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London Biennale 2004
Beneath the Institute of Physics near Regent's Park is a new exhibition of works by new artists. It contains a display of new photographic pieces of my friend from New York who invited me for the private viewing today.
In the last hour of the private viewing, I listened to different artists talk about their latest work. I enjoy hearing artists describe what instigated a new piece, what motivated them, the decisions they had to make regarding a piece, and how they felt about what they had done. It's more enlightening than to read a short paragraph about an art work that's been put together by a curator.
One diminutive lady described the diminutive oil paintings of photos she took of her studio. At least, that's what I think she said. The audience was very enthusiastic and supportive of her work. Personally, I prefer big generous canvasses where you have the freedom to splash paint. Similarly, with handwriting --- I once stopped corresponding with someone simply because his writing was so tiny that I had to strain my eyes to read it.
Another artist explained why she decided to cut pages of hardback books such that the paper spirals flowed out like waterfalls. Books were important to her, she said. Books were knowledge. She wanted to illustrate how knowledge spilled out from the books that contained it.
One of the last artists to speak was a lady who had prepared to sing to a Walkman. The Walkman symbolised the little bird in her big painting. She suggested that we imagine that she's singing to the little bird in her hand. The little bird coughed and hiccupped while she tried various rewind and forward buttons and flipped the cassette over and over again to look for her piano accompaniment. Either she was nervous or she hadn't rehearsed this performance art. When the piano accompaniment finally came, it didn't sound like a bird at all. Neither did she.
The event gave me an idea. Why not have various live composers talk about their own works which get performed in a special evening? I wouldn't be surprised if one of the composers brings a piece of art work to company his piece.
4 August 2004 Wednesday
Related links:
London Biennale 2004
analyticalQ show reviews
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