms first hand.
I do wonder whether this intervention is the first in a sequence.
The joys and possible uses of bubble wrap are indeed many, and a website (www.bubblewrapfun.com) dedicated solely to this stress reliever claims there are some 1001 options. I didn't go through the entire list, but Mr Consiglio has definitely demonstrated that “art” should make the cut.
Published in The Times of Malta, 15/4/2010, p 25. All photos by Chris Sant Fournier.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
V is for Vagina
V. currently on show at Strait Street Public Convenience, Valletta.
Design and renovation by Chris Briffa Architects in collaboration with S&S Bathrooms Ltd; audio visual installation by Norbert Attard; audio-play by Narcy Calamatta; sound effects by Mario Sammut. An initiative of the Valletta Local Council.
A review of the launch, initiative and audio-visual installation will be published in this Sunday's Times.
Lisa in love
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Marc England: Manikata Church, currently on show in Mostly Churches, St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity till May 9
www.marcengland.com
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Kay. I've practically forgotten that I created a blog a few months back... and now 5 months have gone by... I'm not very good at keeping stuff updated regularly, though I wish I were.
Any who.
I can'r recuperate the time I've lost, so I'll just pretend like nothing ever happened.
I'll focus on the present. So in my present I am still writing an art column, however, the last piece I write, about Ruth Bianco's show underway at La Boutique Soho in Brussels, titled Dirty Paintings And Other Works... did not go down too well. Actually the article was fine, the images however, of Ruth's work seem to have been too much for readers... which is a right pity.
So, I'm just gonna post a few here... because they are just gorgeous, and would have looked so much better with my "Sex sells. Fact." intro.
So here goes:
http://ruthbianco.com/
Any who.
I can'r recuperate the time I've lost, so I'll just pretend like nothing ever happened.
I'll focus on the present. So in my present I am still writing an art column, however, the last piece I write, about Ruth Bianco's show underway at La Boutique Soho in Brussels, titled Dirty Paintings And Other Works... did not go down too well. Actually the article was fine, the images however, of Ruth's work seem to have been too much for readers... which is a right pity.
So, I'm just gonna post a few here... because they are just gorgeous, and would have looked so much better with my "Sex sells. Fact." intro.
So here goes:
http://ruthbianco.com/
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