January 10, 2010
Decode: Digital Design Sensations
The origins of the V&A lie in a collection of artifacts, the purpose of which was to inspire ideas and to be used as models to be copied by aspiring designers and artists, and that pretty much is how I use the V&A and would recommend others to use it. It is not, as it is sometimes thought to be, an art gallery.
I think this statement goes some way to explain the disappointment that some have felt about Decode. If you are looking for the art gallery experience then you will not find it in this show. What you will find is inspiration and something worth copying as a starting point for your own explorations. 
February 8, 2010
As a practising designer and artist with many years’ experience, I feel qualified to say that I do actually know a lot about art, and I certainly know what I like. As far as I am concerned, if something falls into the category of ‘design’ rather than ‘art’, then it has to satisfy certain basic criteria, even if it strays into the new area of ‘design art’.
When I look at a designed object, the first question I ask myself is, ‘Do I want one of these?’, and if the answer is ‘Yes’, then I ask the question, ‘ Would I pay good money for this?’.
Let me explain ‘Do I want one?’ first. The piece in question has to be more than just an object of desire, regardless of how cool or sensual it might appear. It has to have a resonance, a timbre and a significance beyond its functionality. For me, this is more than simply ‘wanting’.
‘Would I pay good money for this?’ is the second hurdle. As I am browsing, I am not thinking whether or not I can afford the price tag. Instead, I am considering whether I feel it represents value, be it simply in aesthetic terms or in the quality of the materials and manufacture, in other words, is it fit for purpose?
April 24, 2009
Altermodern
Altermodern at Tate Britain was a triennial that brought together twenty eight young artists in a great show. Lizzie Carey-Thomas, the curator, is to be congratulated as this really works as a group show and at the same time gives each of the artists a platform. How refreshing it is for curators these days not to feel the need to overwhelm their visitors but to inspire them – Altermodern left me with the feeling that I wanted to find out more.
Nicolas Bourriaud and Lizzie Carey-Thomas had a singular advantage in having a wonderful space to work with, and they used it very well. It is on a human scale, intimate, surprising and free-flowing. The Tate Britain space encouraged zigzagging, which is essential for an exhibition of this complexity. It allows the viewer to circulate and peek at the more challenging pieces, spin round the show and then stop here and there before surprising a 'challenging piece' with their presence.
May 3, 2009
Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones
On a lighter note, if you have the time a visit to ‘Hats: An Anthology’, Stephen Jones’ exhibition at the V&A is well worth it. This is a delightful exhibition, manageable in scale, humorous and broad in its scope and you can get round in 45 minutes! There were several things that I really liked about it, in particular that Stephen Jones felt he could include a piece form his graduation show (1979) and that it does what an exhibition should do in my view, inspire you rather than flatten you, as some recent stuff I have seen does.
Artists Index
| Julia Lohmann |
| Fabrica |
| Jeroen Verhoeven |
| Joep van Lieshout |
| Joris Laarman |
| Luc Merx |
| Niels van Eijk and Miriam van der Lubbe |
| Sebastian Brajkovic |
| Stephen Richards |
| Tord Boontje |
| Wieki Somers |
| WOW |
| Troika |
Exhibition Review
| 100% Design |
| Designersblock |
| Maison et Objet |
| Origin |
| Tent London |
| The Dock |
| Top Drawer |
| YSH |
June 6, 2006
If you only know a little about me it should come as no surprise that I think in pictures and having spent my time so far as a conceiver and visualiser of ideas, then painting, photography and generally making marks on surfaces is my natural medium.
As a synaesthete, I find that landscapes, interior spaces and natural forms can change into abstract, ambiguous and tantalizing shapes, similar to the process I use for solving problems for clients.
It is also refreshing to explore all the digital tools now available to creatives and it is no coincidence that these voyages of exploration often result in helping to take clients in new directions and to try new techniques.
June 4, 2010
Headlines:Eavelines
A portfolio of limited edition prints entitled 'Headlines:Eavelines', published by Openings Press at Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, Wiltshire, c.1970, commissioned by Ian Hamilton Finlay for Eve Furnival.
Artists include: Christopher Lumgair, Susan Hudson, Simon Lord, Jonathon Willcocks, Virginia Robinson, David Mitchinson, Deborah Fulford, Ann Hildred, Angela Wellard, Paul Ansell, Simon Farrell, Elizabeth Kelly.
June 4, 2010
Catch a whiteman by his manifesto
A portfolio of limited edition prints entitled 'To catch a whiteman by his manifesto', published by Openings Press at Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, Wiltshire, c.1970, commissioned by Dom Silvester Houedard.
Artists include, Stephen Lowndes, Susan Hudson, Elizabeth Kelly, Jenny Osborne, Angus Davis, Erica Grice, Noelle Stewart, Alan Hext, Paul Ansell, and Melody Craig.