REVIEW

Reviewing the Shadow Catchers photography exhibition

Shadow Catchers, which follows a subtitle as Camera-less Photography, “presents the work of five international contemporary artists- Floris Neususs, Pierre Cordier, Susan Derges, Garry Fabian Miller and Adam Fuss- who work without a camera. Instead, they create images on photographic paper by casting shadows and manipulating light, or by chemically treating the surface of the paper.”

In fact, I found that there were so many differences between each photographer (or artists). They used the similar materiel  to create their own work but actually did different pieces of art.  Like the one of Floris’ considered the light issue while the one of Garry’s concerned more about the time. The artists hold a different purpose or idea to create. Thus, we felt the disharmony throughout the exhibition. This made us more interested in searching and questioning about the topic that what is the exact mean of photography. We can explore for the answer through all the works of these five artists. 

The most abstracted one for me was the works created by Garry Fabian Miller. He “discovered a method of using a photographic enlarger that allowed a direct translation between plants and the photographic print. Many of his works explore the cycle of time over a day, month or year, through controlled experiments with varying durations of light exposure.” His idea of time is the one that most interesting me. The works named Delphi number 1 to 8 were telling his visual understand about time. It was showing a group of leaves that he exposed their shape and colour day by day. It came out different colour in a durations of days. At my point of view, I was tracing the time’s going day by day, which is a so fascinating idea of seeing the time visually. 

The other thing that worth to say about is the video that interviewing each artist. Sometimes, I found that it is more senseful of the video to watch how artist making their works or listen to their interpretation for their own ideas. In some way, I realise that it might be more meaningful in the process that we are creating something rather than the final achieved works itself. 

Review of V&A Product design collection exhibition

I would like to say there were a lot of design I like in the exhibition. The most interesting one for me is the Radio in a Bag. It was a so clever idea from the materials it used to the form of presenting. 

                    

“Product design involves different collecting criteria than are applied to more traditional objects. While a consistent, identifiable, and often aristocratic provenance is regarded as one determinant of significance for the historic objects in the Museum, examples of modern product design often come from everyday, anonymous consumers or international manufacturers. By virtue of its nature as a market- or consumer-led industrial activity within a capitalist economy, product design enables the Museum to chart the relationship of design, industry, and society in the twentieth century.”

“Daniel Weil’s Radio in a Bag subverts our preconceptions of the appearance of audio equipment, which, by the 1970s, was dominated by hard-edged black and chrome boxes, visual indicators of high technology. The flexible and transparent bag features the radio’s scattered components as the object’s decoration, while also demystifying the mechanism and allowing for easy maintenance. About ten thousand were made, most of which were sold in Japan. Weil studied architecture in his native city of Buenos Aires and then moved to London to study industrial design. His “plastic bag” clocks, radios, and lights earned him international recognition, and he has designed for several major manufacturers of quality products.”

I can not help to quote all the description about Daniel Weil’s Radio in a Bag as above. It is much more clear and obvious to tell the significant character of the work using such a formal introduction.  Personally, I feel the simple but smart idea directly through the object. After I found the critique writing from V&A website, I learnt that sometimes simple can also mean incredible clever. Furthermore, clever idea always can make riches both materially and mentally. People love to buy something smart and stylish. Especially when we produce clever ideas on a smart look object, it is more effective than making a stodgy advertisement. I am saying with respect and grateful.  

Review of Anish Kapoor’s Turning the world upside down-kensington gardens exhibition

exhibition describing  

“It takes place in the beautiful surroundings of one of London’s eight Royal Parks, showcasing a series of major recent works never before shown together in London. Kapoor’s stainless steel sculptures are situated within the beautiful landscapes and stunning setting of Kensington Gardens. This free exhibition runs across autumn, winter and spring, reflecting the different colours, elements and moods of the changing seasons.”

Feeling

Walking into the garden is an enjoyable thing. When we saw the stunning sculpture setting in the middle of the river or under a tree, we were not thinking about the sculpture itself but the fantasy view upon us. The reflection shown on the mirror-like surfaces confused us but also fascinated us. “Despite their monumentality, the works seemingly exist through the reflection of their surroundings: the sky, trees, water, passing swans, or people.”

One of my friend told me that he felt it looked like dragging the heaven down to our earth. I think this is what the title of the works trying to tell us, it is making the world upside down here. My favourite one is NO. A work named Sky Mirror 2006 which is setting on the other side of the Longwater. On the first glance, we could not tell what exactly was there. Or we could say that we could not believe that there was a piece of sky right in front of us. It stood out because we had a distance far from it. Looking by the angle, we could only see the pure sky on the surface. It felt like the boundary between sky and ground had been disappeared  at that point. What a wonder land there!

The whole group of works really inspired us to think about our relationship with nature surrounding.  At the same time, I also admire our mankind having such a intelligent idea and representing it in such a smart way. It  always can be seen in another way onto something which is too common to us in our life time.