The Serpentine Gallery Presents Richard Hamilton: A One Hit Wonder?
// March 12th, 2010 // Comments // b-reviewed // Amy
Richard Hamilton, 'What is it about today's homes that makes them so different, so appealing?' (1956)
My first visit to the exhibition left me so unimpressed I actually went back for a second view and left equally disappointed.
As an eager art history student, I had loved dissecting his seminal 1956 work–from the Pollock-inspired rug on the floor to the hoover laying against the stairwell, overtly taken from a Hoover advert. From the day the work was exhibited in London’s ‘This is Tomorrow’ exhibition, Hamilton questioned pop culture and high art and forced us all to consider the power of image. That work was strong and certain.
His new works are lacking in power and assurance and even worse the paintings are monotonous. The artist uses an image taken from the media, paints it time and time again and in every painting he tweaks it slightly. I understand the aesthetic strategy to use repetition to suspend an image in our minds but I was not left with any images in my mind–this must be a failure of the strategy, no?
Richard Hamilton, ‘Treatment Room’ (1983)
I was impressed by Treatment Room (1983), an installation of an eerie hospital room. Over the patient’s bed, there is a TV projecting Margaret Thatcher administering medicine. This engaging installation is certain to leave the viewer questioning our reliance on medicine, our concerns over health care, but most importantly, the potency of the televised image.
I do appreciate that unlike Warhol, who was a product of his time, Hamilton has the ability in his work to be completely removed from the work while at the same time completely immersed in the political culture he is criticising. But I think that is one of the only things to hail Hamilton’s work for–just because an artist can create one masterpiece, if you will, this does not mean his entire oeuvre will be exceptional. In fact, it seems that Richard Hamilton might be a one hit wonder, as I saw no paintings that stood out. Richard Hamilton, the father of pop, will always be, and only be, idolised for one work. So, can we still consider him as the father of the pop movement?
b-uncut: The online art platform enabling artists
// March 11th, 2010 // Comments // b-scene // Lawrence
Two of our artists will be
showing at the Real exhibition in
Chelsea this month through
the connections they
made here at b-uncut.
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The Real exhibition has been set up by an organisation called Go Figurative that specialise in figurative art. Claudie Bastide and Carolyn Jordan got connected with the co-founders of Go Figurative through another b-uncut member, Thomas Hodges who had exhibited with them before. Another great success story thanks to the power of our network!
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Claudie BastideClaudie will be showing ‘Geometrie Urbaine’ printed on dibond aluminum.
Carolyn JordanCarolyn will be showing 3 paintings, ‘My job’s hanging by a thread’, ‘Unfinished Business’ and ‘Hanging Out’.
So put it in your diary and get to the show. You’ll see some great work as well as catch up with Claudie, Carolyn and some of the b-uncut team in the flesh. Not only that, who says you can’t be in the next Go Figurative exhibition! Get connected.
b-loud: Figurative Drawing: Sketching to the Bone: Andreja Repnik
// March 10th, 2010 // Comments // b-loud // Lawrence
Slovenian art student Andreja Repnik brings a unique vision to the figure.
Seethingly torn and ripped limbs are reconstructed with fibre, wood and what could be coral. Her drawings arrest your attention and make you question the mutilation. At only 24 it’s clear what a promising future Andreja has ahead of her. Read on and you’ll learn how coherently her work exerts the way she sees the world.
b-Loud!
b-uncut: What was your very first artwork?
Women in luxurious clothes (marker on paper).
It represents me, my thinking about this world, life and how it is so empty some times and I also use themes of nature, wood, life. Elements which never die and have a thousand uniqe shadows. Nature is always telling us how to survive in the long term. It seems some people see and some don’t.
Just sit down and start… let’s go… I take what I have, shadows leads me at every step and the paper opens a new dimension. I have no fear, ther is just me, paper, ‘tool’ and shadows. I am inspired by nature, people, tone, smell, taste and sight.
b-uncut: What did it take to make it to where you are now?Not much,… just life without compulsion … I started on canvas eight years ago and ended up drawing. So I seriously deal with drawing the last two years… in the other hand I draw from early age.
No.
Hm, very little help from others. The last three years has helped me find the art I want to express.
b-Quick!
b-uncut: Qualities a man needs to seduce you?Artist, a man with a special view on the world, academic, longterm creator, or just a stranger from the street or farmer.
‘I told you what to do.’
Freedom… is that a power?
You, me, my mother, father, brother, sister,…
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b-Honest!
b-uncut: Where do you see yourself in…..
studying.
studying.
b-uncut: An Artist’s Revolution
// March 10th, 2010 // Comments // b-wired // philipletts
A quiet revolution is under way in the art world. One that few expected and most missed because it’s on the Web: called b-uncut.
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It was started in 2007 by a group of contemporary artists, led by Philip Letts, as a new kind of collective. One without borders. One bound by the Web. They’re vision was simple. To use the digital world to reinvent the concept of artist collective and shift power to the 21st Century artist. So giving them greater indepenedence. They figured that if they could persuade enough artists to support this movement then, one day, the art world could become a bit less dealer centric. And a lot more open.
They reasoned that the dynamics of the 21st Century should fashion an artist centric ecosystem. Even a new kind of art market, one driven by the artists themselves. A place where meritocracy reigns and FAIRTRADE exists. Where artists can earn a living, if they are talented, from their art, not barista skills nurtured at the local Starbucks.
Wind forward to today and the revolution is well under way. Over 1,500 talented, emerging artists from all over the world have joined b-uncut. They work and hang in its virtual studios- where the rent is free and access is open (so long as they are real artists and supporters of the movement). Within these virtual studio walls they create and share paintings, sculpture, graffiti, photographs, videos, poems, writings and more. They’re styles cover conceptual art, abstract art, surrealism, pop, street, realism, pointillism, performance, photography, video and much, much more. They have produced and loaded nearly 25,000 artworks at b-uncut’s studios in just 2 years!
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They upload finished works and works in progress. They share their notes, sketches and musings. The 1,500 studios rock! The artists are alive. They critique each other and have produced an invaluable peer review and rating system – something that artists have lacked since the beginning of time. They huddle in specialist groups and learn online. They teach one other, promote each other and look out for each other. Today over 100 new artists join b-uncut every month. It’s growing – they’re good and the place buzzes.
Together these extraordinary artists decided to go one step further. Six months ago they built their very own art marketplace. First they constructed a Web based Gallery – the b-uncut Gallery. It already hosts around 60 of the more commercially minded artists and takes the concept of Web gallery to a whole new dimension. Walk into its 3D like gallery rooms and queue up for openings. Visit their cutting edge, stunningly curated digital exhibitions. On the way out drop by the museum store. Entry is free for everyone, 24 hours a day. You just need Internet access and a smartphone, PC, laptop or library. Next time you want to go to a contemporary art show do it from your arm chair.
If you like what you see you can buy some of their art at the gallery or direct from the artists using b-uncut’s revolutionary artist commissioning system. You rest assured that the artists pocket more of the receipts which allows them, in turn, to plow your funds into art supplies, art books and future artworks. I don’t know about you but if I decided to invest in a specific artist and their works I would want to know that they, not middlemen, took the majority of my money and continued to develop their art for my future pleasure.
And you get better prices which is why art buyers and lovers are starting to flock to the b-uncut Galleries and Store in their thousands. They’re buying.
Anyone can visit the artists studios, but, membership is reserved for the artists. They’re privacy is important. You can observe and watch them work, share and learn. But, shhhh, they’re creating. You can also read their blogs, notices, listen to their favorite tunes and watch their videos. You can find out about shows they will be in and go meet them in the flesh. Each month 25,000 art lovers come by b-uncut’s studios to watch the artists work and hang out.
You can read b-uncut’s art magazine and blog. Leading Museums, galleries and critics do. You get the real time, real world, unfiltered news and reviews from the emerging art world. Uncut: b-uncut. Check interviews with artists, exhibition reviews, street snaps, opinion pieces and more.
So you see a new art revolution is afoot. Who said the Web wouldn’t change art. It already has. More than you can ever imagine.
Graphic Art: Blotters, Posters and Teapots In the Belly of the Underdog
// March 9th, 2010 // Comments // b-hind the scenes // Lawrence
Sammy Forway, 34 years old, started Underdog Art Company as an online gallery in early 2007 and opened the Underdog art gallery in London SE1 in mid 2008. Sammy discusses his gallery life, art he loves and the exhibitions held at this multi-media gallery on the Old Kent Road.
Why did you want to open a gallery?
I have always been interested in art since I was a small kid I always made art paintings drawings and was generally creative when I got older I realised I wanted to start my own business but didn’t know what yet, I only realised what it was when I started to see how difficult it was for new artists to get work seen and promoted and came up with the idea of the online gallery, since then its just progressed. We now have regular exhibitions and live events here at Underdog.
See the above, graphic art I have always had a soft spot for but I love any art work that has genuinely something to say. Can’t stand pretentiousness in anything.
Do you think there is anything missing from the art scene at the moment?
I do think that art and artists are not doing enough to open people’s eyes to the corrupt bullshit. War and terror that is being waged over the world and not always by the “Terrorists” as we know them. It seems like we are all too smug to stand up and rock the boat. I hope this is changing though.
How do you source your artists?
I just look around find work I like and try to persuade the artist that they’d love to work with me.
What are you currently exhibiting?
My Current show is called Rock around the Crockery! It’s a show of graphic art screen prints, stencil and digital work, oh and not to forget the Graffed up defaced and debouched Crockery! Tea sets, trays, coffee pots etc. Art should be fun too eh.
How do you vary your exhibitions? Ha ha erm sometimes get pissed and come up with silly concepts like the Crockery show, but mostly just finding a good mix of artists. I could put on a show every month in the same genre of art but as long as you have original artists it’ll never get boring. What do you do to promote a show and do you do anything special for a preview? We always do something special for an opening of a show, we usually always have live bands playing and sometimes movies visuals etc down in the belly of the Underdog. We try to make an event as memorable as possible. As for promoting, the web is great but we still design cool posters and post all over London and I have found this very successful. If you have really nice designs that people want to nick and have on there wall chances are they’ll come check out the show/gallery. Have you found it successful to have live music when you launch a new exhibition? Very successful, I am a musician myself and know lots of bands so we have really good live music at our shows.
What’s been your best and worst exhibition?
One of the best is the show on now but the most successful was probably the gig poster show, Underdog Rock n Roll Poster Riot! Last May it was awesome. We had about 100 people turn up on the opening day from all over the UK and we sold a lot of work. We are doing a Poster Riot 2 this month on Saturday the 20th. It’ll be excellent again with top gig poster artists exhibiting limited edition screen printed posters, LSD Blotter Art and of course some excellent bands. It’s an all day event starting at 2pm. The worst was when I tried to do two openings in one week, terrible idea.What’s the most expensive piece of work you’ve ever sold? The most expensive individual piece I have sold was £2500/£3000 we are more on the affordable art side here at Underdog so that would be our higher end work.
What’s the hardest part of your job? Selling work for 3 grand. If you could represent any artist, who would they be and why? Raphael, he was the most productive of the old masters and he died at 37… Quids in! Only joking, I love Franz Ackermann’s work I would love to represent him. His work is very psychedelic, cerebral and visceral but still with something to say. I’d also like to have represented Von Dutch and Ed (Big Daddy) Roth. Because they were pioneers of graphic art and sure loved rock n roll.
Have you got any exciting ideas for future exhibitions/events?
Always have, just keep your eye on the Underdog.
Are you an artist as well?
Yes I suppose so, I do make stuff whether that makes me an artist is up to anyone else.
Do you think it’s harder to be a gallery owner or artist?
Its harder to be a gallery owner and an artist.
How do you make sure you have enough money to pay the bills?
Now that’s a good question, basically budget yourself. If you sell a big piece don’t go wild n think you can spend it. We also do fine art printing canvas etc at the gallery so that helps with bills. But no one said it was gonna be easy!
Keep on doing what you love, but be realistic 90% of artists do not make a living from art. If you can get a job that is at least creative to help you live, pay bills eat etc that’s great. But keep on making art if you don’t believe in yourself no one else will. (b) someone who wants their own gallery?
Go do it, but try not to borrow too much money, if any. and really think about all decisions before you jump in at the deep end. Find the best artists you possibly can as this is your gallery. Good luck!
Alice’s Adventures in Low Brow: David Nicolato
// March 5th, 2010 // Comments // b-our guest // Lawrence
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I picked up Camille Rose Garcia’s new version of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” the other day. The drawings are exquisite and Ms. Garcia’s ominous take on my favorite story is more than fitting. To me, this story has always had a somewhat foreboding quality.
I felt a little bewildered, however, by the deluge of ”Doe Eyes”. Every character in the book has those despondent, inanimate, “Low Brow” eyes, the kind one sees in almost every contemporary Pop Surrealistic image today.
While Ms. Garcia’s style befits Carroll’s premise of a dissected Utopia, I am enamored by those lifeless eyes, almost to the point of distraction. The images sometimes overpower the story instead of illuminating it. Carroll’s words are like captions for her paintings.
I have been looking for a connection between Alice and “Low Brow” for many years now and congratulations to Ms. Garcia for being allowed to interpret this amazing story in her own anomalous style. She is a talented and consummate artist and an aspiration of mine. Since Carroll provides little description of these characters in his text, perhaps this makes them the most open for interpretation, thus the most open for discussion.
This is our first ever guest blog written by David Nicolato and sourced from the Blog Pool group at b-uncut.net. Any member at b-uncut can go to the group and suggest their own entries for our public blog.
Tino Seghal at the Guggenheim
// March 4th, 2010 // Comments // b-reviewed // Amy
After reading the recent blog about the exhibition of Billy Childish, I couldn’t help but contemplate the artist as an “outsider” with regard to London born artist Tino Seghal’s current exhibition at the Guggenheim in New York. Seghal’s unconventional installations attempt to challenge the traditional context in which art is created and exhibited. I’m reminded of the artists of the 1970s who began to work outside the system with performance and land art as well as the “happenings” that were occurring in the crux of the contemporary art movements in New York, Berlin, London and universities throughout the world.
Seghal’s work is shown in one of the most elitist museums which of course defines the limitations of the art market’s system. The artist’s practice has been shaped through his interest and education in dance and economics. An unlikely combination of studies, I thought…But then realised that the study of economics likely had the strongest impact on Seghal’s interest to work outside the system.
For the first time in the Guggenheim’s history, an artist was allowed to wipe out the entire rotunda of its permanent collection–which was made up mostly of Kandinsky masterpieces. The elimination of the rotunda’s masterpieces was probably intended to make the situation less elitist, but really, can that highbrow stigma attached to the museum and its architecture ever be eliminated? And if it can’t, does this make Seghal’s intentions pointless?
By displacing the art typically adorning Frank Llyod Wright’s walls, Seghal’s interactive “installation” becomes a one-on-one experience with the viewer and the artist’s medium–actors who are essentially Seghal’s puppets. Some might call the situations theatrical; Seghal would disagree, arguing that theatre, unlike his work, creates a separation between the actor and audience, and also has a definitive starting and stopping point. In the center of the Guggenheim’s lobby are two actors engaging in embracing and kissing–this is meant to be interactive between the viewer and actor?
So the artist as an outsider…like most of the land artists like Robert Smithson that were sucked back into the system unintentionally by exhibiting and selling their plans, photographs and maps, Seghal’s interactions are just as much a part of the system (if not more) as the earthwork artists. The institution now has rights to the work and can stage the performance wherever they want, whenever they want (with some stipulations from the artist of course– like the actors must be chosen by the artist, and the performance must last for a minimum of 6 weeks). Refusing the system? I don’t think so. Accepting and embracing is more like it.
b-loud: Daniele Villa: Expect the Unexpected
// March 3rd, 2010 // Comments // b-loud // Beatrice
b-Loud:
DV: I used to send funny postcards to friends using photomontage and collage. I loved the fact of sending a unique work that could not be repeated, and, of course, I loved the effect of displacement that the collage technique allows.
b-uncut: The artists you like the most and why?
DV: I love Kurt Schwitters and Joseph Cornell, two real poets. Their approach toward the materials they used was deep and touching. I love the Schwitters’ motto: ‘one can use waste material to shout out loud’.
They were in a way two outsiders which worked by themselves, obsessed by their dreams and with an imaginary universe of their own.
b-uncut: The one you hate the most and why?
DV: I (almost) learned not to hate anybody. I simply don’t like pretentious artists which don’t have enough talent to justify their vanity.
b-uncut: What did it take to make it where you are now?
DV: I don’t know where I am, but anyway I believe that it’s always like this: you have to feed your love for something with your true passion and work on it. Sometimes, if your love is true, you succeed to reach a certain degree of sincerity in what you do. And that is important for your true happiness.
b-uncut: Who has helped you along the way?
DV: Friends which encouraged me to show my works around.
b-uncut: What are your methods? Your inspiration?
DV: I don’t work so much, in terms of time. I can work for one day and make several collages which really make me satisfied, and then stop for a month. The execution is quick.
It seems that I reach a certain point and then my subconscious is ready to ‘read’ the materials and make a synthesis in few minutes.
b-uncut: If I ask you to describe your art, would it be redundant to describe yourself?
DV: Of course the art objects and the artist that makes it are related. The only thing I can say is that I chose collage because with this technique you find more than searching for something specific. And I love that sense of surprise. Moreover I’m a bad painter.
b-quick:
b-uncut: The swear word you like the most?
DV: I love all them.
b-uncut: The flaws a woman should have to seduce you?
DV: She has to be funny.
b-uncut: Your parents’ advice you haven’t followed?
DV: Wash your hands.
b-uncut: The talent you wouldn’t want to have?
DV: To be so funny.
b-uncut: The person you’d like to be hated by?
DV: Nobody.
b-uncut: The question I should never ask you?
DV: The one before.
b-honest: Where do you see yourself in..
5 seconds?
Here.
5 minutes?
Here.
5 days?
Here.
5 months?
Here.
5 centuries?
Dead.
‘We Love 77′ Launch Party: Sardine & Tobleroni
// March 2nd, 2010 // Comments // b-scene // Lawrence
Sardine & Tobleroni present 77 paintings of 77 different bands that epitomise PUNK in their Conceptual Art Brut style. Launch night was a charming reunion. Lot’s of fun; I’ve now got the chance to win Sardine’s 77 leather jacket with a £2 raffle ticket. Or was it £3, beers were only £1.50.
The casual affair had its ceremonies. Paintings were at a special price of £1977 till 10.30pm, no less than Don Letts on the decks, custom punk cocktails and an appropriately ragged speech by the artists. Nothing vicious happened like their last exhibition in Manchester where a fight broke out. It could be the mellowing effect of having two female curators or nostalgia has tipped the edge over la revolution.
The paintings are like record sleeves resonating a past activist romance. The cultural phenomena that spawned this work is a distant memory but from the crowded turnout there are still those carrying the punk torch.
There is a definite revolution in the presentation of their work. The ‘Launch Party’ far removed from the pretentious private view syndrome (PPVS) of East London. As the night moved into the latter half, spirits were high and the music playing to their kin, the paintings, gave rise to an enjoyable atmosphere. PPVS couldn’t have suited the work and their solution created a noteworthy vision that is a refreshing undertaking for any gallery.
Photographs by Eduardo Barreiro.
‘EYES ON THE CROWD’ @b-uncut: ISSUE 1: Figurative February
// February 26th, 2010 // Comments // Eyes on the Crowd // Lawrence
At the end of each month we will select a small number of artists to feature in our new publication, Eyes on the Crowd. These artists will also receive an invitation to sell their work in our curated gallery. This months theme is the figure and after much deliberation and debate here is the selection…
Click on the artists below to see more of their work:
Yael Zaken
Dmitriy Kedrin
Stephen Sheffield
John Sauve
Kurt La Quaglia
@b_uncut
- You won't believe this; GNARLY DUDES http://ow.ly/1ip7F @woostercollective
- The stunning montages by Katy Krantz http://ow.ly/1hWPD
- Jerry Saltz applauds some very tangy art criticism by William Powhida http://ow.ly/1i7WM
- D*Face anatomical oscars appeared for one day onl http://ow.ly/1ikKn
- Lawrence said: You know Art Counsel, I think I was in the mood fo...
- barbaraleavitt said: I love this..very interesting design elements..I l...
- Carolyn Jordan said: Nice Lawrence, thanks, and looking forward to meet...
- Claudie Bastide said: Great post ,thanks Lawrence and thanks to all of y...
- philslattery said: Intriguing work. The intellectual appeal of the w...
- mikefoldes said: ragazine.cc is a collaboration of artists, photogr...
- b-loud: Robert Anderson--Artist and Wordsmith
- b-loud: Meet Painter and Sculptor Claudie Bastide
- Michael Landy: Art Euthanasia
- b-loud: Meet painter Marie Kazalia
- The eco-revolution