A City of Delights
London was still at that time – and probably still is – the major centre for art in the United Kingdom. It was always a treat to head for Cork Street in London’s West End and visit the cluster of galleries that flourished there. This would be after attending specific official work meetings. There was the impression given that certain works of art were represented based on the reputed ‘market value’ of the works of the artist. Other works could be appreciated with regard to the obvious originality and skill of the artist. There was, however, an obvious diversity of preferences within the legion of art connoisseurs that sustained such a market. There was always something of note, however, to discover from such forays. One gallery, for example, had an extensive collection of drawings by Sylvia Plath – better known perhaps for her literary skills. As far as I recall, all the items on display in the gallery carried a little red dot – all promptly sold and probably lost to the clutches of private collectors. Collections of her drawings, however, have been published previously by Faber and a new edition is expected by the end of 2022.
A new episode of experiencing art was to be ushered in, however, by accepting tickets for an up and coming Affordable Art Fair in London. These had been provided by a recently opened contemporary art gallery in Uppingham, Leicestershire. The first venue was at Battersea and the car journey through the unfamiliar streets of South London was in itself an adventure. The venue was a semi-permanent large marquee structure, large enough to provide exhibition space for over 100 independent galleries from around the United Kingdom and further afield. Progressing carefully along the aisles of chatty exhibitors, it would take several hours to appreciate the wares on show. For myself the greatest point of learning was about technique and materials used in various of the works of art since this would often be the key to the novelty and originality of the items on display. One artist had utilised the properties of metals with a low melting point to create shapes formed from rapid cooling of the molten material. This interest related to personal interests in producing some kind of art output using at that time aerosol spray paints and stencils. This technique appealed to me since it allowed neat, crisp lines to be created – something a paintbrush in the hand seemed incapable of achieving.
There were also applications based on the trappings of a era of abundant technology – where, for example, images could be projected on screens to communicate mood parameters and thoughts that even its creator never fully appreciated – let along the public strolling by. The key achievement perhaps was that a particular installation was original – there was only one in the known universe and here it was on planet Earth in Battersea. As technology progresses both in function and affordability, this strand of contemporary art will continue to gather advantage. At the same time, however, perhaps the public’s expectation of the power of technology also gathers pace. The other London venue of the Affordable Art Fair was at Hampstead Heath and which was a slightly easier to destination to head for being only about ten miles from the southern end of the M1 motorway. This was where the free on-site parking was a particular bonus.
There is no doubt, however, that exposure to such an array of visual experiences at such exhibitions provides both fuel and new road maps to the inner creative focus. New ideas would be taken away and acted on. One intriguing exhibit was essentially a promotion for the enthusiasts of so called ‘kinetic art’ where considerable effort is expended in the creation of art installations with diverse moving parts. This had been the theme of previous ‘Kinetica’ exhibitions held in London. This was evidence that somewhere in the greater world there existed ‘kinetic artists’ whose works were appreciated by a corresponding group of collectors of such ‘kinetic art’.
Some quirky items used hologram technology, so that in walking past an item it appeared to show a constant image but then suddenly at a specific angle it would change. Specialist photography also featured where limited edition images were printed at large scale using specialist printing techniques. A recurring theme appeared to be images of derelict buildings and infrastructure. There were also strands of sustainability/reuse of materials in some works. One example included a large mosaic of light/dark computer keyboard characters that had probably been salvaged from scrap units.
It is characteristic of the output of artists that their output follows a characteristic style. This style may evolve over time but it appears to be more typical that a specific style can last a lifetime of creative output. For me this was characterised well enough by the Scottish artist Simon Laurie whose first work I chanced upon at an Affordable Art Fair in May 2019 but whose subsequent works I would look out for at galleries in Central England and not be disappointed. The style used in his works could be described as ‘minimalist, contemporary’ and where a commonly used theme was related to depicting kitchen and associated culinary items. One interpretation of the appeal of such images is that the artist has created an ‘image portal’ that can connect with a myriad of subconscious associations.
The surprising depth of the contemporary art scene in Britain can be observed in the offerings from the Cube Gallery in London and where these were first encountered at an ‘Affordable’ Fair. Having more than a passing interest in optics, the use by the artist Hildegard Pax of dichroic filters is illustrative of the innovative scope of modern contemporary art. As, for example, daylight changes, the pattern of colours reflected from various surfaces of such an installation subtly alters. Particular skills needed by the artist in this example would include an understanding of the relevant optics and also a source of affordable dichroic filters. A subtle attraction of the use of such filters is that no special light source is needed to activate the installations. Artists, however, are more likely to utilise the fruits of technology compared with scientists who themselves develop and produce such technologies.
From time to time galleries representing Damien Hirst would make an appearance at an Affordable Art Fair in London and with the price tag of such works a wonder to behold. In chatting with the gallery staff in attendance, it was an interesting fact to learn that the famous coloured circles were produced from Japanese cherry wood which provided the necessary surface hardness for the printing process. It could be surmised, however, that it would have been the actual studio staff acting under appropriate direction that would actually have produced such works. As I recall, however, some of Damien Hirst’s images were aboard the Beagle 2 probe that was sent to Mars to achieve a soft landing in 2003. The craft may in fact have landed safely, based on recent Mars orbital images, though it is thought that the deployment of its solar cells failed after having been smothered by the descent parachute.
Image Gallery
