Category: review

Hajra Waheed

Posted on Posted in exhibition, gallery, layout, review, science, techniques, The Baltic, UncategorizedTagged , , , , Leave a comment

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So I had a wee trip down to The Baltic this afternoon thinking there wouldn’t be anything new on given how often I go. But I fancied a walk and some fresh air before the gym so decided to go anyway. I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Hajra Waheed’s exhibition. Waheed’s work explores the increasing militarization of the sky and how satellite surveillance is becoming more commonplace in our everyday. She works in mixed media ranging from collage to video installation. Her works include archive fragments and field notes which bring an interesting dimension to the artwork as it feels so much more intense with those elements in it. To me that is, maybe to science orientated people it’s more of a natural dialect. 

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I am often fascinated when an artistic practice blends itself with science as that is a theme that differs so greatly from my own. Science and technology are fascinating to me, mostly I think because I have no knowledge about them. To me they are merely the great unknown! Yet strangely in this case I have no urge to make this unknown known, it’s almost as if I prefer it all being a mystery so that I can continue to appreciate it from the outside. Or maybe my brain is already too full with arty stuff, which is probably more accurate if I’m being completely honest!

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What really struck me about this exhibition was the layout; you could tell how much thought had been put into this aspect. There were divides within the space so that some work was hidden when you first entered, there was a separate room and then a little alcove in the wall. There were waist high plinths and then plinths that were just above ground level – the exhibition really forced your eye to travel and it was fantastic! It felt almost like a journey through the artwork. There was also sound playing across the entirety of the room which I think was the sound of materials scraping against the floor as they were being moved. I may be wrong as it was kind of obscure and difficult to pinpoint but given the satellite material laid out on the low-lying plinth, it did suggest the sounds were depicting the movement of these items. If not then I am intrigued by what the sound was capturing; in a way it is this ambiguity that makes it all the more interesting. 

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My photographs sadly, do not justify the exhibition. Because I didn’t think there was a new one on, I just chucked my basic little camera into my bag last minute. Speaking to a member of the Baltic crew, he said Waheed is very particular about how her exhibitions are documented given the thought and time she puts into layout. So she would probably hate me right now with these awful snapshots of her work. They do give you an idea however of the space. The artwork itself did not trigger much response from me I think because I was too fascinated by the arrangement of it all. I particularly liked how she’d arranged all her framed works, it had a satisfying regimental quality to it (photo above). 

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I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed an exhibition where the lighting has made such an impression on me. It was both dramatic and subtle at the same time. There was kind of a blue hue throughout the entire space which created a real sense of calm despite the quite intense subject matter. Waheed grew up on the gated Aramco compound of Saudi Arabia where I myself spent some time when I was growing up. It was interesting looking at her work once I found this out as there are some controversial explorations carried out which I think are heightened by the fact she had lived in Saudi and is not simply an artist observing from the outset. Controversial and highly political and not something I am really wanting to get into given my experiences.

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On the whole I think this was a very successful exhibition. The artwork itself was not exactly to my taste and doesn’t make me want to run off and research her. However the thought and skilled arrangement of it all does. You can tell this is an artist who thinks about the bigger picture when making artwork and I think that’s really important to being successful in today’s art world. 

Suffragette

Posted on Posted in feminism, films, reviewTagged , , Leave a comment

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I went to see ‘Suffragette’ yesterday and I think it’s safe to say it is a film you cannot afford to miss! It is truly truly brilliant. It is incredibly well cast – Carey Mulligan and Helen Bonham Carter do not disappoint! I was however worried that by using such well established actresses, the film would be overshadowed by their star status. Thankfully this is far from the case. Their star status is almost consumed by the film’s sheer brilliance; their positions in the acting world are irrelevant! To my surprise Meryl Streep features incredibly briefly as Emmeline Pankhurst, whilst the main character is in fact the fictional Maud Watts. I’m not sure how I feel about a fictional character playing the lead, as I felt it took away the film’s historical credibility. Yet at the same time it works so perfectly. By using artistic license to create a made-up character who the entire film revolves around, it does in fact highlight the lives of all ordinary women at the time. Everyone knows the story of the Pankhursts. Everyone knows the Suffragettes were extreme. What people don’t know is the side stories of every woman involved. And every woman affected by the changes. And I suppose this film is designed to highlight that. 

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Not only is the film an incredible feminist piece (no surprises there), it is also beautifully artistic. The cinematography features an almost ridiculous amount of extreme close ups, yet as a viewer you feel you would be lost without this intensity. We look straight into the eyes of characters, see the shadows forming on the tears rolling down their cheeks. There is no escape from the emotional intensity of this film. A lot of the filmwork is also done using the handheld technique, which only amplifies the chaos you are experiencing as a viewer, particularly during scenes of riot and political unrest. Another thing I loved about the filmwork was the constant switch between being sharply in focus and being so blurred you can only make shapes out. It is incredibly effective as it really draws you into the film and the experience’s of the characters. The director Sarah Gavron has in my opinion, created quite a masterpiece. The Suffragettes would be very proud. 

Images courtesy of:

https://www.thecapitolhorsham.com

http://www.theguardian.com

Ramona Zoladek

Posted on Posted in art, artists, gallery, reviewTagged , , , Leave a comment

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Recently I visited Ramona Zoladek’s exhibition at Gallery North, Northumbria University. I was instantly captivated by her use of materials. Her blend of the organic and man made was just absolutely beautiful. Her work fixates on the relationships between nature, architecture and objects and these themes are highly evident throughout the entirety of this exhibition. There is a strong sense of fragility throughout most of her sculptures, particularly in the concrete units which look as if they on the verge of collapse at any minute! Yet they simultaneously have this sense of strength, it may have been the height and their dimensions, but despite the crumbling ruins they seemed impressively stable. The way in which they had been laid out was very dynamic, almost like a satisfying jigsaw. The lighting was incredibly effective as well, as beautiful long shadows were cast across the gallery floor. Zoladek had used the floor as a space as well which I loved as the dialogue created between the differing heights added an entirely new dimension to the exhibition. She had even allowed dirt and dust to cascade onto the floor which was so effective given its organic quality. 

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The blend of concrete and plant was almost ethereal with the sparse white against the vibrant green. This was where Zoladek’s exploration of decay really came across. You felt almost as if you were watching the process; almost as if the ruin was pulsating and collapsing in on itself. I felt very tranquil as I studied these columns. I felt almost as if I could be transported to a Scottish island stood in a field of greenery looking at ancient ruins battered by the rain. I felt time was heavily present throughout this exhibition and of course that is another major theme in Zoladek’s work. 

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Zoledek’s themes are intricately woven throughout her work and they come across in a beautifully subtle manner, yet they are highly evident. However, there’s also a simplicity and a minimalism to Zoladek’s creations as well. Her arrangement of her pieces, her use of the floor and the wall. You don’t feel overwhelmed by it all despite the fact there is a lot going on. I think this is a very important element. It’s almost as if the layout and the colour schemes have created a kind of energy. By navigating the space you are participating and responding to this sense of energy. That was how I felt at least, which was why I chose not to watch the film around the corner. I felt it was not relevant to my interpretation of this exhibition. It was almost as if it would be an interference. Maybe I should have watched it. Maybe it would have entirely transformed how I thought about it all. But I didn’t want to. I felt the peace among the ruin-like structures was enough for me. 

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