Exhibitions and Inspirations

Sorry about the recent radio silence, I have had a weird few weeks, and I am still finding this blogging thing quite daunting. But I am back again to update you all on my goings on.

Trying not to delve too far into the past, but over a week ago now I went to Frieze Art Fair in Regents Park. For those of you who have never been, it is a very exciting and exhausting place to be. Based in one huge (and I mean huge!) tent, it is filled with exhibiting galleries from all over the world and it took me and a few others from my class a good few hours to rush around it to see as much as we could. I took photos of over 150 artists work (and didn’t take photos of God knows how many others) and when I got home I was amazed to see how much of the work I found inspiring, moving or even just quite fun. The main thing that hit me was how there was so much work but no two pieces were the same – people are so creative!

I don’t want to bore you with all the 150 artists I found, but how about one highlight? An American artist called Rob Pruitt had two of his pieces displayed;

‘The Flirtation’ (above) and ‘Mona Lisa' (below), both made from acrylic, enamel paint and flocking on canvas.

            These very large paintings by Pruitt almost glowed due to their bright colour and size, and had a really strong presence even when surrounded by so much other work. Pruitt shows real skill in showing emotion by only using 3 signs (the eyes and mouth). He is even able to replicate the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa.

From what I can find in a brief internet search, these paintings are quite different to Pruitt’s other works, but his work is dynamic and exciting, so if you get a moment Google him.

In more recent history, yesterday I went to the best exhibition I’ve been to in ages! If you haven’t seen my work before, you won’t know that it involves a lot of work around pattern and repeats. Because of this, it is hard to avoid a connection between my work and that of William Morris. Not that I am anywhere near up to his talent and skill, but I do find his work inspiring. So, when my printing tutor, Richard, told me about an exhibition at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow called ‘Inspired by Morris’, I had to go. Especially as Richard has some of his own work exhibited within it.

London based artists were asked to study the work and life of William Morris, and then make work as a reaction to that. Most of the exhibition was in one room, but there were some pieces integrated with the rest of the gallery and interspersed with Morris’ own work. The artists had created all sorts of different pieces, including screen-printing, drawing, painting, calligraphy, sculpture, stained glass, video installation, embroidery and much more. Like at Frieze, I was struck by the variety and creativity of artists, even when they are working from the same source.

The exhibition is running until the 24^th December, and I would highly recommend going to see it if you get the chance. The question in my mind was; would my work, one day, fit in amongst an exhibition like this?