Art and Design

ART IN THE PARK 31st July-1st Aug 2010

Reviewed by Jenny Rowsome.     

Photo by Emma Robinson, etsr photography.

Clissold Park was awash with all things arty last weekend...  If you were lucky enough to have wondered across the park on Saturday you would have seen 180 little life-sized dog sculptures as part of ‘Dog’, a public art instillation by Akane Takayama. Arranged into friendly groups, aggressive packs and startlingly straight lines, each dog had its own ‘message of hope’ – all written by children in Hackney - tucked into its collar; a heart warming touch to an unusual artwork 

‘Dog’ brings art to people, shying away from restrictions often imposed by galleries. With its deliberate simplicity of design Akane pushes its accessibility further, making it possible for anyone anywhere to make their own sculpture - there is even a DIY youtube video...

The interaction that occurs between the public, the dogs and the environment is what interests Akane: the instillation continuously changes according to who is in it and how they respond, making it a truly interactive experience.

The icing on the cake? At the end of the day you can take a dog home with you. And once you have claimed ownership of your dog it’s truly yours! But whether you frame it or bin it, Akane wants to know the outcome. Participants are invited to send in a photo of their dog in its new environment to be added onto the growing ‘Dog’ blog, thus becoming part of the art itself.

Art and Seek hit the park and the cemetary on Sunday. Organised by local sustainable arts organisation Pangola’s Ark and funded by Wholefoods,  it promised 'artists working in open air studios and enviromental and creative workshops'.  With clues to find the artists . Maps detailing events and routes were available to all those early birds lucky enough to get one.

I found artists selling badges and recycled insect models.  however it would have been nice to see the artists actually at work as advertised , and to find a lot more art. Perhaps there were artists hiding just around the corner, but unaware and uninspired I found myself wandering away before the end.  A lovely idea that got people to the park and me into the cemetary. But could have been executed better... and hopefully  next year will.

The two events complimented each other nicely, providing something free, fun and different... a weekend in the park with a splendid twist!

For more information on what Pangola’s Ark do, see www.pangolins-ark.co.uk.
For more info on ‘Dog’ see www.dogsculpture2010.blogspot.com.

SIREN CITY: PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHNNIE SHAND KYDD 1/07/10 – 12/09/10

The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art

Reviewed by Clara Cowan

Johnnie Shand Kydd, most famous for his documentary portraits of the YBA crowd on raucous celebrity nights out, is currently exhibiting fifty photographs of Naples at the Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art - a peaceful and intimate museum in Islington’s Canonbury Square .

Shot in black and white to convey the timelessness that he believes pervades Naples, his photographs are accompanied by personal and engaging captions.   These provide further insight into his interpretation of the Neapolitan psyche.

Displayed in two galleries, and hung by Shand Kydd himself, the images subtly explore the continuity and influence of the city’s past in its contemporary life.  Its obsession with superstition and ritual – as well as the co-existence of a life-affirming spirit fuelled by an awareness of death in a city renowned for its dangerous criminal elements or possible   volcanic eruptions.

There are unique examples,  a very private ancient ritual of a transsexual feigning giving birth; to capturing a surreal, theatrical scene of a priest staring at the sulphurous fumes steaming from an active volcano.

But it is not all gloom – Shand Kydd also captures a light-hearted, dynamic Naples, such as  a fearless Neapolitan child on a wildly high swing, in the style of pioneering street photographers from the nineteen thirties.

His images demonstrate his ability to be a great street photographer,  capturing the underbelly of Naples and its uniqueness, whilst utilising his experiences of the funkier and eccentric London scene. His fascination with history, mythology, literature on the region and Neo-realist Italian cinema,  mean he manages to spot the deeper symbolic meanings in all his scenes of Naples. Although it appears to be  from a personal perspective, his observations ring true to many Neapolitans and Italians who have come to view the show.

See it at The Estorick Gallery 9th July - 12th September.  There's also a lovely Italien cafe at the gallery where you can relax with a cup of tea afterwards.

PLANET PATROL

The Gallery, Stoke Newington Library 9-18/7/10

Reviewed by Madeleine Dunnigan

This Pop-up exhibition opened in Stoke Newington on 9/07/2010 with artists from as close to home as England through to Greece, Canada and China, offering a range of global works and a variety of interesting cultural inflections. There is a strong echo in the exhibition of Planent Patrol’s original focus, street art, most noticeably in Matt Stuart’s photography of everyday, bizarre but brilliant coincidences on the street.

Now the group displays other forms of art as well, with Japanese artist Sal’s three large and vibrant abstract canvases dominating the back of the room. Animator Sonia Pang’s delicate drawings of a young boy and humming bird recall her yearly visits to China giving the pieces an evocative resonance.

PlanetPatrol established itself in 2007, initially running art club nights before progressing on to showcasing Pop-up exhibitions: short, spontaneous and concise shows. Their summer show is no exception to this, with all the works in one room, providing an easily accessible introductory show.

There was little information on  the artists or their art,  which would have enabled visitors more insight in the work.  However the artists were very friendly and filled me in the gaps, emphasising the exhibition's impulsive style.  Works most heavily influenced by street art,  for example UK artist Eelus's screen prints of Shorditch's iconic club Cargo, appealed to me most, given my NorthEast London perspective. The familiarity of the prints helped me to identify with the pieces. (see picture above)

The very nature of the Pop-up exhibition restricts its duration so I highly recommend visiting this unique show, typical of Stoke Newington's quirky style .

All the work can be found on PlanetPatrol’s website:www.planetpatrol.co.uk

THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY OPEN STUDIOS 25-27 /6/10

Picture by Alexandra Blum, '6.2.10, 15th Floor, B Block, Dalston Square'.  Charcoal on paper, 59 x 82 cm.
www.alexblum.co.uk

Reviewed by Charlie Clarke

The weekend of the 25th/26th of June was a weekend dominated by the annual disappointments of sport’s cruel theatre. Tucked away in the back streets of Stoke Newington was a ready made alternative for all those wishing either to avoid the World Cup or for those wishing to drown their sorrows in the therapy of art.

The Chocolate Factory, is situated in a peaceful mews, a few minutes walk from Stokey High Street.For the last fifteen years it has been the studio space of a number of up and coming artists; from potters to sculptures as well as printers, painters and photographers. It was their annual open studio; a showcase of the current artists recent work.

A highlight of the weekend was Japanese potter Akiko Hirai. Relatively well known within the world of ceramics, her muted colours and simple shaped cups and teapots can be spotted in recent editions of Elle Decoration. Her sweet nature also allowed for a pleasant and unobtrusive explanation of her craft.

Another interesting find was the collection exhibited by Alexandra Blum, artist in resident at the regeneration project in Dalston Square and Junction. Comissioned to detail the projects progression, her ‘ragged’ architectural drawings are an incredible parallel to the real effect the building work has had on local people.

I found David O’Neill’s studio very interesting. Taking his own mixed medium sculptures as motifs for his Hockey influenced oil paintings, his studio itself presents as a piece of art. O’Neill happily guided me through his many environmentally motivated procedures that all stem from a desire to prevent waste. Old paint and paintbrushes are treasured and re-deployed as catalogues of his artistic endeavours and so the threshold between art-tool and art-object begins to blur…

The beautiful weather allowed the event the light it deserved. As Stoke Newington provides more and more exhibition space for the visual arts this event could become a centrepiece in the calendar.

To see other artists work please go to: http://www.chocolatefactoryn16.com/

STANDING ON THE FRONTIER at Madame Lillies

If you have the urge for art but can’t be bothered to leave Stokey, then wander down to Madame Lillies in Cazenove Road this weekend and soak it up. Its Free….

The current exhibition, Standing on the Frontier is a showpiece collaboration from thirteen young artists. Considering the limited space, the presentation of so many artists in one room is carried off with substantial maturity by curators Noa Edwards and Takayuki Hara.

Examining the threshold between sexual fantasy and everyday anxiety, the collection is rich in material. At least nineteen different mediums are on show; from old coffee cups and take-away bags to bus tickets, polystyrene balls, collage, digital print and the more traditional paint and sculpture.

The centre-piece drawing (Takayuki Hara) which dominates the back wall is an intricate detailing of sexual chaos and is positioned strategically, acting as the hyperbolic exaggeration of the prevalent themes.

Space has been used to the maximum; with pieces turning up in all corners (a plastic nettle breaks through the floor boards) and even the glass front is decorated with fingerprints, dusted down with professional police equipment.

One of the most enjoyable and original items is Chilean animator Pablo Castillo’s ‘Betty Boopesque’ characters, who dance entertainingly on the covert I-Pod and a more ‘eye-friendly’ projector.

If one is less inclined towards the fantastical and prefers their art square, painted and ‘realistic’, then the Hockney like depictions of urban contamination acts as a calm interlude from the rest.

Although a few works stand out more then others the exhibition works well as a collective. From meeting Noa and Takayuki one senses a real passion for their craft as well as definite desire for collaboration.  The show brings together young artists still coming to terms with their talents and their mediums, and displays the importance of sharing space when one is not quite ready to exhibit solo.

Exhibitions like this offer a real alternative to the major galleries; the public meet both art and artist simultaneously and  are offered a first hand presentation and guided tour of the works respective backgrounds.