Visits – Exploring Textiles

Bauhaus archive visit June 2016

The Bauhaus Archiv was designed by Walter Gropius and it was a joy to behold!

Afairly small space and unfortunately photos not allowed but the audio guide was really informative and also raised some interesting questions for me.

I sketched some of the objects on show and made copious notes.

I particularly liked the Wall hangings by Anne Albers here and Gertrud Arndt -tones of red ( I cannot find a clear image but this is similar and I like it too)

Painting Horizontal Vertical by Itten ( this is way more Jewel like in real life)and African chair by Marcel Breuer and Gunta Stulzl

There was a very interesting description of the teaching philosophies of Johannes Itten and and Joseph Albers that has given me food for thought and bought me back to this book – now heavily bookmarked with drawing techniques and approaches I’m interested in exploring.

My sketches of this series of paintings were pants!! They were produced for the birthday of Gropius (which was a holiday at the Bauhuas school) they were all based on the same photo of a political broadcast from a gramaphone placed on a stage.The Kandinsky on bottom right is a visual representation of audio process whilst Paul Klee bottom left considered What is said? What is understood?

a little more information here

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Soft Monuments exhibition, KODE, Bergen.

So I’m trying a new approach to this exhibition , I want to see if putting the artworks as a gallery sames time and adds clarity. I will edit the photos using my notes from the exhibition as and when I find time. I think that this is the sort of task that I will be able to do from my phone app while I am out and about.

KODE Bergen is spread over several buildings, I thought that KODE contemporary seemed a good starting point. I was delighted with this bonus exhibition that I was not expecting.

First gallery was an exhibition of Norwegian and international artists, work was grouped in rooms with specific themes.

Of particular intrest to me was the gallery face off between Heidi Kennedy Skjeve and Thomas Pihl. these two pieces would look almost identical in a book, but close up couldn’t be more texturally different. Heidi’s work was about surface detail and the gallery information emphasised that it being made of textile was secondary , it is art made of textile rather than a textile art work. Interesting.

Traces of life exhibition at Dalarnas museum, Sweden

As part of planning for my summer 2015 Scandinavian adventure I was delighted to find out about the Traces of Life exhibition, a collaboration between Textile Study Group in the UK and Swedish group Textil13.

So added Dalarnas museum in Falun in Sweden to the route and was far from disappointed.There are links to a couple of articles about the exhibition that are quite descriptive with some good photos.

My first impressions, noted in my travel journal are; first the generous space -light and airy with natural light filtering through gauzy window coverings. Five rooms with different wall treatments, work wall hung, suspended, or on plinths, to optimize the presentation of the work.

The Rebozo exhibition at the Fashion and textiles museum was an eye opener. This is the first exhibition dedicated to contemporary textile artists, specifically stitched work in this case, that I have seen, and it was wonderfully exciting and inspiring.

I have the catalogue for the exhibition, it has an artist statement and one example piece of work. it was useful to have some insight whilst looking at the art. It is interesting to see which pieces were chosen for the catalogue compared to the impact the individual works had on me. It was interesting to compare what I read into the actual work before reading the statements, and also just how much more richness there is in seeing the pieces in real life compared to a book or website. I was almost as enthralled with the shadows cast, and slight movement of the fabrics as I was with the beautifully textured surfaces. I also really appreciated that there was enough trust in the general sensibleness of the public, that there were no alarmed barriers and you could peer closely at all the treasures. (I forever embarrasingly set off alarms in UK exhibitions- never with intent to touch, but just to really look closely)

In the first room on the opposite wall to the entrance I couldn’t help but be drawn to ‘Between me and the sky’ by Sian Martin. hung in front of a voile covered window with the ghost shadow of a steeple from the world beyond it hangs jewel like, moving gently with infrequent drafts. It really doesn’t compare with the photos that I had already seen

mixed media woven textile – silk organza, linen, photo slides.

This work by Kay Greenlees connects the copper mining community in Falun and the British coal mining industry, Kay investigates through her work, worker exploitation, poverty, death and political manipulation. I found it a very powerful piece, raised thoughts about the generations of miners, treasures, pillars of the earth – miners and minerals, the dark colours spoke to me of the oppressiveness of govermnents destroying communities.

I really like the book Kay produced – Creating sketchbooks – its been a real treat since coming home to look at her sketch work and that of other artists in the exhibition that she included, really puts things in context.

Gwen Hedley, what a joy to see her work , her book Drawn to Stitch is fabulous (again it has sketch and development work of several artists in the show) I love the contrast between the warmth and humour in her Casual Conversation pieces, Gwen paired up with Renee Rudebrant and they reflect some of the exchanges between the two artists, and the observation and execution of Bark Marks , and Restoring – which investigates erosion and represents patterns in old Swedish braids.

Kerstin Sapire – Beautifully observed and stitched works

Elisabeth Kalvenes Skallsjo does not use sketches!!! she prefers to work freeform, and very lovely her work is too, very calming with some incredible textures – I think she must be super observant with a remarkable memory.

Sarah Burgess

Growing within the gallery this thicket of pruning celebrates the extraordinariness of being alive whilst acknowledging fragility and frailty

Burgess is interested in found materials which become objects of myth, metaphors for life and loss. wabi sabi. poetic simple beauty.

Anna Granberg

These creatures are over a meter lond and suspended so you have to look up at them, the shadows are magnificent and prolific due to multiple lights. The accompanying headphones played a soundtrack that took you from gentle buzzing insects and fairy piano to sirens and industry to bleak wind and disjointed piano, a post apocalyptic world where leached chemicals and over exploitation of nature takes its toll. The stuff of dark fairytales using reclaimed materials. Loved this. The sound made it a really imersieve experience.

Alison King

This powerful piece recalls a sermon by James Black at the end of world war 1. I’ve taken a look at her website for some top tips about incorporating paper, image and stitch.

Sheila Mortlock

A completely different perspective, looking down really felt different, I was big like Alice for a while…

Again some really interesting colour application and stitch marks.

Jenny Bullen

With the hindsight of seeing the painting Double Brown at ARos this now reminds me very much of a birch tree, though there is nothing in the artist statement to suggest that this is so..

(I am super proud of learning hyperlinks in this blog, now I will endeavour to link to my own posts- like time travel!)

Jan Miller

I loved this work, simple in some ways, a very carefully considered less is more. I really want to investigate incisions and slash marks, my note book questions – Different implements will make different cut patterns ; blunt = ripped etc – I can start experimenting with the next project, preparing paper for stitch.

Kristina Blixt

In her artist statement Kristina says ” ‘Traces of Life’ is such a broad theme, therefore, the images and works have become very diverse.”

I found all her approaches interesting in different ways and although differing in approach they still felt cohesive.

Nature Skor 2015 –

an intriguing collection of nature, I can imagine thinking about the ancient landscape, walking through Sweden like the ancestors, gathering, this feels totemic, shadows again seem an important part of the piece.

Beautifully textured felted bust. Stilla Liv? is this a husk of body with life moving on?

Lovely stitch work and interesting textures

These took me back to the ancestors, like cave paintings I saw in France.

ARoS – Aahus museum of art vist.

Aahus museum, Denmark

A wonderful educational experience, a visit to Aahus museum encourages interaction and has free wifi and a free phone app with extra information about many of the art works. There are information boards around the galleries, with introductions to art movements and gallery themes that are informative, and not in the slightest bit condescending. The gallery walls have a changing colour palate with no fear of bold combinations.

Not much textile work evident but some very thought provoking works. I particularly appreciated Botanical portrait by Richard Mortensen and Forest track by Edward Weie, I have been drawing plants for assignment two and these paintings really gave a fresh perspective on marks that represent plant forms.

There is a beautiful painting of Birch trees called Double Brown

I love the patchwork of paint used to represent the tree bark and have all sorts of ideas about using paper collage, and fabric and stitches to make bark marks.

I was also delighted to find a whole gallery relating to colour.

Olafur Eliasson is a name that has cropped up several times in colour studies and experiencing his instalations was delightful.

I am working out how to make a flikr gallery to upload the rest of the ARoS photos as a future reference source I will put a link here when this is achieved!

Sonia Delauney exhibition

Sonia Delauney exhibition Tate Modern

oops work in progress!

Study visit – New designers

My eyes have never been as full!

The study visit was fabulous and very much a learning experience. It was really great to meet some fellow students and talk about the course and our creative journeys. The students attending were at all stages in the OCA course so it was really valuable as a newbie to hear about different experiences and have a more real idea of what to aspire to – exhibiting work for example! Gosh!

There really was such a lot of work being exhibited, and such an air of hope and expectation in the air from the students showing their work. It was quite exhausting. Lots of chatting to students about their work, most were happy, and quite keen to talk about their ideas and processes. We were given a couple of pointers of what to look out for and this was so helpful in terms of having a focus.

There was an incredible amount of digitally printed silk, a lot using digitally manipulated images -reflected, flipped, rotated snippets of landscape, plants and wildlife seemed popular. This left me a little cold if I’m honest, though I can see that it could be quite a compelling way to spend some time and may have a play myself at some point. I have seen digital prints that are really exciting I think that the sheer amount, with similar themes was just a bit overwhelming.

Timerous beasties are mentioned in one of the research points of ATV and I really like the way they have developed the ideas of William morris – clearly they were also, in turn a huge influence on some students exhibiting.

The work that I was drawn too most was the more 3D constructed textiles, involving knitting, knotting, bonding ,weaving. There was some really interesting work that incorporated traditional techniques with modern materials that I found really exciting. Also some work that referenced or reminded me of darker folkloric themes, and pieces incorporating natural elements such as reindeer antler, wood and plants.

Here is some of the work that I was particularly drawn too:

Musee d’art Moderne de Ceret

Visit Easter 2015 www.musee-ceret.com.

Escaping the term time and house renovation chaos I was lucky enough to head to the south of France for the two week Easter break. Visiting the museum helped me make sense of the modern artists working in the south of France in the early 20th century- the colours and contrasts, shapes and subjects had been in my vision for days- the delight in the contrast between cold, damp Northern cities and the hot , arid, south is evident.

My note book says ‘Blue skies, so blue! surrounding mountain strata, limestone, evergreen oak, spring buds, yellow gorse,turquoise rivers, bare dancing grapevines embracing the wind! I was clearly charmed! It was a real treat towards the end of the journey to visit the modern Art museum in Ceret to drink in the art born of this landscape.

The main exhibition was of Sculptor Dani Karavan -an artist born in 1930 in Israel, who lives and works between Paris, Florence and Tel Aviv, a video interview shows him as warm, humble, intelligent. Karavan creates site specific monuments with great consideration to the surroundings, subject, and local people, he seems a great negotiator.

“The monumental achievements of Dani Karavan, draw their inspirations from different artistic fields and reflection on man and his environment: sculpture The monument, architecture, urban planning, nature. Conceived as spaces dedicated to commemorate the history and tragedies of the twentieth century, to highlight the fate of a site, to honor, to question the human condition, they are also places of life, reflection, meditation and communion with nature. They invite the visitor to a particular experience seeking at the same time his mind, his sensitivity and his feelings. Conveying a humanist and universal message, they have in common to advocate the values of peace and tolerance. Dani Karavan is the creator of, Port Bou, Passages, a tribute to Walter Benjamin, German writer and Jewish philosopher who ended his days in the small border town. Managing to reach Port Bou by a mountainous path, not without great difficulty, Walter Benjamin, fearing being returned to Vichy France by the Spanish authorities, committed suicide on the night of September 26, 1940.

The materials used by Dani Karavan are evocative of the spirit that guides his approach: the Corten steel, glass, but above all a natural vortex forming on the sea, an olive tree and a quote from Benjamin in tribute to anonymous victims of conflicts: “Honoring the memory of anonymous is a more difficult honoring famous people that task. The historic building is dedicated to the idea of anonymous memory. ” -google translated from the museum website.

Passages looks a very powerful piece and I found the integrity of the project very touching, I was also very heartened by the sketches accompanying the models and photos- strong, very textural and powerful marks that were also quite simple and uncomplicated, doing the job of representing work but almost naive in nature.

The exhibition also presented for the first time to the public the latest creations by Dani Karavan: a set of sculptures and bas-reliefs in concrete, evoking earthen architecture common to many cultures and the universality that connects these cultures together. The textures of the simple forms were just beautiful.

Many of the works in the permanent collection were donated by the artists, I imagine in recognition of the way they were influenced by the surrounding landscape. I came to the exhibition from the small fishing port of Collioure nearby- the high place of Fauvism is their claim. In 1905, Henri Matisse and André Derain. (Matisse who resided there regularly between 1906 and 1914) invite their friends Marquet, Manguin and Camoin, to join them. it was remarkable walking around the artist trail in the port seeing the scenes painted by these artists, the unbelievably blue skies in the paintings are unbelievably blue! The streets and houses were made for the Fauvist style, it was amazing to gain the added understanding that looking at the landscape through my own eyes gave, aided by the air of relaxation and sleepiness that must have been such a contrast to the cold, damp, dirty streets of Paris in the north.

I shouted out loud in the gallery. To my shame. The curators were very relaxed and I think slightly amused. The painting Dona Ocell by Joan Miro was the source of my surprise, I had no idea that it was painted on really heavily crumpled brown paper.

This gallery is truly about education and photos were allowed so here are the close ups, please excuse the reflections, seeing the real painting bought to mind the texture of the limestone rocks I’d been admiring for days, and the cave art that is so prevalent in southern France.

I really was viewing the mark making process of the paintings so here are some lovely close ups of paintings that particularly caught my eye.

Many of the works were donated to the museum by the artists in appreciation of lessons learnt in the surrounding landscape. Picasso was such a supporter and it was a real treat to see his work in reality instead of represented on the page.

Seeing ceramics and how the image wraps around a 3D shape.

I really like the other worldliness of Chagall’s work, this image in particular. It is over 2m wide and has an amazing presense, I had to stand back to enjoy the whole image but it’s even better close up looking at the textural marks on the canvas.

Herbin is an artist that I haven’t come across before and I like his composition, and I really like his colour pallate. It was really evident haveing walked around the town and surrounding landscape , how Herbin and the other artists in the exhibition were influenced by their surroundings, somehow expressing the rhythm of the buildings in the landscape and also the heat, quality of light, and spirit of the community.