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

The "Golden" End of an Era

Damien Hirst

The Golden Jubilee (Red) 2008

End of an Era

Damien Hirst is showing at the Gagosian again. This time at the Uptown Madison location.

The exhibit gives out a leaflet that begins with this dialogue:

Gordon Brown: If you want to make fun of somebody, who would it be?

Damien Hirst: God

So with "End of an Era" he seems to be playing with the thought of the end of time as much as the end of our wealth, I guess. It is then funny how he does it with help of diamonds and gold, climaxing in a Bull's Head with Golden Horn which actually bears the title of the show.

This time Hirst uses artificially made diamonds after having famously used 20 million dollars on a diamond skull in 2007 (For the love of God). Criticized for maybe having used blood diamonds, he still sold the skull for 100 million dollar, so I guess it was worth it.

I think his work has great intrigue, but some of these pieces remind me of Trump tower ornaments and that is really not my favorite part of this amazing city. 

I want to end it with a comment from a man who came up to me during the viewing.

"Ha, this is like the Tiffany of art isn't it. I don't like any of it. Give me the Lichtenstein (Entablature #4 1971) or the Walter de Maria (Large Rod Series: Circle/Rectangle 11, 1986) instead, those are the only ones I like here"

I couldn't help but laugh a little. It is just so refreshing when people speak their mind, and it happens way too rarely. Now, I didn't particularly think those two pieces were that interesting, and would have run away with a Hirst any time, but he had a point.

       Forgotten Promises