The Turner Prize 2009

The Turner Prize is arguably the most prestigious art award of our time. It is now celebrating 25 years and has always encouraged an active opinion from the public. This year the four shortlisted artists are Lucy Skaers, Richard Wright, Enrico David and Roger Hiorns.

Lucy Skaer often uses found photographic imagery which she removes from the original context and translates into what she describes as 'another language'. She aims to slow down our comprehension in what we are looking at, and this is evident in her piece "Leviathon Edge" 2009. This work shows a whale's skull suspended and contained within a space and segregated from the rest of the room. The viewer can only see the skull through purposeful gaps in these walls. The effect of this is that we are made to look at the object in sections but rather than cutting the skull into pieces we are still aware that it exists as a whole. This noticeably changes the way we look at it. Her work stems from reality but is transformed into something both familiar and unfamiliar at the same moment in time. I found her work predictable and tame. Work that is asking you to question how you physically look at things is dull in my opinion.

The work of Richard Wright responds directly to the space in which they are situated. He creates subtle and exquisite paintings that focus on the temporary nature of art. He says "space is a work already begun" and that he can "feel the air". He wants to "open up a visual world of the unseen". These beliefs that are evident through his practice make his work magical and 'special', unique to the particular situation he is in. He paints directly on the walls of the space, and questions the value of art, knowing that his paintings will not exist after the show. His piece "No Title" 2009 is created using gold leaf, upon entering the room you are faced with a delicate yet magnificent painting.

"No Title" 2009, Richard Wright.

Enrico David, a contemporary surrealist, is perhaps one of the most perplexing artists in this years show. He creates unsettling and disconcerting imagery through drawing, painting and sculpture. His work focuses on the human body and an awkward fit into the world. This is not merely a response to self consciousness, more a production of a paranoid nightmare. "Absuction Cardigan" 2009 is something comparable to an obscure shop window display. The oversized limbs of a human figure are draped over the scene linking different objects within the piece. It expresses a physical and emotional crisis, concerned mainly with gender and sexuality. I feel that his work is therapy on the self, I was left unsettled and intrigued about the artist himself rather than the artwork.

"Absuction Cardigan" 2009, Enrico David.

The most publicly favored artist to win this year is Roger Hiorns, he uses organic materials allowing the element of chance into his work. As he states, he becomes "an objective viewer of his own process". The artist combines unusual resources to create powerful sculpture and installation. "Seizure" is the most extravagant of all the pieces. Hiorn flooded a London flat with a copper sulphate solution which he then left to cool and crystalize. The end results are beautiful but this is not the half of it, when the process is considered this work becomes powerfully exceptional. "Untitled" 2008 is an atomised passenger plane, the final product, a very fine grey dust, is displayed on the floor of the show. This piece challenges our faith in technology and the entropy of all things. Concepts aside the art of Richard Hiorn is truly epic.

"Seizure" Richard Hiorns.

Serpentine Gallery - Gustav Metzger -"Decades 1959- 2009"

The first piece upon entering the exhibition is a collection of newspapers that the artist has obtained since 1995. It is an interactive installation where the viewer is encouraged to comment on the news within them. Titled "Eichmann and the Angel" the piece along with his other works explores political and environmental issues, he focuses on the destructive powers of the 20th Century society. The participative aspect and content of the work allow exploration and communication between the public and this is what makes the work so successful rather than the impact of the archive of newspapers in the space.

The section focusing on historical photographs was particularly effective. Metzger displays large prints of World War 2. He uses the viewer's sensitivity towards child suffering to create high impact works. The images alone would prompt a melancholic response but this is exaggerated by the techniques he has used to show them. Or rather hide them. One particular piece was set on the floor, it was covered by a green piece of fabric. The viewer was invited to lift the material and crawl underneath to view the image in a completely unusual way. I participated in this and felt an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia, the fabric on top of me was heavier than I had expected and it took, what felt like, a long time for me to crawl from one end to the other. When the top of the image is reached a line of Jewish children is revealed. It is really quite powerful. Another woman took part in this act and as I watched her I felt that the work viewed with the involvement of the moving body, was just as, if not more significant to what is experienced when in it yourself.

I thought the variation of works in this exhibition made for a really interesting show. The artist's focus on the human experience is portrayed in a relevant, informative and active way, which in turn allows for major thought and questioning.

Critique of Andrzej Ford's Video Piece.

As a group we questioned the patience required to appreciate video art, it is an experience that requires a more controlled amount of time. Even though, with this example, the video is on an everlasting loop, there is still a strong aspect of time. The repetition of both the sound and the projection had the effect of being stuck in that space of existence, it was mesmerising. The pace of the recordings were fast but the speed could not be described as overly frantic. There was an element of panic to what was being witnessed but not one of urgency.

We follow the audio recording through a narrow corridor and turn a corner before viewing the projection. The sound loops contain recordings of what appear to be movements of something mechanical, and a sampling of a woman's voice. The distortion gave an unsettling feeling in the stomach. The artist has used a 'sandwiching' effect enclosing the viewer not only in the surrounding walls but having the projection on one side and the sound coming from the opposite. We are physically trapped in this ongoing moment until we decide to come back through the way we came. This is a very powerful technique and not something that usually occurs when viewing video art. However maybe it is made too obvious, that the viewer is literally forced into this space and then held there by the blockage of people through the narrow space. But for those of us to lazy to allow video art to make an impact maybe this is the only way.

This piece prompts you to feel emotion, it is not informative it is not entertaining, it is purely to allow the viewer to be in touch with the experience. We are made to feel sensitive from the beginning. The mixture between the familiar and the unfamiliar strengthens the surreal pace of the recordings. This is clearly a representation or manipulation of something that exists in reality. As the viewer trapped in this situation we begin searching for rhythm, pattern and order, whether these things can be predicted or whether we are left in a situation that is completely unknown, completely out of our hands. The repetitive vertical lines and gradient colours that appear in the projection have an aesthetic quality about them, comparable to a moving painting. This idea is supported by the unusual size of the image, we are viewing something that is a portal or insight into something else.

In conclusion I feel that this piece has the potential to be a success and with fine tuning it would not be out of place alongside other similar works. I do however find it hard to feel the any kind of inspirational or sensory impact from such work because there is an element of force involved. The process of recording and distorting is a controlling aspect in itself. The feeling of motion feels fake rather than controlled.

Critique of Oliver Place's Work.

The artist has created a sculpture reusing pieces of wood from objects such as crates and chairs, they have been screwed together to create a ramp. The sculpture is stylised, it appears to look old, weathered and haphazard in form and physicality. It is interesting to question the artist's intentions here. Was the ramp created to look like something that once held strength but in time has aged? Or was it being shown for what it is, a new creation made from objects with history in themselves?

The piece is lit from the bottom of the 'runway', it stands away from the surrounding walls and at an angle. I got the impression that the ramp was a proud success, a display of something quite personally triumphant to the artist.

A ramp is seen as a device for getting up and down, whether that is for entertainment, recreation or practicality. It is therefore significant that this ramp is not suitable for use at all. The positioning of the light almost dares the viewer to walk onto it's precariously joined wooden pieces. This could be read as a metaphor for dangerous challenges, and could be a show of a boyish sense of adventure.

What is it the artist is wanting us to feel from this 'ramp'? In my personal opinion you cannot present something and pretend it is another, there has to be a level of honesty towards the viewer. I do however feel that with this piece the artist successfully allows the viewer to take part in a narrative, but one that is understood as that rather than a reality. This is something I have only just thought about and will be incorporated into my future studio practice.

Critique of Dee Edmond's Painting

The work shown to us is a singular painting, it is displayed on an unpainted chip board style background. The boards are arranged so that the painting is in an alcove, as though the image is receding back from than the space of the viewer. This was unusual, maybe the intention was to keep a minimal number of people viewing the painting at one time. As though this was something to be looked at and contemplated alone.

The content of the painting could be described as a fantasy landscape, the colours used are creamy pastel shades of complementary yellows and purples. If the painting was to continue outside of the frame I would expect or imagine the area to be quite a vast space. Which is why I found the alcove unnecessarily 'cosy'.

When we are talking about what certain things symbolise we can become conflicted between quite opposite ideas. For example regarding colour use it is hard to say whether the artist has used particular shades to express one thing or completely another. The response can become very subjective to the viewer.

The space in the painting has been given perspective by the use of a two chairs and two main subjects. In the background we see a women with her hand on top of one of the chairs and in the foreground we see a crow stood on top of the other. There appears to be a communicative relationship between the two, or rather a lack of. The crow faces into the painting and towards the women with it's beak open as though aiming sound at her. The woman's face looks away from the bird and out of the painting. The artist appears to be conveying a situation between the two living entities that is somewhat serious or meaningful. The colours used in these two parts of the painting are darker. They separate themselves from the otherwise dream like world presented to us. A chair is what we can relate to as something from everyday life, something that is real and 'usual'. It appears significant that both the woman and the crow are holding onto these, as though striving to keep into the realms of reality.

We can assume that this scenario is imagined, created or 'tweaked' by the artist herself, the choice of bird type gives the impression of a fable or story with a meaning. Crows can symbolise prophecy to those who choose to believe and were often creatures used as familiars to witches. To add to this one interpretation crows are seen to be very intelligent on a scientific level. It is hard to believe that the use of this bird in her painting is due to chance or 'random' choice. The haze of colours and woman's clothing support that this is a representation of a magical happening.

On technical analysis we can see that there are flecks in the paint of dust and brush hairs. Once these have been noted it is harder to accept the painting as a successful piece of work. Through history paintings have been regarded as insights, there is something powerful and almost godly about them. Maybe this is an old fashioned way of thinking, but none the less the professionalism and the overall outcome of this painting is lessened by these lazy 'mistakes'. This is true also of the shoddy board on which the image is painted onto. If an artist is to make money selling his or her work, care and attention needs to be made to presentation as well as content.

Frieze Art Fair

Frieze Art Fair is an event that takes place every October in Regents Park, London. It features more than 150 international galleries, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to see and buy art by world leading artists.

We attended the fair on the first day of public opening. Each section represented a separate gallery. As I walked from one to the next the displayed works projected freshness, it was obvious that the art’s existence here was only a temporary arrangement. Instead of snaking around the Fair in alphabetical order we ended up playing it by eye, leaving it up to our natural attraction and interest to lead the way. The sheer size of the temporary building and the overwhelming amount of work being displayed meant that as the viewer, before long, works were being overlooked. It was interesting to note this dismissal. Connection to an art piece is a subjective response, but some works were more popular than others on a collective level.

Overall the day seemed very sales orientated, the individuals working in each section became less like invigilators and more like salespeople. This was disappointing because when questions were asked about the works a response similar to a sales pitch was replied, even to viewers like me who, I would assume, were obviously unlikely to be buyers. It became as though I was walking around a 3-dimensional catalogue. The impact of my preferred pieces was diluted by the quantity of work and the ‘wrong’ intention of a large proportion of the viewers. I believe that the authenticity or ‘magic’ of art is what makes it powerful or worthwhile, and not the price tag.

I was affected by the piece titled “The Thinker” (artist unknown). The concept was describing intellectual equality, which was highly relevant to the event as a whole. The table top with wine bottle and glass is held up by the figure below wrapped in an old quilt. I felt the artist was trying to express the respect given to those who hold wealth over those who think about the ‘true meaning’ of life.

Another work of interest was by an artist who does not belong to a gallery. On revision I believe she would probably call this a ‘found object’, because that is exactly what it is. The piece of glasses frame was found in exactly this way, and although there is an urge as the viewer to question “why?” I believe that the object gives most impact when it is just accepted as being.

Art like this excites me. There is something innocent and pure here that does not relate to money. In my opinion the creation of art should not focus on selling to individuals who appear to have more money than sense.

Something I read written by the artist Wolfgang Tillman’s in interview with Isa Genzken is this, “you can divide art into two groups. One consists in the will to show: I am making something. The other arises from an immediate interest in the world and things.” This is one area of debate I face when making art, I feel art that is forced or contrived can become worthless.

An example of art created by people outside this network of high society galleries is shown in The Museum of Everything, which has opened this month, in Primrose Hill, London. At present the museum is showing over 200 drawings, paintings, sculptures and installations all made by people described as ‘unknowns’. James Brett, creator of the Museum, says: "For these artists there are no studios, no press junkets, no art fairs, no magazine spread. Instead there are treasure troves of untrained work, discovered under rocks, in basements and attics, its creators often unaware that their art would ever see the light of day."

Billy Cowie Lecture October 12th

Billy Cowie is an artist primarily known as a choreographer of dance and theatre performance. His works are shown under separate subtitles, the overall titling being ''Archaic Dance''. Cowie's introduction describes how he was formally in a band and his desire to involve dances into music entertainment evenings. "Hop on Pops" was an example of a choreographed dance to be performed in bars and clubs alongside bands. Restraints of this system were the small spaces to work with and that the audience were often present with intention to experience music, not dance. To overcome the latter Cowie used humor as a way to connect to the viewer.

"Drool and Drivel They Care" is a subtitle to some of his works involving representations of Margaret Thatcher. Parts of her speeches are used as audio to accompany the movements. Cowie describes how the human voice can become musical when sections of a phrase or sentence are repeated. "Moaning Minnies" is a title to a piece within this subtitle. It shows two dancers dressed as the former prime minister in a comical interaction between one another. One drops litter whilst the other picks it up and then visa versa. This relates to an apparently true story where Margaret Thatcher had someone scatter rubbish around a park so that she could be filmed picking it up.

Cowie enjoys live performance because of the essence of the dancers being present, but understands that the details, for example facial expressions, of each dancer cannot be fully appreciated unless film is used. The artist explains how the control over what the audience is viewing is important to him. "Motion Control" is described as almost a duet between camera and solo dancer. The piece gives the impression that the camera has some kind of existence, that it is alive. Cowie has linked sounds to the movements of the camera, these are ambiguous so as to leave the interpretation of the 'thing' behind the camera to the viewer.

The experience of a live dance was missing from these works, this lack of reality inspired the artist to use 3D installation film. In this series Cowie encourages the viewer to use 3D glasses, "Swing low Sweet Cheerio" is an example of this. The piece shows three women apparently in separate doorways as though forever trapped in this existence. They pass their time by dancing and chatting to one another.

It is evident in Cowie's work that the artist wants to bring a certain reality to his work as though the choreographed pieces are in a natural existence, rather than something that starts and finishes on a stage. Whether that is by putting a dance into a social or more usual happening, shown in the bar and club performances. Or by using camera shots to make the viewer feel they are seeing the situation through the eyes of a creature or machine, as exampled in "Motion Control". His installation works of recent try to incorporate the essence of the dancers in the same space as viewer with allusions that are easily created using film, still keeping to the idea that these scenarios are authentic in reality.