Thursdays are antiques market at Spitalfields – a number of the regulars from the Jubilee Antiques Market set up stall here as well so we thought it would be a good way to start our day. After adding a few more photos to our collection (some antiques bought some views taken) – we were lucky to find a stuffed monkey that we’d used images of from the internet for our work actually for sale at the market. We couldn’t afford the £1000.00 price tag but were allowed to take more usefull images!
After a short coffee break it was off to Bloomsbury Square to see ‘New sensations 2011/The Future can Wait 2011′.
The joint show is in the basement of Victoria House and is the best show we’ve seen so far. Well laid out and curated there’s something for everyone with little to fault in any of the work, but if I were looking to buy I would choose between Andy Harper & John Stark.
Next on the list was Kalliopi Lemos – NAVIGATING IN THE DARK PART III at The Crypt Gallery, Euston.
An uplifting experience with the artist using the space well with sculpture (wire people & crows filling wooden boats, and large bees that smell of honey), sound (whispering voices, crows calling and the sound of the sea) and smell – all gelling into a poetic, calming vision.
Feeling refreshed we moved on to The Wellcome Institute for Miracles & Charms – two shows – one exploring Mexican miracle paintings (mostly on metal) the other, charms and amulets selected from the collection by Felicity powell. Both shows were fascinating – exhibiting objects and images that relied on content and meaning over style and sophistication, providing a strange comparison with the contemporary work displayed this week.
After another coffee break we began to wane, but decided to fit in the Sunday Art Fair on Marylebone Road.
I’m not sure if it was a good idea. This is the second time we’ve been to this show and again we had the same problem (not sure if it was down to tiredness, what we’d seen earlier or the way the show is laid out) – we just could’nt get engaged with any of the work.
The open plan space does no favours for the work – which needs to be isolated to allow the viewer to find a way in. The trouble is you feel as if you’ve landed in an art version of a boot fair (without the cars) with the work of different artists and galleries mixing with confused ‘buyers’ who also become part of the work.
After half an hour of perceverance we gave up and went home. Ready for another day!
