Surrealism in Leeds

Glen Baxter

Immured in Hessian

Flowers Gallery

At the Flowers Gallery I was taken off guard a little when I noticed these sort of "Cowboy" drawings. The fashionable address and the contrast to the other exhibit in the Gallery with Freya Payne (Painfully good). It felt good to just laugh a little and also connect with other viewers who began to laugh with me. 

I must admit that I at first looked at them and said to myself...oh, no how dull! 

Humor is a rare element in Art, and Glen Baxter has the strength to bring it forth through his surrealism. Baxter is well known for his work in Vanity Fair, Vogue, Le Monde, The Independent on Sunday and The New Yorker.

Have a fabulous weekend!

With Love 

Kristin

As I see You!

Zaha Hadid b. 1950

By Michael Craig-Martin 2008

LCD monitor/computer with integrated software.

National Portrait Gallery

London

"Founded in 1856, the aim of the National Portrait Gallery, London is to promote through the medium of portraits the appreciation and understanding of the men and women who have made and are making British history and culture, and... to promote the appreciation and understanding of portraiture in all media." 

The National Portrait Gallery is quite a treat, an enjoyable adventure into the soul of creators. The once that has their portrait here has most certainly created a world interesting subjects outside.

The peculiarly wonderful about portraits are that the photographer/painter... is not doing a work of its own imagination but more pulling out the essence of the person its portraying. Having once portrait made, must be horrifying in its truthfulness but also tempting with its honor of longevity.

The Iranian born (lives in London) Zaha Hadid is the most successful female Architect in the history.

Her portrait is undoubtedly special and a departure from the traditional portrait, with the computer image constantly changing color configurations and therefore creates an endlessly changing picture.

Harold Pinter 1930-2008

By Justin Mortimer

oil on canvas

Having studied acting you have to at one point fall in love with Harold Pinter's knack of words and sentences. Sharp dialogues, comical but complex and serious as well. My favorite play of his is "The Lover". Enjoying the simplicity of this portrait, with mountains of scripts, it sort of plays with the brilliant mind and the landscape of meaning he has left behind. The red - well passion of course!

Sir Paul Smith b. 1946

by James Lloyd

oil on canvas

Every mans favorite designer? At least my husbands, who makes greater suits than Paul Smith?

Great cut, great patterns and fabulous details.

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Tracy Emin b. 1963

By David Bailey

The most talked about British Artist these days, I can't wait to have an opportunity to go to a solo exhibit of hers - it is bound to be... progressive.

Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997)

By Bryan Organ

You can't represent the portrait gallery without a dip into the Royals. Britain is a Monarchy after all... which will not be forgotten this spring....There are parties lined up even in our street already!

Queen Elizabeth b. 1926

By Andy Warhol

"Long... live the Queen"

Stanley Kubrick 1928-1999

by Dmitri Kasterine

Mr. Kubrick one of the most brilliant film makers of our time and was probably the worst one to work for? His films are so incredibly detailed and thought through, I will have to give him a deep royal curtsy. Think of "A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A space Odyssey and Eyes wide Shut (yes, I actually enjoyed that one a lot...).

Francis Bacon 1909-1992

By Dmitri Kasterine

The Dubliner who became one of the most famous British painters and should I say characters of British history last century. He has definitely made his presence and his work deserves the credit given.

Mary McCartney

Self Portrait

Do not forget Stella's older sister Mary a successful photographer, artist and a great campaigner for Breast Cancer awareness after their mother Linda's death.

At the end of your stay at the Portrait Gallery, don't forget to have a glass of Champagne at the restaurant on the top... it has stunning views.

With Love 

Kristin

Single form

MODERN BRITISH SCULPTURE

Royal Academy of Arts

From what I have seen so far in London The Modern British Sculpture show at the Royal Academy of Arts is my favorite. So if you are visiting London before the 7th of April, this should be on your must do list!

Here I have tried to be an undercover photographer again and my luck only lasted for two pictures before I got discovered.  Fortunately, I captured the stunning "Pelagos" sculpture by Barbara Hepworth.

She has been a darling of the British art world and together with Henry Moore they represented the face of British sculptures in the 50's. Soon there will open a Gallery to honor Hepworh in Wakefield and the architect behind this exciting new space is David Chipperfield. 

Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975)

Pelagos 1946

part-painted wood and strings

Barbara Hepworth

 Single form (Memorial 1961/62)

Bronze

"Single Form" is after what I understand a copy of the one that was commissioned by the United Nations to commemorate the premature death in 1961 of its Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold. The original is located at the UN Plaza in New York.

The show contains work from artists like Jacob Epstein...Henry Moore... Anthony Caro to more contemporary Artists like Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst.
Damien Hirst with his work "Let's eat outdoors today". Whatever you feel about Hirst, one cannot forget that he is a master of penetrating your brain. Here with a hermetic box showing an abandoned Barbecue engulfed in flies and filth.

Damien Hirst 

"Let's Eat Outdoors Today" 1990/91

(Photographer unknown)

Since I was stopped during my sneak photographing... I will end here and just show you another reason why going to the Royal Academy of Arts is a brilliant idea. The new Restaurant:

(The most fancy cauliflower soup ever, an artwork in itself.)

I will have to go back soon!

With Love 

Kristin

Kristin

Wallpaper Characters

Cindy Sherman

Spruth Magers Gallery (London)

What is more appropriate than a Wallpaper Art Show in London? The home of wallpaper (at least in my mind). Cindy Sherman, one of the most successful female artists at the moment can afford to play and take chances. She is famous for using herself in a lot of work, but the photography does not usually represent her, but more a character she portrays. By costumes, wigs and expressions she becomes another person, admirably done without the effects of make-up.

"The various personas animating this new body of work were created as shrines to nondescript, eccentric characters who might also be seen to denote sentries, guarding the entrance to some fabled land, casting ambiguous and disconcerting glances at the viewer."

         Spruth Magers

At the Spruth Magers the Cindy Sherman photographic murals, which are all untitled pigment print on phototex adhesive, fabric, is covering all the walls in the two rooms of the Gallery Space. 

Entertained, I asked about how this can be accumulated by a collector? and was told that after the show is over this will be destroyed. But should I wish to buy it, an edition of the work could be installed in the space that I would want it, entailing that every installation will be unique.

For the New Yorkers, there will be a Cindy Sherman solo exhibit coming up at MoMA the 26th of February until 4th of June next year, should be exciting!

With Love

Kristin

Designated for Leisure!

Robert Fry

Drawing Room Study 7

2008

The Saatchi Gallery

Sloane Square, London

So Valentines day is over for this year... and I thought it would be like last year, some flowers, some wine and some good food. I gave my man a road map over France... dreaming of driving to Champagne...But, then during my scampi appetizer at the local Sardinian restaurant I was surprised with an invitation to the Babington House in Somerset for the weekend. During the rest of the meal there was nothing else to do but to smile. I am so grateful for my wonderful life.

These pictures are from my recent trip to the Saatchi Gallery where I fell in love with the Robert Fry Paintings. Gorgeous, slightly whimsical sensuality.

Robert Fry

Drawing Room Study 5

2008

Ansel Krut

Arse Flowers in Bloom

2010

Flower stills are again in flavor...and refreshingly so here with Ansel Krut.

Anthea Hamilton

The Piano Lesson

2007

Jonathan Wateridge

Jungle scene with plane wreck

2007

Dick Evans

Black Grape

2006

Maurizio Anzeri

Rebecca

2009

Toby Ziegler

(insert) Designated for Leisure

2004

Juliana Cerqueira Leita

Up

Down

2008

Charles Saatchi whom I wrote about in an earlier blog is known for his genius in picking new and promising talent. All the artwork represented in his Gallery right now, is done by young artists living mostly in Britain but also a few residing in New York and Berlin. The Gallery flows beautifully from room to room and while you are viewing the newcomers you can't help but think; which one of them or how many will hit the big bank? I mean Saatchi is best known for launching great careers for the artists that he picks.

With Love 

Kristin

The Old Sweet Shop

The Old Sweet Shop

Southfields (London)

It is Valentines Day! A day when we should enjoy and treasure those that are close to us!

My Friend Joe Madeira has his own little Limited Edition Print Gallery in the Southfields (Close to Wimbledon).

An adorable spot that creates an environment that we all would like to have around us.

On the first floor is the Gallery, in the back Joe has his own studio. Upstairs other artists and Graphic designers rents their own desk space and together they have their own little community.

Wall Art by

Freya Harrison

Photography by Joe Madeira

Limited edition Graphic Prints

by Paul Farrell

The Shop

Happy Valentines Day!

Must it be good

With Love

Kristin

The word made Flesh

Mask x, 1982

John Stezaker

Whitechapel Gallery

London

So far the London Art world has presented me with lots of collages and vintage postcards. When I went to the Whitechapel Gallery today and viewed these poetic compositions I got so excited that I hurried home to share them with you.... as a continuation from my last post.

"I love that moment of discovery, when something appears out of the ground of its disappearance: the anonymous space of circulation, where images remain unseen and overlooked."

     John Stezaker

Mask xxxv, 2007

Jean Stezaker's psychological twists gives you the pleasure of a double meaning with each and every one of the objects. You put yourself into the sub consciousness of the protagonist in the picture and continue into their dreamland.

Bridge (B) I, 2007

A brilliant interpretation of a father son relationship, the closeness and the distance.

Mask, IV, 2005

I will let you interpret this one...

Pair I, 2007

This picture makes me think of love as a beautiful garden we grow together, wild, harmonious and connected.

Sonata, 2009

Who has not fallen into a dreamland of nature when you've heard the harmony of a piece of classical music?

Negotiable space I, 1978

Freudianism at its peak.

The Word Made Flesh, 1978

"The word was made flesh and dwelt among us."

     John 1. Verse 14. (King James Bible)

Untitled, 1989-90

This collage makes me think of my favorite Hitchcock movie "The Birds" and also brings me to how I would like to see my own headspace....As a little lighthouse....

Hope you enjoyed the adventure

With Love

Kristin