View @ Harveys Cellars review

Thursday 24^th November saw the opening of View @ Harveys Cellars; our exciting new space on Denmark Street. For this first exhibition we are showcasing 9 of Mark Youd’s exquisite canvases.

On entering, the viewer was greeted by a table of perfectly presented glasses of champagne aptly placed in the shape of an H, improved further by being served by Harveys’ dashing bar staff!

Once through the doors, Youd’s electrifying figures took an immediate effect. The contrast between his modern, striking women painted in intensely vibrant colours and the location; basement cellars 200 years old seemed ironically pertinent.

Youd’s enigmatic titles – women’s names all with question marks after them were a prominent topic of conversation, although not everyone’s speculations were as above board as others! Also entertaining was overhearing which of the distinctive personalities evident in these figures were people’s favourites. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the teasing, seductive beauty of Carly? appealed to a large proportion of the male viewers, whereas women seemed more taken with Amy?’s demure humility.

The gallery itself, comprising of two rooms joined together by a wooden tunnel against a backdrop of old Bristol Harveys Cream bottles, projects an informal atmosphere. People are able to wander freely through each section of the venue, from the gallery through to the cocktail lounge and sherry bar with sofas in various spots enabling comfortable viewing of the art work.

Suitable to the venue, the drink of choice for the evening was “Harveys over ice with a slice of orange.” This refreshing drink was given a modern twist with flamed orange peel which creates a mist of essential oils to cover the top of the drink adding an extra dimension of citrus flavour to the drink.

With its array of delights on offer and charmingly intimate setting, I can confidently say that you will not regret slipping away from your usual venues on Park Street for this little gem.

If you need further temptation to visit, take a look at the Mark Youd online catalogue and the photos of the Private View.

Crunch time for View

Championed as one of the most pioneering contemporary art festivals of the year, Crunch played host to a range of activities including art forums, lectures and live music.  Priding itself on provoking debate on subjects covering literature, art and philosophy, it was certainly a thought provoking weekend.

The art pavilion showcased work from a handful of contemporary galleries. It was particularly exciting for View to be selected as we were the only UK based gallery outside of London. The art on display ranged from “slacker art,” whose title definitely lives up to its appearance, to video montages, photographs, painting, sculpture and even an axe mounted into the wall.

Several recognised figures drawn from cultural, artistic and intellectual arenas were invited to contribute such as Serpentine director Hans-Ulrich Obrist, quoted by the Guardian newspaper as “the most powerful man in the international art world.” In addition, the arguably controversial artist Jake Chapman took part in several heated discussions which proved entertaining to watch (although I’m not sure artist Matthew Stone who bore the brunt of Chapman’s abuse would agree).

We felt that the tranquil, bohemian setting created by the tepee-shaped tents, relaxing music, open barbeques and eclectic mix of décor provided a successful and appropriate backdrop to the event. The peppercorn steaks, mulled wine and ginger cake also quickly became favourite features of our day!

Despite the success of the relaxed ambience produced by the venue, the longer we spent at the Festival, the more conversations we overheard and people-watching we did, the more signs of an elitist and cliquey event emerged. We soon recognised that the food tent had materialised into the place for self promotion. Loud conversations about who had just bought which Rembrandt could be witnessed over a trio of hot soups and people began showcasing their recently purchased galleries over the organic rack of lamb.

Our concern going into the event was whether the philosophy of the festival was aligned to our own. We wish to make art accessible to everyone, we don’t wish to join or support the elitist cliques that distance themselves from the emerging, but less ‘educated’ art-lover. It was encouraging to see local visitors meandering among the art society, but under the surface there was a quite an obvious divide. It was also encouraging to hear a debate on the accessibility of art and galleries in a corner of one of the tents (as soon as the video is published we will be listening again to the arguments). It was perhaps pertinent that the talk was attended by one of the smallest audiences of the weekend.

It was a dynamic weekend full of eccentric figures, and an experience we would like to repeat, at least as visitors if not exhibitors. There was a beautifully created setting, a relaxed environment, and enough cultural stimulus for the average art-lover. The organisers did their utmost to please and we are still discussing some of the issues and experiences, weeks later.

Two quotes we overheard struck a chord with us… “a cultural overload, I am totally inspired” and ”this event is as much about being seen than seeing”.

Photos of Crunch 2011

Rosie Emerson Interview

What initially steered you on the path to be an artist?

Like many creatives, I am dyslexic, and wrestle with words. From an early age drawing, and now art more generally, has developed to be my preferred and most articulate method of communication. My father is a furniture maker and his mother a painter and I was lucky enough to grow up in a house where creativity is both respected and encouraged.

What do you find is the most rewarding part of being an artist?

The most rewarding moments for me as an artist are when the works materialise from ideas into reality. Watching the work unfold and develop before my eyes is truly exciting. I love it when the work turns out different from what I expected, it is the element of surprise which fuels my practice. If I know what the work is going to look like, I don’t bother making it. The absolute best bit is when the work exceeds my expectations, and when it stands up to scrutiny of time.

If any who are the main influences and inspiration in your work?

I love to visits galleries like the Wallace collection and the V&A. I am hugely attracted to beautiful things, especially when the decorative and the functional combine. Armour, furniture, ancient statues, jewelry, fashion photography, teacups, have all inspired pieces. These influences are evident in my newest works ‘Ornaments of Alchemy’ which were created in collaboration with jewelry designer Annoushka Ducas. Artists who have influenced me range from the visceral painters, Antoni Tapies, and Cy Twombly, to Pre Raphaelite Photographers and Japanese prints, in which I admire both their sureness of touch and the way the subjects often bathe in negative space.

Do you have expectations of what you hope your viewer takes from your work?

I hope people find my work non-prescriptive and open to interpretation. I make what I deem as unashamedly beautiful, and seductive, both through subject and medium but I do aim to provoke a response beyond this. My figures tend to be barren of any context, this I hope lures and allows the viewer to bring their own narrative the work.

Do you listen to music whilst you work, if so who and why?

Yes, but I can be absolutely anything. When I’m working I tend to dance and pace up and down my studio. Music is great for keeping the energy up, sometimes If I’ve stopped, I realize its because the music has, and have to put more on.

If you could have any 3 guests – past or present – to dinner, who would they be?

The Surrealist painter Leonora Carrington, and if she could bring a few of her fantastical animals and birds she created too, so much the better. I’d love to meet my grandmother, Keyna Emerson in her twenties – she was at the Slade, pre and post war, and I love to hear snippets of stories involving fancy dress balls at the Royal Albert Hall. Finally, I have just created a piece featuring fashion legend Virginia Bates, she would add more than a touch of glamour to any dinner party and is one of my newest favourite people.

How do you find your models?

Initially friends and friends of friends, I’d seek out dancers and performers, they tend to be comfortable in front of the camera. For my latest collaboration with Annoushka Ducas we highlighted strong looking women, ranging in profession and age, we chose 9 including singer Eliza Doolittle and actress Ophelia Lovibond, as well as models Daisy Lowe and Amber Le bon.

Where is your studio and how is it set up?

I live and work in an old peanut factory in Hackney in East London. It has the luxury of being both on the ground floor and having central heating, perfect for making work and moving it out easily. I share It with my partner Jackson a music producer, and two friends Vicky and Ed, as well as dogs Gata and Prince. My studio is relatively large and is perfect for black out shoots, as I only have one window. I’m surrounded by files of images, rolls of paper, a large plan chest, huge boards for drawing on, books, nice shaped sticks umbrellas. I’m a self confessed hoarder, and live in organised chaos.

Do you have a favourite place that you have traveled to in the world?

In terms of inspiration I’d say Florence, although Petra in Jordon was breathtaking. I am also travelling to New Zealand in December, which I’ve been assured is teeming with visual delights.

What do you have lined up for 2012 ?

I’m starting 2012 with a group show at the View Privee gallery in Singapore, which I’m currently making work for, the exhibition is themed around the year of dragon. I will also be completing a private commission, and will finish a series of works started earlier in the year, with photographer Becky Palmer, we photographed 6 Models on white backgrounds using a large format camera, and I’m very excited too print these using traditional darkroom techniques.

Thank you

Rosie Emerson’s latest collection features in the exhibition ‘In Darkness Blooms’ at View Art Gallery until January 8, 2012.

View @ Harveys Cellars

We are extending our reach to the art lovers of Bristol with the opening of a brand new gallery. View @ Harveys Cellars is a collaboration that combines fine contemporary art with the wine and culinery delights of one of Bristol’s best loved brands.

Harveys Cellars is a new sherry, wine and cocktail lounge in Denmark Street, Bristol. It’s multi-function cellar rooms offer a piano bar, museum, tapas bar, and private function rooms. One of the highlights will be the dedicated gallery space managed by View Art Gallery, where solo exhibitions of the finest talents in the South West will display new work.

The first exhibition, opening November 25th (Private View 24th), will feature Mark Youd. Here’s a preview of his new collection for the show.

Imaginative, creative and innovative – Mark Youd’s training as a draughtsman, as well as successful careers in design and technical illustration are evident in his artistic practice.

Youd’s series of graphic portraits, currently on exhibition at View, sets out to explore the nature of fleeting emotions. Each image depicts a brief encounter, a passing moment, captured in the snap shot of a woman. These vibrant works showcase the artist’s attempt to record new ways of looking at something familiar. Namely; the momentary sensations one experiences within these instances and the transience of life before it fades. It is these ephemeral emotions that Youd seeks to immortalise.

Through the invention of his own pictorial language, the artist achieves an original style. Utilising a limited and vivid palette outlined with thick bold strokes, which appear to seep out of the page, symbolises this fluidity of moment.

His strikingly beautiful women engage directly with the viewer through their commanding poses and enigmatic expressions. On viewing them, you are transported into the world of these women’s very thoughts.

This is a spectacular exhibition of a truly unique artist.

The exhibition runs from November 25 to January 22, 2012. An online catalogue will be published nearer the time. Invitations to the opening private view will be sent to the View mailing list.

 

 

In Darkness Blooms – exhibition preview

The Cereus flower, also known as the Night Princess, opens only in the hours of darkness, bearing a sumptuous fragrance. ‘In Darkness Blooms’ features six artists that express their connection to their hidden worlds.  They capture and cultivate a magical beauty that seeks enlightenment and hope from inner darkness.

Rosie Emerson adopts a unique medium known as collage photography. Large-scale works are created from digital manipulation of photographs of women overlaid with jewellery and styled with paint and ink. Emerging from the shadows are striking images, meticulously planned, but oozing drama and intrigue.

Beth Carter makes a welcome return to View with new pieces that perfectly interpret the exhibition theme. Her self-imagined mythical creatures challenge the immediacy of our judgments and encourage us to look inside the mind. Is the initially imposing 7-foot minotaur a powerful aggressor or is he a vulnerable and thoughtful beast?

In Damian Daly’s drawings we see an artist combining total freedom of expression with incredible technical quality. In this new collection he creates 10 characters that are born from a single stroke of a pencil. Each being evolves as the artist observes and builds on his own creation, triggering the next movement from an almost unconscious state, bringing his inner thoughts, memories and imagination to the fore.

The work of George J Harding was the inspiration behind the exhibition theme. The multiple layering of dark resin over flowers creates a world where beauty is preserved forever but can be touched only by our imagination. Are these delicate objects protected or imprisoned?

As the work of Fran Williams continues to soar in popularity, this all new collection retains the raw emotion in subtle tones of self portraiture narrative. A seemingly in-exhaustive expression of feeling continues to grab our hearts and tie them in knots as we are stimulated to reflect on our own personal interpretations. Devil and angel interchanges with every fleeting glance.

The art of tattooing plays an important role in Jacob Dahlstrup’s sculptures and drawings. From paper to skulls and human bodies, there appears to be no constraint on the objects which can be the subject of these intricate markings. New work for View focuses on the artist’s favourite medium of charcoal pencil, but the subjects are far from traditional.

Images of some of the work in the show can be found on our Facebook pages. Details of all work, including pricing and dimensions is available in our online catalogue.

In Darkness Blooms opens at View Art Gallery on November 4 and runs through to January 8, 2012. Gallery members private view is on November 3.

Adam White interview

Why did you become an artist?

In retrospect, I think I was trying to lock disparate and contradictory thoughts together both within myself and outside. There is no other way to understand the world. Science, rationality, meaning versus intense and cutting personal experience. Where else could you smash them together, literature maybe?

Are there any current or dead artists that you still take inspiration from?

I used to like all the artists out there, but I can’t unwind my biting cynicism to an art-market that chews people up. I am not an an artist, I just make stuff. The ‘artists’ I am most drawn to died 33,000 years ago. I’m really drawn to archaeology and natural history. Leave me alone for a month in chauvet cave with an oily stick and I’d be happy just looking at the cave paintings. I like making my own paint, I’ve clawed my own red ochre out of quarries in the forest of dean, you have a different relationship to your work when you do this – as if nothing had changed in 70,000 years – ban the paint tube!

Tell us something about you as a person that is separate from the artist, or are the two totally integrated? 

I’ve developed a pathological interest in geology and palaeontology. It’s obsessive. I collect bones and minerals – I see them as a kind of organic aesthetics, beauty devoid of art-speak.

What is the most rewarding thing about being an artist? What does being an artist mean to you?

Sometimes I shock myself with the work I make, I’m like a scurrying rodent before this huge painting being directed by something beyond my own will.

Do you have unfulfilled personal or artistic ambitions?

I would love to find a complete Plesiosaur, and show my work in the British natural history museum. Oh yes, and more money too to keep me in the luxurious poverty I’m so fond of!

Is there an element of madness in you or your work?

I don’t think there’s any madness in my work apart from me treating my paintings as living beings.

My work ‘Inside the Swarm’ (left) is a literal description of facts. 50,000 honey bees came to colonise my roof. Okay, great I thought, let them live, do my my bit for life. A couple of weeks later a massive swarm emerges covering the whole neighbourhood. Oh dear, my inner slacker has enabled the street to be infested with bees stinging children and old ladies. Fortunately the apiarists came to save the day, but now I hear their buzzing in my head all the time.

What are your indulgences?

Roquefort and treating myself to a rare cowrie shell for my expanding collection. And hammering hell of some welsh mountain.

Tell us about the awards you have won at the RWA.

First prize, excellence in watercolour award RWA 3 times. I should join and become mummified in the mold.

Is it right that some of your work was inspired by exhibits at the Bristol Museum?

Yes, I needed to get hold of an Ichthyosaur fast for my work ‘casting out bones’ (below). Here’s the madness: I trawl the abandoned Severn estuary looking for Jurassic bones. In my mind I want to communicate with my dead girlfriend. I say please give me a sign, help me find another vertebrae, and sure enough I do. She casts a spell over me and I have now found a complete Ichthyosaur. So, making the work is me casting the spell and through ‘casting the bones’ I purify the emotional pain, no? In this work, two maps of the severn estuary are attached to both our umbilicus, and each tidal surge brings back my lost love closer to me, I pray we are reincarnated in the belly of the beast as children in some re-incarnation (this appealed to my mischievousness when I showed this work in Gloucester cathedral).

There is a scientific element to your work which appears to be very accurate, do you have a science background or is it learned for your art?

I lost faith in my science background (in another life I would be studying zoology at university) although I do thorough research for my work visiting museum collections and literature. I think I would have prefered to live in a time where art, science and alchemy all merged together, the enlightenment maybe. It’s good to hold scientific facts up to the nebulous tower of art, only to slay those facts and certainties with the mere twitch of emotional truth, echoed through the nerves of a dying god.

You describe your work by referring to a clash of belief systems. How is this portrayed in your paintings?

‘Other Crucifixions’ (left) examines human frailty, wanting pain to burn away. In stillness the ‘Christ’ is lowered into the laser treatment machine, descending into hell. The animals from the cave paintings and bemused hominids look on in sympathy as a 6th century chant permeates the Christ’s brain, lurking between the ears. Observe the crucified archaeopteryx rising above the figure weighing the artificial heart from the crusaders lead-lined heart box. Hands holding the Acheulian hand axe bang the black metal hip-joint into the soul. Bird fossil exhibits reptilian teeth and claws, the implications reducing a 19th century Christian palaeontoligist to a nervous breakdown (the handaxe is I believe oldest artwork itself going back at least 1.7 million years).

It is somewhat unusual to see watercolours painted with these themes and style – why did you choose the medium?

Watercolour is dangerous , it can go very wrong. I wanted to veil brutal facts in beautiful soft layers of meaning. I can find new meanings that are lead through new techniques. Who’s doing giant experimental watercolours right now?

I am fascinated by your comment about aesthetics colliding with morality – what does this mean and how does it play out in your work?

Well, aesthetics and beauty have no moral value, beauty is not truth, human body parts poetically arranged and softly described, luxurious colour, all good seductive schemes. My work ‘Other Crucifixions’ touches on this obliquely. It’s like a string quartet playing Bach in a concentration camp.

Your work implies a serious and deep thinker – is that you as a person or you at work?

When did Kant/Nietzche & Foucualt and their brethren ever help anyone’s work? (I saw people’s work get minced through philosophy on my MA). My work is simple, I only ever wonder what every other human being or hominid has ever thought.

Thank you.

Adam White’s watercolours can be seen in the exhibition Myth, Magic & Madness at View Art Gallery, September 9 through to October 30.

Clare Ferguson-Walker interview

Clare Ferguson-Walker is the inspiration behind the fantastic Myth, Magic & Madness exhibition at View Art Gallery. We were blown away by her enthusiasm, drive and of course her art. It was no surprise to us that she would be associated with other talented artists and were quick to progress the idea of co-curating an exhibition with her.

After all the hard work was done, we settled down for a chat to find out more about the artist and the person behind the creativity.

Why did you become an artist – have you always been an artist?

I was obsessed with drawing and making plastecine figures from early childhood, I used to use my Dad’s torch at night under my covers to carry on with my work, my parents even took me to see a psychologist at one point as they were so concerned, fortunately I was diagnosed with a high degree of creativity! I’ve had a few dead end jobs along the way to bring in money, but I get ill quite quickly if I’m not able to continue with my artwork, I stop sleeping. I don’t think I’d be able to do anything else, it is an integral part of my being.

Are there any current or dead artists that you still take inspiration from?

I remember buying my sister a Salvador Dali poster as we were both totally fascinated by his work and spending a long time admiring the skill and clarity of his style, I was also exposed to a lot of Monty Python as a child and loved Terry Gilliam’s cartoons. Currently I love Beth Carter’s gorgeous sculptures and Nicola Hick’s work is also really inspiring. There is also an Australian sculptor called Patricia Piccinini whose uber life like creatures are simply breathtaking.

Tell us something about you as a person that is separate from the artist, or are the two totally integrated?

I am (or at least try to be!) very conscientious when it comes to dealing with other people, I strongly believe that unless you have walked in someone else’s shoes you can’t possibly judge someone else’s behaviour, therefore I always aim to see the best in people from the offset.

What is the most rewarding thing about being an artist? What does being an artist mean to you?

I suppose the most rewarding thing is when someone parts with their hard earned cash for a piece of my work! Sounds cynical I know, but it actually totally validates the whole process, it means that they genuinely loved a piece, it moved them and communicated with them on some level, and it also means that I can carry on with my practice! Being an artist is a really tough job, I could spend my time churning out cheap affordable tat that might earn me a quick quid, but actually I choose to stay true to my own imagination, I don’t worry anymore about what others will think of my work, and that to me is being a true artist, whatever medium you are working in, truth to one’s own ideas is the most important aspect.

Can you describe a typical day in your studio, what does your working environment look like?

It’s a total mess in my workshop! I only tidy up when I can’t move anymore! My making time is so precious to me, that I spend it all making, tidying up is way down the list of priorities! On a working day I get up, check my emails, get the kids to school, then get down my workshop, the radio goes on, and I get stuck in. If I’m really focused, literally a whole day can go by without me even stopping for lunch. So much of the process is labour intensive though, the spark of inspiration comes through at the beginning, and then its really satisfying at the end! The in between bit is all hard work, and you have to really focus and stay utterly determined to complete. Sometimes I’ll go back out to my workshop in the evenings and carry on until the small hours of the morning.

Which came first, the medium or the subject? Are you settled on these or is it an evolving journey.

I’ve always been drawn to the human figure as a starting point, and I’ve always found clay really exciting, so I think they have just developed together really, I’m pretty comfortable in my practice now, and I think I have enough ideas to last me a lifetime, but I’m not totally closed to new mediums. I do paint as well, but I think I just have more confidence with the 3-dimensional.

Do you have unfulfilled personal or artistic ambitions?

Yes loads, I’m utterly driven, I want to travel the world with my art, I also love puppets and would love to set up a puppet theatre company one day. I’m in an band too, and would love to share our music with a wider audience! I could go on, I’m probably verging on manic in terms of my creativity, I must be a bloody nightmare to live with!

Do you have a favourite story?

Very difficult to choose one as I love literature and storytelling, but the one that jumps to mind is Phillip Pullmans, “His Dark Materials” trilogy, so multi layered, I’ve read and re-read those books, and every time new dimensions rise to the surface, stunning piece of literature.

Is there an element of madness in you or your work?

Yes without a doubt, I don’t walk around with my pants on my head! But scratch the surface and there’s a lot of chaos in my mind, I have to work hard to switch off at night, as I can be a bit plagued with artistic visions, but hey when you are producing tangible objects or images to back up those visions, it seems to be pretty socially acceptable! So my madness has found an outlet, which is brilliant.

What are your indulgences?

I’m a fairly clean living person these days, I over-indulged far too much in my younger days. If it can be called an indulgence, I love dancing and go out 3 to 4 times a week to dance classes, including break dancing! I love it!

What made you start this collective of artists?

I was sitting in front of the computer one night, looking at various galleries on-line and it just struck me like a lightening bolt that I could organise a show of my own, I got really excited by the idea of controlling the theme and choosing the artists. And I just took it from there.

How did you find people with a common theme but different styles and media… conscious or accidental? 

I have been lucky enough to meet some fantastic artists through my career, mostly at different group exhibitions. I am drawn to artists whose work I like, simple as that, and it seems that the type of work I go for all have similarities running through them, i.e work that is drawn directly from the imagination and the sub-conscious, that is what excites me. So I had a rich source of artists to choose from and fortunately they all agreed straight away to be a part of this show and I really hope we can go on to work together again.

Your sculptures are striking shapes in their own right but the addition of paint really makes them come alive. When and why did you decide to mix the media?

It was something I started at college, I made a life sized sculptural triptych of myself metamorphosizing into a frog, I wanted it to look as realistic as possible, to give it an extra edge of shock value I suppose. So I painstakingly painted all the skin tones and the skin of the frog, I was really pleased with the outcome, and I suppose I’ve just continued with that idea, not necessarily always to increase something’s life-likeness but to add an extra dimension of aesthetic beauty.

You have a lot of narrative in your work and you are also very articulate in your written description… where does the story telling come from?

I think words are akin to clay actually, they can be moulded to form concepts, ideas, they can shock, amuse and break hearts. I’ve always written creatively and used to teach creative writing. Again it started when I was a child, I used to write poems to express my feelings, and I never really stopped, I’ve had several published over the years, and have won a few competitions.

Why did you choose View Art Gallery and Bristol to approach for an exhibition?

I am good friends with another Artist whose work is represented by View, Anne Goodfellow, she recommended the gallery. And Bristol seems so vibrant to me whenever I visit, there’s always so much creativity happening around the city, it seemed like the perfect venue.

We have had great success with a number of Welsh artists over the past few years. What is it that stimulates such imagination and creativity in Wales?

Blimey maybe there’s something in the water! There are more artists in West Wales than anywhere else in the country apparently, so maybe there really is some kind of ancient creative energy pulsing around looking for people to channel it!

Are the creatures that you create all from your imagination or do they start off from historical or fictional characters and evolve?

They are mostly from my imagination, although I do draw on characters from folklore and myth at times, I’ll always make them in my own imaginative way though.

Is your work at all autobiographical? How does it relate to your own personality and experiences?

I would say that my work is very autobiographical, most often though I’ll have a vision, and it might not mean that much to me at first, and then after it has been made I can look at it, and start to interpret it, as one might do a dream, and then meanings will start to reveal themselves, so its like my sub-conscious communicating with me, I’ve been reduced to tears before when looking at my own work realising what it’s about. I’m then sharing those messages with others, and hopefully some people will gain something from that. I worry sometimes that’s its all a little self indulgent, but hey it has to be better than making bombs!

Thank you.

Clare Ferguson-Walker’s sculptures can be seen in the exhibition Myth, Magic & Madness at View Art Gallery, September 9 through to October 30.