Charlotte Ann Turner

Joseph Beuys talk @ The Barbican

2009-09-26T04:50:00.000-07:00

Joseph Beuys: The Free International University and Social Sculpture Now @ Barbican Centre (24 Sep 2009) Shelley Sacks and Wolfgang Zumdick in conversation.
-
'Human beings are able to create their own world' Beuys

After hearing Wolfgang Zumdick talk about Beuy's ideologies within his work I feel as though a layer has been lifted and I can truly start to understand the felt suits, blackboards covered in diagrams, fur, hares, fat and honey which are always present within his works.
The whole pretense of any action or sculpture Beuys has ever made has all come from one 'origin' his theory of evolution; The belief that humans can create their own world and every human is an artist. His blackboard drawings and lectures were all an aid to illustrate the diagram of his idea, of the evolution of 'Mensch' (Human-being).

Jospeh Beuys, Mensch 1972

The time that Beuys spent in the Kunstakademie Dusseldorf, was working among philosophers, academics and fellow artists. It in turn inspired him to draw up an idea of the 'extended definition of art' through evolution, religion, humanism and social philosophy.
He believed that the earth was enveloped by a cosmic placenta (the cosmos) which feeds our creative energy like that of an aura. He believed that humans are on a long line which is hurtling towards death with the onset of atomic warfare and nuclear power which he understood to be the 20th century. Many scientists he admired which talked about the present and were influential to him are represented within his theory such as Newton, Kant, and Plato. But what Beuys wanted to express and produce through dialogue and his actions was the future sphere, after the 20th century and death. How do we imagine that? and he understood it was through art - if everyone was an artist and let themselves describe and express whatever jumped out to them in the natural world we would all be able to create our own worlds and create our own origins of perception so that we could see what's coming.
This idea was where the Free International University developed, to teach students in a university how to create widened consciousness: for example one of the lessons would be evolution and drawing - for each pupil to only draw when something in nature or their surroundings calls out to them.
The idea of consciousness and working on what each person has to say or can see, Beuys believed could only really be done through making art.

The use of the staff has always been prevalent within Beuys diagrams, actions and sculpture. He taught that every human had an invisible staff like object above them which reached out into nature and the cosmos, to gain inspiration and perception of what was around you, and its only through training yourself through your artwork that you can tap into this.

During the 70s and 80s he was loosely a member of the Fluxus and would create actions and entice debate and discussion wherever he would go. One of these actions involved him playing a piano in front of a crowd in Berlin, however, he was not happy with the sound so he chucked a bucket of chalk in the piano, but was still not happy, so began to throw honey and sand into the piano and ended up drilling holes into the side of it. This caused outrage in the audience but none the less he carried on... He then began heating up a vat of animal fat and covering the piano and audience members in it. One man in the crowd was outraged and punched Beuys in the face to which he retaliated by pulling out a toy of Jesus on the crucifix. Which is where this iconic image of Beuys came from:

Kukee, akopee - Nein!, 1964

The image shows Beuys reaching into the sky (cosmos) for inspiration like that of a staff or a tree and presenting in front of him Jesus on the cross (the crucifixion) where he believed the 20th century was headed- to be crucified.
Shelley Sacks (a researcher from Oxford Brookes University and one of Beuys students who attended his FIU workshops for a hundred days at Documenta 6, 1977) discussed Beuys idea of a Free University and his ideolgies behind this; that creating events, spaces, reflection and awareness would create dialogue that could benefit social problems. In turn a manifesto was created at Documenta 6 which was an evaluation of 100 days of dialogue about Germany's social, political and ecological situation. This then turn became a fundamental document for the German green party. Of whom Wolfgang Zumdick is now a member.

The Green party that Beuys developed has had a huge effect on German politics overturning a constitution in Bavaria and changing and contesting many of Germanys laws.

The talk ended with a discussion and a member of the audience (a landscape gardener) said something very touching that brought Beuys ideas together for me, that when she started a discussion with parents, teachers and a local community about the notion of 'play' and how to design play parks, it would always result in a violent debate about needles, welfare and safety. The talk would never go anywhere but if you actually asked the children what they wanted and tapped into their ideas and perception of play, then we could learn something. To use our organs of perception instead of confrontational learning and believing that children have minds to fill, instead to let them use their imagination and perception and let your perception give/take from the world. Let us see what they have to say. The gardener said that after learning from the children what their idea of play was and what jumped out to them in their natural surroundings, she ended up felling a group of trees and allowing the children to play among them and make their own park. To create their own SOCIAL SCULPTURE.

http://www.universityofthetrees.org/

Open Multiversity @ Swedenborg Hall (Danielle Arnaud Gallery)

2009-09-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

Ole Hagen, Plenum 2009 Production Still

Open multiversity was a metaphysical evening of performances featuring: Jemima and Dolly Brown, Ole Hagen, Alicia Paz, Plastique Fantastique, Kit Poulson and Alex Baker.

Performed within the great Swendenborg hall it acted as an alternative to an academic symposium, with artists presenting screenings of new works, readings and seances.

(To accompany the current show on at Danielle Arnaud)

Ryan McGinley @ Alison Jacques, London.

2009-09-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Marcel (Hidden Reflection), 2009

I cannot wait to see Ryan McGinley' new work at Alison Jacques Gallery, having seen some pieces from his collection 'I Know Where the Summer Goes' at Frieze Art Fair and in New York. There is much anticipation for his new collection of images 'Moonmilk' to live up to.

I LIke: Lotte Geeven

2009-05-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Backyard Vocabulary 2006-2008, Amsterdam.

Bird Confetti, 2006 New York City

Willian Hunt @ IBID Projects, London.

2009-05-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

William Hunt, Performance view 'Le Sang d'un poete' 2009. Photo: Mathieu Genon

Live performance of artist playing accordion and singing through a camera obscura.

William Hunt having just graduated from Goldsmiths, is already producing his second London solo show. It was a great opening night at IBID projects, somewhere which hasn't really been showing much the past year, it definately put on a great show.

Towards the back of the gallery stands an innocuous object made from metal and canvas, and fitted with electric lights. This obsolete device has been salvaged by Hunt and imbedded into the wall, concealing a hidden alcove in the next room. As you peer into the screen in the sculpture, the face of the artist miraculously appears. This camera obscura-esque sculpture blurrs the boundaries between that of a static 2d image or tv screen and that of a live apparition - allowing you the experience to view the artist 'for real'.

Hunts work works on the boundaries of sculpture, performance and sound - somthing which is of great interest in my current practice. I think the title of his 2008 performance best sums up his practice 'I Forgot myself, looking at you'

2009-03-24T06:33:00.000-07:00

Oren Lavie - Her morning elegance (2007)

2009-03-04T09:24:00.000-08:00

Shortcuts by Robert Altman.

2009-03-04T05:53:00.001-08:00

Directed by Robert Altman 1993.

This film is truly one of the best films I have seen for a long while, Robert Altman is a genius of American cinema and in Shortcuts he brings together his kaleidoscopic vision of Raymond Carvers stories. It is epic in both scale and duration being a hefty 3 hours long but completely worth every second and meticulously observed. The extraordinary cast ensemble include Tim Robbins, Julianne Moore, Lily Tomlin, Robert Downey Jr, Tom Waits and Jennifer Jason-Leigh.

It follows the lives of many characters living in South California over the course of a few days. Some of them know each other, some don't, their paths cross as the film plays out, and some never meet each other. As the characters go about their lives, the perspective of the film is like a wandering observer's, I am not very well-versed in Altman's work but this seems to be a penchant for many of his films. It reminded me of the film Magnolia, in the way that characters have a butterfly effect and stories ripple into other ones, bringing all the characters together for a climatic end.

The acting is absolutely superb, especially Julianne Moore and Lily Tomlin, the cinematography is beautiful and depicts the american way of life and seediness as well as a complete demographic of american life.

The film captures the way life is full of accidents, happy ones as well as bad ones. it is a wonderful piece of cinema about the way people interact with one another without even knowing it.

Planatacia x Abstractica @ Standpoint Gallery, Hoxton.

2009-03-04T05:01:00.000-08:00

Daniel Pasteiner The Fortress, 2008 Oil and Tyco track on MDF

James Ryan

Standpoint and curator Rod Barton collaborated in putting on this show by two young artists whom met whilst showing in New Contemporaries, who work between the boundaries of formalism and convention.

Abstraction and modernism can sound in painting as now boring, defunct terms, but Ryan and Pasteiner' intelligent approach to the hemispheres between two art worlds: Duchamps readymade and abstract/ cubist space work well together.

Brussel sprouts coasted in lacquer, scalectrix track, swirling mirror balls and yards of coloured fluorescent tubing makes this show an interlocking of different dimensions. The work considers: Geometry and media from the traditionally thought out, depth, colour and composition within modernist painting set against but also in harmony with the manifestation of translucent collage/ assemblages and light installations.

The two artists will be in conversation with Francesca Gavin 05.03.09 @ 7.15pm.

Jane & Louise Wilson: Unfolding the Aryan papers

2009-02-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

archive still

Showing at the BFI at the moment is a short video directed by Jane and Louise Wilson, about a film that never happened (planned and heavily researched by Kubrick, then spontaneously dropped) and a portrait of the leading artist Johanna ter Steege. It begins with images of Johanna taken by Stanley Kubrick - they are for the wardrobe shoot of The Aryan Papers. Johanna was to play the lead role of Tania , a compelling character. She is a Polish Jew trying to save herself and her family from the Nazis.

The amount of research overwhelmed Kubrick, in the end it left him depressed and for his own health he had to abandon the project. Maybe the story itslef was too cruel, and he in the end was unable to tell the story. Kubrick the famed perfectionist never felt he could justify the movie, or express the cruelty shown within that period.

A beautiful, still shot video which unearths repossessed histories within film, and expresses how even the greatest filmakers know that some works can never be realised.

2009-02-16T16:49:00.000-08:00

say things that have not been said

hear things that have not been heard

see things that have not been seen

feel things that have not been felt

learn things that have not been taught

fight things that have not been fought

create things that will blow your fuckin' mind

Spike Lee.

This is going to be my mantra for the work I create this year.

Ryan McGinley

2009-02-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

born in 1977.
Lives and works in New York
upcoming exhibition in May at Alison Jacques Gallery

AlterModern Manifesto PostModernism is Dead

2009-02-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

A new modernity is emerging, reconfigured to an age of globalisation – understood in its economic, political and cultural aspects: an altermodern culture
Increased communication, travel and migration are affecting the way we live
Our daily lives consist of journeys in a chaotic and teeming universe
Multiculturalism and identity is being overtaken by creolisation: Artists are now starting from a globalised state of culture
This new universalism is based on translations, subtitling and generalised dubbing
Today’s art explores the bonds that text and image, time and space, weave between themselves
Artists are responding to a new globalised perception.
They traverse a cultural landscape saturated with signs and create new pathways between multiple formats of expression and communication.
The Tate Triennial 2009 at Tate Britain presents a collective discussion around this premise that postmodernism is coming to an end, and we are experiencing the emergence of a global altermodernity.
Nicolas Bourriaud
Altermodern – Tate Triennial 2009at Tate Britain 4 February – 26 April 2009

David Kramer

2009-01-17T09:29:00.001-08:00

I liked this piece by David Kramer, i thought it was a witty way at looking at contemporary art. he is great at humor and self-depreciation.

Another person who is looking at the mad/witty/peculiar art world is Sarah Thornton in her book "Seven Days in the Art World' I highly recommend it. its a great way for us unsuccessful art types to get behind the scenes of some of the most prestigious art fairs, institutes, prizes.

Bailey Radcliffe

2008-12-14T09:25:00.000-08:00

Karen Knorr

2008-12-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

Just stumbled across a great photographer; Karen Knorr. She photographs highly decorative interiors with animals and birds inhabiting them or acting as in some case the artist or sitter. I think they are gorgeous and want to see them in the flesh.

Opening of The Photographers' Gallery: Katy Grannan; The Westerns

2008-12-06T05:47:00.000-08:00

Last night I worked the brand, spanking, new opening of the Photographers' gallery which is now situated in Oxford Circus. Showing in the main gallery were large format pictures of people living on the west coast of America by Katy Grannan. One of the subjects of her photographs were transexual duo Gail and Dale. the images are often striking and have an awkward beauty to them but are often uncomfortable- reflecting the subjects posed discomfort and nudity.

The most striking images were of one of her subjects; Nicole. In most of the photos she seems either distressed or poses a state of hysteria. In one photo she's wearing a bleached-blonde wig, crouched on a hotel bed, snarling ferally at the camera. the images seem to suggest abuse - addict, drifter, along with a growing belly.

However, the way they are shot elicits a romantic sense to the images and the most powerful image of nicole, with a expressionless face holding a baby. The only thing we learn about nicole is her name and where the images were taken.

Grannans' photos are both shocking, powerful and romantic. Her work seems to evoke the struggle for the 'photographic truth' and make us think more about the subject than the printed image.

2008-11-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Martin Creed

Keith Tyson installations'

2008-11-15T09:00:00.001-08:00

I absoulutely adore Keith Tysons' installations; he had two in 2007 ; Large Field Array, which was displayed in factory/ loft galleries; PaceWildstein in New York and De Pont Museum of Contemporary Art in the Netherlands.

(His website is also amazing).

t seems as if ‘Large Field Array’ mixes different models for describing the world.

“Yes. Certain patterns and systems are laid out in the structure. You have the signs

of the zodiac, chemical elements like sodium, helium, oxygen and so on and so forth.

Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto

line up in a planetary strip. In one direction, you’ll find mathematical truths. In another

direction it has material truths. One line follows the path of human life, another one

the way of heat and entropy. These lines are of course arbitrary. It doesn’t matter if

you know or if you don’t. It is like an abstract painting. Instead of asking how does

yellow go next to blue, I am asking how one form can go next to another form as the

consequence of these invisible forces. Scientifically speaking, a sculpture is an

interference pattern of both laws of physics and quantum forces, but also of art

history and other kinds of forces. Each one of the 300 pieces is the sum of all

possible forces acting upon it. Each sculpture is basically the result from the things

around it. Looking at them, you understand that they are partial. We are always

looking for the original thing which of course there isn’t. There is just the world. There

is no great truth in any of these sculptures. The great truth is that they are all

interconnected. The way in which the art world will take an object and put it in

isolation and say: there it is! - that is such a myth. I am trying to create a theatre

where that is impossible. You cannot enter Large Field Array and control it. It is

overwhelming. And it is actually a little bit terrifying. I want that feeling of terror when

you walk through it. That there is too much to grasp.”

Josiah McElheny @ White Cube, Hoxton Square

2008-11-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

Island Universe

Upon entering the first floor space you are greeted with an explosion of five highly reflective, chrome-plated, aluminium spheres. There are roDs protruding off each sphere ending with lightbulbs some on with the filament inside and some without. It feels a bit like I am looking at design art, as they do represent chandeliers, at first glance it seems as though it should be in a trendy wine bar.

However, they are a play on the Lobmeyr-designed chandeliers in New York's Met Opera house. There is also something distinctively scientific about them; so is it coincidence or influence that the design of the chandeliers and the discovery of the first data supporting the Big Bang both occured in 1965.

McElheny has collaborated with a cosmologist; David Weinberg to create the scientifically correct sculptures as well as illustrations of the Big Bang theory.

The film on the second floor is one of the best video pieces I have seen in a long while... filmed in super 16mm at the Metropolitan Opera House NY each of the five sections depict the types of universes in the installation. The music and editing convey a rhythmn that shifts, freezes and develops in relation to the scientific speculations about other words.

Art that relates to Science and vice versa is always so fruitful and is definately a great partnership. It always inter-relates and McElhenys' installation and video is a romantic view, investigation into portraying a scientific theory of the big bang through a visual kaleidoscope.

I also saw some of his sculptures last year in The Donald Young Gallery in Chicago, Illinois along with artist Joshua Mosley.

Creatures Great and Small , Kinetica Museum @ Rove gallery

2008-10-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

The new trend in contemporary F.art has got to be Kinetic Sculpture. Saw the Kinetic show @ the kinetic museum, there was an amazing piece by American artist Jack Pavlik whom constrcuts harmonious sliding steel bands; which slide and propel forward in a uniformed sequence.

"In sculpture you can have an idea, an exact idea but the final result will come from experimentation and the limits of the material. In this mutual give and take, a transformative process takes place; where there is an evolution of both form and idea. In my work I have been combining flexible and rigid materials, materials that merge a biomorphic, surreal pattern of black shapes and lines, with geometric metal frames and structures that work at the same time to move, and contain the active forms of the piece, creating what I hope is a humorous, surreal form of sculpture." - Jack Pavlik

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w3mkmLn7XA

Frieze Art Fair 2008

2008-10-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

Attended Frieze art fair this week, as I am sure so did half of London. It was exactly what I expected having been two years ago, the steel faced curators and collectors swanning around. However it was great to see pieces up close by some of my favorite artists; Grayson Perry, Ed Ruscha, Wolfgang Tillmans and Cindy Sherman.
One of the highlights (apart from eaves dropping on how much some of the pieces sell for) was the icelandic art collective; 'Kling og Bang'. They re-created a small run-down shack Sirkus located in the middle of Rejakavik, I enjoy being completely envelpoed in site installations and how they can transport you from a ceratin space into a different dimension alot Like Christopher Bruchels installations.
Sirkus was also a favorite watering hole for many of the creative people in Rejkavik, it was cramped, smelly, your shoes sticked to the floor but I loved it.

Clara Clark in discussion with Rebecca Geldard @ The Standpoint Gallery

2008-10-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

Having worked with Tanner prize winner Clara Clark over the summer, it was hard for me to critique her work or view it as a spectator. Which is why I attended her discussion about the sculpture on show at The Standpoint gallery.

Art Rock

2008-10-12T10:06:00.001-07:00

Went to Rosa Tyhursts' Dj night, which is an eclectic mix of world pop, punk and electro. It also involved an art competition to introduce the first years to Kingston University. It also featured music from Christina Sanders and Pete Georgallou.

New work

2008-10-08T15:27:00.000-07:00

Bought a toy killer whale today; named him Rhys. Rosa and I are hoping to make a porcelain cast of him and another trout toy I have and involve them in our next collaboration maybe involving this track by Mr Scruff; http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QSpfZ9I1Qok

2008-10-08T15:24:00.001-07:00

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DGZx3xn5pco

New Saatchi Gallery; From Mao to Now (Private View)

2008-10-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the opening of the new Saatchi gallery in Chelsea (it is the only completely free contemporary art museum of its size in the world).
Charles Saatchi the famed britart instigator opened the doors to his new gallery featuring a show devoted to the latest from China.
I was overall dis-heartened by what was on show, I felt as though there was no point of reference to the work apart from all the artists being Chinese, it all had a dark side, maybe yet again informing us of the restrictions that they have inforced upon them and their art by the Chinese government. But all this seems to be doing is pushing up the prices of their work making nearly almost all of the artists shown multi-millionaires.

Donkey by Zhang Huan

The way the Western art collectors are snapping up any sensational Chinese art makes me see this saatchi show in a trite light. Artist Zhang Huan's studio in Beijing is big enough to rival both Koons and Hirst 'factory line' studios put together, as much as I accept that the art world is run by mainly by business men; dealers and collectors as is always obvious at Frieze Art Fair. I felt this show was too polished and had none of the Saatchi charm of sensations or The Triumph of Painting shows.
However the Old Folks Home installation on the lower floor did bring a smile to my face, it featured mannequins resembling some of the worlds most powerful leaders whizzing around on motorized wheelchairs, greying and senile nearly crashing into each other;
http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1529569286/bclid1364231013/bctid1840646528

Some of my photos of the show/ gallery will be posted soon.

Concrete and Glass @ Shoreditch Town Hall

2008-10-08T14:11:00.001-07:00

Throughout October every Friday and Saturday I will be working at the Heart Of Glass exhibiton in the basement of Shoreditch Town hall it is a music/ arts festival curated by up and coming curator; Flora Fairbairn. It has a lot of great, great sculpture featuring 25 established and emerging artists who have made site specific work for the space.

Some photos will be up soon.

Susan Collis @ The Seventeen Gallery

2008-10-08T13:04:00.000-07:00

I Recently went to a show that my fellow collaber Rosa Tyhurst is working at entitled; 'Sweat' by Susan Collis. The space is converted into a factory line of helpers colouring in long squares with coloured pens. Mimicking the sweat shop/ factory line and churning out hand coloured/ made laundry bags, the type you would find in thrift shops. With delicate precision the patterned biro coloured paper is folded to create these life-like delicate bags. I enjoyed the way in which she addresses the intimate factory element; with the finished product on show whilst you stand un -easy watching the worker bees go about this arduous task.

Some work from her previous show was also there; 'Don't Get Your Hopes Up', whereby she made small interventions within the space such as delibrately placing wall plugs made of gold and gem stones in the wall, but my favourite has to be the paint drips which lead from the entrance to the back of the galley, but on closer inspection are actually mother of pearl. I think this sums up Collis's work quite well as subtle interventions which first hand seem frivilous and can be easily ignored but upon closer inspection is a rewarded discovery. Maybe telling us to always look twice when making assumptions about art.

Unmonumental: The object in the 21st Century

2008-10-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

Bought a really good contemporary sculpture book; 'Unmonumental'. It was based upon an exhibition, exploring the reinvention of sculptural assemblage. Using found, fragmented, and discarded materials, the works of the artists on view make a case for modesty, informality and improvisation. It's a shame I couldn't have caught the show which was at The New Museum, 235 Bowery, New York. It included more than one hundred objects by thirty artists. Some of my favourite featiured artists/ works are;

John Bock

Claire Fontaine

Isa Genzken

Eva Rothschild

Jessica Stockholder

2008-10-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

Clara Clark Re-Creation at The Standpoint Gallery

Mark Tanner Sculpture Award Winner 2007-8

Cloud Machine

Clara Clark is the youngest ever recipient of The Mark Tanner Sculpture prize, throughout the summer I was her assistant in her Hackney studios. Which resulted in a solo show at The Standpoint Gallery, 45 Coronet Street, Hoxton. Clara Clark makes kinetic constructions on an ambitious, impressive scale. She interlocks subtle wit and illusion with macho constructions and mechanics which culminate in an interaction between illusion and materiality. She focuses on what we all look at; clouds, rollin hills, romantic vistas and creates it anew: we are suddenly given a view through a viewing point which creates a narrative of being 'elsewhere'.

Mechanical Sea

Her concern is to repeatedly pull us back to the basic tenets of perception: “In my work the sculptural form is an extravagant tool for producing a live, three-dimensional image. Mechanics and practical elements are left visible in order to preserve the idea that the experience has been constructed; the scene is no more than the materials it is made from, but simple triggers work on the imagination and cause unexpected physical sensations relating to scale and position in space. I’m interested in determining how far removed a representation can be from its source and still be believed in.”

I assisted in creating much of the works that are in the show which is on until the 18th of October, go along!