John Coplans.

I've put off writing about my own work for quite some time now. Even though I'm still not totally sure what it is I should be writing about on here! Whether it be work related or not... Anyway, I'm still pretty focused on identity, and have recently taken alot of interest in John Coplans. A recently completed essay for another module was focused on identity, below is a little of what I had to say about him.

He will be remembered mostly for his later works; black and white photographs not so flatteringly documenting the contours of his ageing body. He is careful to never show his face, one of the most intimate and expressive parts of our bodies that is paramout in revealing to others, parts of our true identity. He does, however, include isolated body parts such as his stomach, knees, penis and fingers; body parts almost as equally if not more expressive and private. There are also other body parts that have been photographed that form together to make an abstract body canvas; pushing at the edges of the picture to reveal a rather grim sense of claustraphobia.
No detail is spared; we are allowed to examine and criticize with great detail the lumps, bumps and depths of Coplans. I feel Coplans explores the idea of identity in the vast sea of black and white; his conjoined fingers, his peering hands from behind his hairy back, and his still muscley rolls of fat emerge almost as a testament to being human; the human body and the acceptance of growing old. Coplans has utilized his own body’s public and personal identity as a primary material for these photographs; opening himself and his flaws to the world, an act which is so rarely publically confronted.
Having visited the Tate Liverpool, in which a small collection of Coplans Self portraits hang, and having read in the biographical description, a quote of Coplans;

‘Photography is a medium to build an identity out of a composite personality’

It occurred to me that to bare ones soul, and to strip the body of everything that brings with it that persons individual identity, is not only courageous, its admirable. Photography, unlike paints, collage, and almost any other type of medium, doesn’t allow room for errors. It highlights flaws in the most unflattering light, and exposes us not only to ourselves, but to the rest of the world, too. I feel this is something Coplans understood, and in terms of helping us to understand, he felt this medium was best. In terms of Coplans Self portraits, what he’s trying to stress is, the body is just a shell; it is our families, culture, feelings, ideas and personalities that make up our identity, we are made up of separate interconnected parts that ultimately make us who we are. We cannot and should not be confined in anyway by our outside surface, and purely by photographing his body, Coplans expresses this message to us.

Maritime Museum.

Last week we visited the Maritime Museum in the albert dock. At first I was confused about this visit, seeing as there's no actual 'art' in there.

However, we were taken on a tour and told facts and figures about the slave trade, in which our interest was maintained. I remember being young and taking a firm interest in this museum; not understanding why anyone would be so mistreated.
There was an installation which has been specifically designed to give out a feeling of opression, and gives you an insight into the harsh degree of suffering that was had on board a slave ship; it gives you an idea of just how much suffering a human can actually take.

This visit hasn't directly affected my work in the short term, however in the long term I do feel I may address some of these issues that have been raised throughout the museum.

Black-E Museum.

About a month or so ago, we made a trip up to the Black-E. In all honesty, I've never heard of it before, never realising there was such a thing as this social artistic outlet right on our doorstep...

The Black-E (formerly known as The Blackie) was first launched in 1968 and adopted its odd name due to a century's worth of dirt that had once covered the building. It is a combination of a contemporary art centre coupled with a community centre and was the UK's first community arts project. It is currently under construction and has been given a hefty grant in which will hopefully return its former grandeur.
The project is commited to young people, offering them 'affection, protection and direction', and promoting both 'do-ing' and 'viewing' in both formal and informal practises.

We were given alot of imformation and packs offering us the chance to get involved and volunteer.

Its motto is, 'Connecting artists and communities'.

New York.

In february, my friend and I decided to spend our student loans wisely on a trip to the big city. Looking back, I slightly regret some of the museum visiting decisions we made, I wish we'd have looked a little more off the beaten track... But still, I got to see (in the flesh!) some of the art worlds most amazing history altering paintings. All of these pictures were taken in the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art, New York)


Here is Frida Kahlo above, complete with a monkey and a moustache.


Above is work by Alexander Rodchenko... (I think!)

Here is me, along with Picasso's 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon'. Now, I find it easy to say this is one of my all time favourite pieces of art. It sort of just roles right off the tongue. A few years ago however, would have been a totally different story... to think it was locked away for some 20 years is really quite upsetting.


I'm a bit of a fan girl of Jackson Pollock if i'm honest. Anything surrounded by tradgedy i'm sort of drawn to; I feel nothing but complete admiration and empathy for this guy. I know he was probably a miserable drunken grump really, but oh well, C'est la vie.


This work is by Willem de Kooning. Some years ago I based alot of my work on this artist. I remember really liking the messy outcome, its rather pleasing to the eye! I realise the picture is rather blurry... just don't click to make it bigger.


The work above is a result of Yves Klein. I'm not quite sure the meaning behind his work, but I do know he dragged a number of naked women covered in blue paint across a clean sheet of paper, resulting in the image above. Every male artists dream I imagine...

I'm kicking myself because I can't remember the name of this artist or the title of his work. I think it may have been Sam something though... This work is based on him taking a photograph of himself every few hours, which caused him to be sleep deprived. I remember seeing clock-in cards and a video of him doing the same thing at a completely different gallery a few months later... possibly in Barcelona.

Rothko, Rothko, Rothko...

This week, I embarked on a trip up to the Albert Dock, to the Tate Liverpool. At the moment, there is a retrospective of abstract painter Mark Rothko’s ‘The Seagram Murals’. After a 20 year absence from their first exhibition in the Tate in 1988, the paintings made a… somewhat welcome return; for some, just not so much for me. Personally, I feel they should have stayed put, in the four seasons, exactly where they were made to be.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say I dislike modern art, but a lot of the time, I just don’t understand it. I feel ‘abstract’ is a word painters could hide behind; it gave a feeling of credibility to something that was undeserving (in some cases, anyway) In Rothko’s case, it gives meaning to a man whose work, primarily, focuses on being shit. When asked to describe just what it is his work meant, Rothko always said he’d prefer not to explain. That, to me, speaks volumes; too scared to right the upper-class who feel the simplicity in his paintings is nothing short of extraordinary...

I feel art like this invites people into a world where they can appear artistically superior; suggesting they can see something in Rothko’s work that the rest of us can’t. But, maybe that’s just how I feel. Art like this is popular because ultimately, and understandably, it’s misunderstood. It’s very likely it could have absolutely no meaning. It’s because of this that people who believe they do have superior thoughts are all too quick to jump in, and defend and define it as something else other than shit. But this is just my opinion, the reason I think what I do is because I’ve never had the pleasure of these superior know-it-alls try and explain to me why his work is indeed so special.

Red on Maroon, 1959.

It's a... FACT!

I'm not really a big fan of video art, obviously depending on what it is my interest can be lengthened! We had an artist come visit us last year in Southport College called Shelagh Flanahan (her names irish... probably, it was still pronounced 'Sheila') maybe it was because we had a full day of watching her watching herself brushing her hair in the mirror; watching her eat her breakfast whilst crying; watching her blow smoke out of her mouth and then sucking it back in again... but, in brutal honesty, I was bored to tears for best part of that day.

As a result, as soon as I walked into the FACT, I was a little anxious... and felt a slight pang of disappointment. As soon as you walk in, 6 screens are thrust at you, all seperately screaming information. It was a bit much to take in all at once. It was pretty harsh, loud and after looking around in the dark for an explanation after a few minutes I gave up.
In the end, I did find one... explaining the artists biography and explaining his struggles with his native homeland of Thailand.

Apichatpong Weerasethakul is regarded as a central figure in the comtemporary cinema world. His 'Primitive' exhibition in FACT is his first UK solo exhibition; comprising of a multi-screen video installation. The videos were filmed in a village in the Renu Nakhon dirstrict of Thailand, called Nabua. During the 1960's, brutal clashes between the communist communities and the Thai military took place there. The project is about re-inventing Nabua, a place where sadly, memories and ideologies have been forgotten. For the project, Weerasethakul invited teenage decendants of the communist farmers to dream up fabricated memories through the building of a spaceship in the rice fields. I only just understand this now, having read about it.

Visiting lecturer - James Iveson.

A few days ago we had a visitor in the form of James Iveson; a very fashionable and successful result of Goldsmiths. Its not often you get to see an actual real life contemporary fine artist, just doing as they do, so it was pretty exciting! His work focuses on patterns, mostly fashion garments; he takes into account and researches the fashion industry, but in no means is it involved in his work (or an instrumental tool in the creation of his work)
One painting that stuck out for me was originally inspired by a pair of H&M boxer shorts. If I’d been told this without actually seeing the work for myself, I’d think the idea behind it would diminish the quality of the work somehow; but that really wasn’t the case. The boxers had a repeated boat pattern that Iveson had manipulated and scaled larger, in order to recreate the image. The fact that he’s able to find inspiration from something as mundane as boxer shorts is almost... well, admirable.
He repeats and repeats the image until it becomes a slight recognizable recreation of its former self. With one painting, he'd explained his girlfriend had bought a new dress, which he was instantly obsessed with because of the 'complexity' of the pattern. When eventually revealing this 'pattern' to us, it emerged as a load of dots. To me, that's just fantastic.

It’s the simple things and ideas in life that make me smile… and this is no exception.

I’ve driven a lot of inspiration and admiration from this artist; I’m beginning to look at my work with a less critical eye, and trying to tone down the ‘psychological details’ I felt necessary in order to make my work at all interesting. I'm slowly beginning to learn this really isn't the case.

John Moores prize.... and its winners.

Being a student at John Moores, it struck me a few days ago that I know very little about the John Moores prize, or its winners. The competition was first held in 1957, it is a contemporary painting prize and is the UK's best known painting competition; its named after Sir John Moores who died in 1993, who was the founder of the prize. The competition culminates in an exhibition that is held in the Walker Art Gallery every two years. It is then later linked with the Liverpool Biennial. The principles of the exhibition will never change; to support artists and to bring to Liverpool the best contemporary paintings from all across the UK.

My favourite has to be 'Blotter', by Peter Doig which won first prize in the 1993 exhibition. The idea originally derived from a photograph of the artists brother standing on a frozen pond. Doig said about the painting, 'The title 'Blotter' refers to the notion of one's being absorbed into a place or landscape, and to the process through which the painting developed: soaking paint into the canvas.'
The figure is shown looking down at his reflection, which suggests he's possibly in deep thought, or perhaps contemplating the landscape in which he finds himself.



Another personal favourite of mine is 'Mirage', by Michael Raedecker, winner of the prize in 1999. The work combines an inventive range of mediums, mostly influenced by his undergrad studies involving fashion. He uses thread in areas you could expect to use paint; balls of painted looped thread add texture, as well as a combination of surfaces that display intricate embroidery all completed in neutral tones, which result in quite an unsettling (but nicely decorated!) atmosphere. It appears rather bleak; almost a depiction of a desert landscape. He expressed 'real suprise' at winning the prize, bless him.


Last but not least is 'Super star fucker - Andy Warhol text painting' by Peter Davies, who won the prize in 2002. This text painting includes a series of artists names, starting with Warhol's in the centre, and the rest flowing out like a diagram. Everything in the painting is repeated only once. Davies said of the piece, 'I want to... combine the sensuality and beauty of formalism with the humour and toughness of conceptualism'. Davies had this to say about winning the prize;

'It is going to enable me to not worry about money so much for a while…and concentrate on making what I really want to make rather than what I feel is a sensible thing to make, [something] that someone might buy.'

What a little rebel rouser!

So, a few dys ago we watched Tony Hancock’s, ‘The Rebel’. A 1962 satirical comedy; not lacking in post-modern irony. It explored a man who had grown sick of his 9-5 life and headed to Paris in search of success as an abstract artist. Straight away the film made me slightly uncomfortable; seeing his childlike work coupled with his dreams of success actually brought out nothing but empathy in me. And obviously we’re all privy to his trials and tribulations along the way! Surely a hit in its day, I found myself fidgety throughout it; understanding the underlying message, just not so much appreciating the humour.
The jokes relating to the abstract art all seem pretty clichéd now, seems the jokes have all been done to death since the films release! In terms of initiating new ideas and helping me progress with work, its not had much impact. It has, however, made me appreciative of how much more we are allowed to explore and manipulate in terms of art these days, without being questioned.

Amsterjamin'...

Over summer I spent a relaxing few days in Amsterdam, and suprisingly I managed to cram in a visit to the Van Gogh gallery.
I've never really been a massive fan of Van Gogh, but any oppertunity to go and see one of the top rated artists in the worlds work, I couldn't really pass up. Plus, any excuse to see those sunflowers in the flesh...


It was a bit of a drag having to wait in a queue for every single painting, but patience was the price you payed it seemed. I didn't get the time to really look at the paintings, and because it was so busy, I even had to skip some. The works are organised chronologically into five periods. Each representing different phases of his life and work, they are; The Netherlands, Paris, Arles, Saint-Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise.

Another exhibition at the time of our trip was, Odilon Redon and Emile Bernard; Masterpieces from the Andries Bonger collection. It featured more than 80 works including paintings, drawings, pastels, prints and pieces of embroidery by Redon and Bernard, and offers progressive insight into the progressive taste of Bogner.

Why, hello again… Walker.

I found myself in the Walker for the second time this week; being treated to a (very funny, might I add) guided tour of three very famous and intriguing paintings.

The first, was Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s ‘Dante’s Dream’, which was completed in 1871. It is a depiction of Rossetti’s intense interest in the Italian poet, Dante. It is an interpretation of Dante’s dream in which he is lead by a physical ‘Love’ to the death bed of Beatrice; an object of his unrequited passion and love. It is his largest painting, combining rich and soft colours and complex symbols that require us to interpret them.
The model for Beatrice was Jane Morris, (the wife of William Morris… the guy who did the wallpaper) a lady in which Rossetti had a long term affair and obsession with.
Everything is symbolic; the ladies in green are symbolic of hope, whilst the spring blossoms signify purity. The doves indicate the presence of love, whilst the poppies are symbolic of sleep, dreams and death. I found all of them interesting, but it is fascinating to me how Rossetti made no attempt to disguise his obvious obsession with Morris. Maybe it was his way of saying he fancied her…?
.. Joke.

The second was William Holman Hunts ‘The Triumph of the Innocents’, oil on linen, thought to have been completed in 1891. It depicts a day’s journey en-route to Gaza from Bethlehem. Compared to his earlier works (‘Scapegoat’, ‘Finding of the saviour in the temple’) Hunt separates the foreground and background; more attention is drawn to the haloed infants in the foreground, who are illuminated by a supernatural glow.
Hunt had originally intended to light the painting with moonlight, but later felt that would be too monotonous. He strived to reproduce the event with such precision; to reach the closest possible depiction of how the event may have actually looked, from a religious view point of course. The painting was designed to awaken the viewers religious emotions, and designed specifically for us to question whether or not these biblical events had actually taken place.


The third was by John Everett Millais; ‘Lorenzo and Isabella’ was Millais’s first Pre-Raphaelite painting, completed during 1948-1949, when he was just 19 years old. It was inspired by the John Keats poem, ‘Isabella’. It is loaded with tragic and ironic symbolism; most notably showing Lorenzo how he is to die. The story starts with Lorenzo and Isabella keeping their love a secret, Isabella’s brothers find out and plot to kill him, then take him to the woods and murder him, Isabella has a dream in which she see’s the murder take place, rushes to she spot where the body is, cuts off Lorenzo’s head and places it in a flower pot in which the basil grows (you know… as you do) her brothers then eventually discover this and flee to Florence out of shame and guilt.


The symbolism can be seen in the dog affectionately nuzzling Isabella; symbolic of devotion; being kicked by her snarling brother. Who, has a questionable shadow appearing from his crotch… referencing the artist actually had a sense of humour! The expressions of the rest of the family’s face look pretty smug; sensing they are satisfied with their plot. The brother on the left side of the table holds out a glass of blood red wine, whose gaze seems to be firmly fixed on Lorenzo. The spilled salt on the table is symbolic of the blood that is to be spilled later. The painting is actually overloaded with symbolism… you get the gist! A chair is carved with the initials PRB (Pre-Raphaelite brotherhood) this shows Millais was involved and initiated with the brotherhood.

Here is an extract from the Keats poem:

'Fair Isabel, poor simple Isabel!
Lorenzo, a young palmer in Love's eye!
They could not in the self-same mansion dwell
Without some stir of heart, some malady;
They could not sit at meals but feel how well
It soothed each to be the other by.
These brethren having found by many signs
What love Lorenzo for their sister had,
And how she lov'd him too, each unconfines
His bitter thoughts to other, well nigh mad
That he, the servant of their trade designs
Should in their sister's love be blithe and glad
When 'twas their plan to coax her by degrees
To some high noble and his olive trees.'

So it begins... albeit a little late.

After a few weeks of flustered instructions, I think I’ve finally got this whole 'blog' thing sussed! This blog will mostly be used to record recent visits to galleries, my thoughts and opinions on exhibitions, and ideas and experiments all relating to my core work. Which at the moment, is based on and around the themes and idea of 'identity'. How likely it is to stay that way, I can’t possibly say!

The special exhibition being held at the Walker at the moment is by Bridget Riley, and is called ‘Flashback’. I can’t say I hold much appreciation for this work. While a small part of me wants to argue that a lot of the works are extremely mature and that there is well thought and well structured patterns, the other half of me thinks it wouldn't look totally out of place in a children’s primary school. The idea just seems far too… easy. The paintings are optically vibrant, so much so there is a warning sign before you even walk through the door! They generate wild sensory movement and play with sensations of light and space. There are displays showing finished paintings, also paired together with sketches of new and exciting patterns. These paintings could easily be described as assemblages, I believe if they were a little less structured and Riley was to just let it happen, they would have a totally different effect.

However, with all the resources available now, it seems just about anyone could try this sort of art out. Maybe they had a lack of masking tape a few years back?! The combination of geometric shapes, horizontal and vertical lines and brash and wacky colours just hurts my head. In my opinion, the level of talent and raw skill can be seen in any other room in that gallery. Having said that, I’m really not opposed to more contemporary ways of working, nor do I believe the more time spent on a piece of art automatically gives it a right to success either. I don’t doubt that during the 60’s, Riley’s works paved the way for new, ambitious and exciting ways of working; it’s just not something I can totally engage myself with.

For me, this image says it all...