Our usual adventures are firmly planted in the wonderful world of history and heritage, ancient events, prehistoric landscapes, historic houses and all manner of other old stuff. Today, however, we dipped our toe into unfamiliar waters as we explored the fascinating field of Modern Art.
One of the most hotly tipped and highly anticipated new artists of our era was embarking on her first major exhibition. Nearly five years in the making, this unique and spectacular collection is challenging the face of the art world, and we were fortunate enough to be invited to its grand opening.
Better still, we had direct access to the artist and were allowed intimate exclusive opportunities to be a part of this incredible journey from concept to stunning conclusion. A collection which not only dazzles, but asks important questions about our place in this chaotic and confusing existence we call life.
Firstly, we must offer our apologies to the artist in advance. Whilst we have permission to reproduce a select number of the immense works here, we are aware that this was never how the artist envisaged the works being experienced. It is questionable whether these works were ever meant to be merely ‘looked at’ and certainly not in such a mundane and obvious presentation as this humble blog may offer. We hope that this may act as a conduit to the genuine immersive experience for the reader in the future.
Somewhat opposed to the routine of context free display, hanging from some whitewashed wall in a lofty open plan building, the artist has been known to work in erratic bursts with no thought of revealing her stunning creations beyond the room in which they were crafted. It is clear that she experiences fleeting moments of artistic clarity before her mind is onto the next work and the last is entirely discarded.
And so the exhibition is simply, a box.
A box of works which span almost five years of a shifting, ever quizzical flamboyant mind. Sublime art which cascades from subject specific conceptual creation to thought provoking abstract imagery and weaves the endless stems of drab reality with an exuberant universe which only exists behind her busy eyes.
One of the curiosities of this unique exhibit lies in its temporally teasing, ever evolving display. As we were amongst the first to experience the works, the collection was in a chronological format. Her latest works were the last entered into the collection and therefore at the top of the box. We saw the last paint from the brush in the very first work. As time goes on, and the collection is scrutinised, examined, enjoyed by countless hands and eyes, the order will change. Things will be disorderly returned, out of context. There are no labels, no number system, no way of knowing for sure, what went where. This is all part of the journey. The first and last people to experience the collection will have very different experiences.
Home is where the Mind Bends
These surreal introductions to the home entice a myriad of questions. There is a discernible shift in the concept of a ‘home’ happening before our eyes. Is it the bastion of comfort and security we are trained to believe a home should reflect? Is there something more within the walls, an escape from the harshness of the world beyond. Are there horrors haunting the delicate bricks and fragile windows, scratching at the invisible glass, false smiles and sunshine attempting to infiltrate the defences? Or is home simply a place the mind can wander and elongate, to stretch and feel safe, an oasis in a calamitous desert? Perhaps, it is a little bit of it all.
The World is but a Blur of Colour
There is something altogether mesmerising in this collection of impressionist landscapes. Do they represent specific memorable spaces, were they seen during daring travels and worldwide wanders before being committed to canvas when the memories had perhaps slightly melted into emotions? Or are these, as I suspect they may be, not in fact the landscapes of the physical realm, but those of the mind. Dreamscapes may be a more accurate term. The epic awe inspiring sunset over some mountain range may be the same as the gates of a hellish scorched underworld island, licked by the unforgiving ocean and surrounded by buzzard like monsters, a shock of wing and terror. In another we see a cauldron of grey clouds peppered with the occasional gap revealing a blue sky beyond. Or do we in fact look directly into the confused unsettled moment of anguish, when things didn’t quite add up, didn’t go the way they were meant to? The desired end is there just out of reach, as the constricting darkness envelops the remaining hope. Finally the green and yellow of our English countryside immediately calms the soul, unless perhaps what we are really witnessing is a sea of jealous envy and its slowly decaying swirls of melancholy. These mindscapes illustrate a maturing mind and an experimental moment of technique and ability.
Unlonely Soul
A clear inspiration to the artist are those who surround her daily life. They appear throughout the works in various guises and the impact they have on the artistic output is clear. Figures are given spiritual symbolism, not only in the depictions offered, but in coded messages hidden within the portraits, like an ancient puzzle to be unlocked. The characters are employed not only as interesting subjects, but as guides through the labyrinth of her dreamlike artistic universe. Other pieces suddenly make sense when somehow directed through the eyes of the guides. Some are caught in their own chaos, others are partnered and proud, but all are images of tender temptation.
Love in Other Fabrics
The artist is not simply interested in paint on canvas. This exhibition illustrates a wide range of technique and design improvisation. There are no limits to the materials for expression, yet in these outstanding works the vibrance of colour and sparkle are prominent. The symbolic vision of love and magic are continuous themes. A treasure of untold worth, the sporadic flutter of glittering jewels on a sea of white clouds, and in the foreground the most valuable of all treasures, a single bumble bee hovers, its colour more vibrant than any jewel could ever hope to achieve. A study in marine sinks the viewer into a world beneath the realms of human sight. And what a realm it is under the waves. Sunlight is rare but it dazzles from the tendrils of a beast in the deep green. Ancient patterns on its body perhaps an echo of some obscure deities creation message. Piercing eyes are all knowing, ever questioning. A tiny single star seems so insignificant against the aching heart beneath it, but it offers an ever present energy, the power of the burning sun to sustain the perils of the heart in an unpredictable world. A multitude of messages dance between these fabulous fabrics, each perfectly placed to tell a thousand forgotten stories.
The Wrong Impression
An earlier experimental phase of impressionism landscapes are found towards the bottom of the galleria box. These works represent an exploration in colour combination and an interpretation of visual stimulation from the world she inhabits. The first, in acrylics, reflects the cascading explosive power of the wave, or perhaps the unpredictable insanity of water ricocheting across the bathroom sink. The rapid movement almost appears visible, a fast flooding flight to the finish. Another explores the intricate life cycle of the leaf. Its wind battered branches dripping from the rain, ever shifting shades of green until the inevitable yellow of decay. A final work in this period is created in the favoured coloured wax. This inspiring image covers an entire landscape, endless fields of varied crop, sweeping ponds with an entire ecosystem of flora covering the still waters, a sky laced with every shade of afternoon autumnal angst. These works show the continuous courage of an artist unafraid to adventure, and never willing to settle on one single voice.
The Hand of God
Some of the artists early works are tactile treasures. Mindscapes etched with the hand, like the examples of art carefully imprinted onto the everlasting walls of cavernous natural temples at the beginning of human history. The message is clear. Some things are engrained in humanity. No culture or class, age or ideas can alter the undeniable desire to create. To wish to see our image in one way or another is as natural as breathing. Our hands create things beyond the necessary or mundane. We dream of pleasure, and we find joy in art.
The Beginning
As we reach the bottom of this cardboard encased collection, the earliest examples of the artist work emerge. Minimalist interpretations of the human form. This is a fascinating study. We visualise the pieces in reverse and witness the growing influence of humanity on the artist. And I do mean growth, the individuals blossom from simple lines into ballooning creatures with soul searching eyes. We are forced to understand the journey, forced to see and even experience just how far the artist has come. The challenges are beyond measure, from a world of unfathomable lines and circles to the complex intricacies of a global existence. Finishing at the beginning leaves a longing for those simpler thoughts. As the blocks collide, and the image grows, the wider picture continues to confuse and blur. An impossible puzzle which will never be completed, yet we continue to place the pieces together in the hope that the moments of joy will stay ahead of the moments of despair.
This exhibition will not see the walls of any national gallery, because it does not belong in those confined spaces. The works here will tell a different story to each and every visitor. A story of hope and love and a world of wonder and magic. By only contemplating the piece in the moment of its creation, the artist has created something truly honest. A window into the experience of creation.
A billion million stars out of ten.
