A first year show is a hard thing to review, especially having little knowledge of the artists, the work, and the strange goings on in the Portland Road Studios. I was prepared to be thoroughly flummoxed by a lot of the work. What I ended up feeling was a sense of daring, and challenge created by the students, there was a lot of work on show, displaying the students confidence within their own abilities and talents.
James French
Greeting you at the entrance of the studios is a grotesque water-sculpture by James French It's bit Iza Genzken, a bit Jake and Dinos and a bit Cathy Wilkes, using mannequins is nothing new. Interestingly he has managed to bring something new to the familiar material. Two mannequins, father and child spirt water out of their eyes and other orifices. It totally engages with it's surroundings, and through the continuous movement of the water, has a rhythm and pace to it. In the deary parking lot, next to the bike racks, in the drizzly weather it completes this dark, sinister feel to the work.
Steve Nice - Disco Dancing Trophy of the Outer Universe (2009) / Steve Nice - Untitled (2009)
Steve Nice's triptych of objects; What's Mr Chips Doing Now, Untitled, and Disco Dancing Trophy, seem to act as narrators, or storytellers to the exhibition. They give the viewer a sense of recognition and admist the hoards of people they are friendly, witty creations that allow pauses for contemplation about the work between them. They have similar anti-aesthetic elements as his photography has, they are inherently funny but have a quite, thoughtful, forgotten aspect to them. What's Mr Chips Doing Now (below) is perhaps the most quiet of the pieces, the flamboyant gold creature nestles up to a fire extinguisher staring at a trio of polaroids, of his old friends.
Steve Nice - What's Mr Chips Doing Now? (2009) / Rory Beard - Where Granny Goes (2009)
Rory Beards curious small projection might've been missed on the first time you perambulate the space, luckily I spied it as it had clear resonance to work I saw in NY a few months ago by Tony Oursler. The bare-bones structure pulled no punches, it is what it is.
With the nature of the space, a lot of work is hidden in little nooks and crannies, and may be missed by the unsuspecting viewer. I was really glad to find this gem by (artist unknown) which had a clear nod to ex-Kingston Graduate Stephen Bishop. The neons have been painstakingly painted, and then scratched off to read what appears to be the angry angst prose of an art student.
Sometimes likened to the cosmetic retailer LUSH, the work by (artist unknown) appears at first glance to be colourful, sweet smelling soaps. On closer inspection however instead of petals and 'bath bombs' set inside them there's a range of cigarette stubs, and ash. It's repulsive.
The display of the work was unusual as it had no relationship to the materiality of the actual piece. The piled up soaps on the floor (testers which hadn't been removed I presume) were far more intriguing.
Faye Carrick
One of the stand-out works in the exhibition was Untitled by Faye. A trio of awe-inspiringly crafted slabs of material stand precariously up on end. Not only beautiful to look at, and incredibly created, the work has a resonance that was otherwise lacking from the show. It's calming influence draws the viewer in and demands their full attention. The contrasts between the objects is highlighted in their most brutual of forms. Such a highly skilled piece of modernist work was almost too good for this show, I believe it wouldn't have looked out of place in this years Fine Art Degree Show.
The exhibition shows some very confident work by some very exciting young artists. If I didn't know better I would've never guessed this was work of 1st years!
The exhibition shows some very confident work by some very exciting young artists. If I didn't know better I would've never guessed this was work of 1st years!
