LONDON ART

I visited London last Wednesday and saw some of my favourite exhibitions to date, so I thought I’d share them with you. As I have been dealing with gender-based issues within my own work recently, the exhibitions I aimed to see carried similar themes, so if you are sensitive or uninterested in Feminism or gender inspired art, keep reading, as I hope these exhibitions will inspire you to take interest and consider how easily comforting it can be to relate to artwork such as this.

JUDY CHICAGO & LOUISE BORGEOIS, HELEN CHADWICK, TRACEY EMIN

A Transatlantic dialogue
14th November 2012 – 10th March
Ben Uri Gallery

This exhibition consists predominantly of a selection of work by critically acclaimed American artist, Judy Chicago. Viewing this exhibition is like taking a trip back in time, working your way through the artwork, from Chicago’s earliest Feminist works to present day. Bourgeois, Chadwick and Emin contextualize Chicago’s work, allowing to viewer to draw their own exciting comparisons and ultimately see how the work has developed over time.

Judy Chicago touring and giving a detailed commentary of her work at Ben Uri.

ANNABEL NICOLSON

Film in Space: An exhibition of film and expanded cinema selected by Guy Sherwin
15th December 2012 – 24th February 2013
Camden Arts Centre

Annabel Nicolson exhibits amongst an array of other film makers/artists in this wonderfully neat and tidy show at Camden Arts Centre. Any obsessive compulsively neat person viewing Film in Space will find this exhibition extremely pleasing to the eye. I found it very charming and beautiful for film to be displayed in such an original way; the way the film rotates around the spool is almost an artwork in itself. Out of all of the gorgeous works here, I recommend Annabel Nicolson’s, but of course if you get a chance to visit, please view all of the work. Take-away information is displayed on many of the works and there are files full of information on Nicolson and a digital copy of these are available through the bookshop. Simply give the bookshop assistant your e-mail address and the artist will e-mail you the information (I have yet to receive mine but I am sure it is on its way).

Nicolson’s work is curiously private and personal, much like Judy Chicago’s, and I felt quite privileged to be allowed to view it. There was something unapologetically delicate and feminine about the work, but rather than losing strength because of this, I felt that the work gained character and power.

Ones to see:

I also would urge any art fan to check out the bookshop at the Camden Arts Centre. There is a sale on at the moment and I picked up a Lorna Simpson book for a mere £5. The blurb is as follows;

'At a time when relations between races, cultures and genders are often confused and uncomfortable, Simpson’s efforts to reveal the knots of ignorance and misunderstanding that restrict our sense of community have an importance that goes beyond the usual perimeters of art.'

Interested? The book can be purchased here.

Captions; 1. Women and Smoke, Judy Chicago. 1974. 2 &3. Autobiography of a Year (140 drawings), Judy Chicago. 1993-4. 4 &5. Piano Film, Annabel Nixon. 1976. Black & white.

-ANNA