M HKA

We are going to round off this year of posts with a recommendation of an institution that you should visit if you are ever in the area. It's the Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp, known as: M HKA. It's a really fantastic place to go and see some very well put together exhibitions. Currently on display are:

• Robert Filliou - The Secret of Permanent Creation (on until 22/01/17)
• IN SITU: Michèle Matyn - Breathing Holes (on until 05/02/17)
• From Broodthaers to Braeckman - Photography in the Visual Arts in Belgium (on until 05/02/17)

Each of these exhibitions are really worth a visit. Despite going there to see the works of Filliou, I have to say that the exhibition that I enjoyed the most was that of Michèle Matyn. The exhibition was so well put together and felt very cohesive for a body of work. The flow of the room and the art pieces worked really well. 

You do have to pay to get into the M HKA but if you are under 26 (I think) it is much cheaper. Regardless I think it is worth the price. I found it rather unsuspecting for Antwerp to have a place like this but it really is well placed. Antwerp on a whole is worth a visit in any case. This place is one that I highly recommend.

What to Watch

This is a quick film and TV round-up for this month of things you should watch. If there's anything that you watch this week, please let it be these two things:

1. I, Daniel Blake

A film directed by Ken Loach. A fantastic piece of fiction based on the truth of the welfare system in the UK. As well as success stories, it is important to acknowledge the failures of the system and where it still needs to be improved. This film focuses on Job Seekers Allowance - a government grant given to people who are currently unemployed looking for work. The film showcases the harsh reality of many people claiming benefits and the poverty that still exists in the UK today. For me, this is the perfect example of art being used to highlight social issues and hopefully create political change.

This film is not easy to watch. And nor should it be. It's subject matter is heavy and at times it can be difficult to see. This film is completely worth the investment of your time. It's an incredible film that really puts things into perspective. Go and watch I, Daniel Blake. I implore you.

2. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life

Perhaps the TV (or Netflix) event of the year. (Or perhaps even the century.)

Four new episodes were released Friday 25th November 2016 giving us the badly needed Stars Hollow fix we've desperately been craving for 9 years. (As well as finally hearing those infamous four last words!! Oh my goodness! I have nothing to say at them! Don't worry - no spoilers here.)

This reboot of the show really is a treat for fans, with so many 'in jokes' that it really pays if you have seen the previous seasons. I can't really discuss the revival without giving anything away, so I think I shall just leave it at that. Although, one thing before I sign off. At the end of these four episodes (really they are more like four full feature length films) I wanted more. I was demanding at my screen (in between my opened shocked gaping mouth) for more. But. Upon reflection, I don't think we need it. If you've seen it, I think you'll know why: Everything comes full circle.

The Lorraine Special

The Lorraine region in France has it all going on this month. Below is a brief run down on what’s on in three different areas of the region.

1. Zone Sensibles  @ FRAC (Fond Regional d’Art Contemporain), Metz

    Until 23^rd October 2016 (Exhibition), FREE

FRAC is a contemporary art gallery in the city of Metz. (Which, happily for us is free, no matter what your age.) This exhibition concerned itself with the exploration of maps and our depictions of them. I can’t say that I was crazed about this exhibition, but the last thing we saw made the trip worthwhile.  An ephemeral installation by Nipan Oranniwesna (from Bangkok born in 1962) addresses the final use of paper maps. (See above.) He uses talcum powder to create an imaginary ghost-city. He makes it something tangible, but barely. This piece really takes your breath away and is a great way to close the exhibition.

2.  Festival du Film Arabe @ various locations, Fameck

     Until 16^th October 2016 (Film), from 5 – 15 €

This year sees the 27^th edition of the festival take place. Each day, different feature length film is offered for viewing. For the price of 15 €, you can enjoy a film and a meal. (The meal is either couscous or tagine. With a choice of tea and cakes at a further charge.) This offers you the chance to see films that aren’t part of mainstream cinema (not in the West at least) so really is a great opportunity to see something new.

3. Nancy Jazz Pulsations @ various locations, Nancy

    Until 15^th October 2016 (Music), various prices including some FREE events

This is a fantastic festival. I’m just going straight out there and saying it. They have a very diverse program this year, with musicians that infuse all different types of genres with jazz. Most concerts you have to pay for – but your ticket comprises of 3 acts normally. Other concerts are completely free. Something of note for this festival: on the Sunday when the festival takes place there is a concert in the park. Completely free. Parc de la Pépinière is transformed in a music festival, with different tents in the park some for music, some stands for food etc. On the Sunday that I went, I had the good fortune of finding out about this band: Gallowstreet. They are VERY good. Google them and you’ll see. If you enjoy music, I think that Nancy Jazz Pulsations is definitely one worth going to, or at least keeping an eye on in your calendar.

Monet's Garden

Visiting Monet? 
I have one major piece of advice, and one major piece of advice only. Pick your season well.

This visit was taken in mid-September, and luckily for us, the sun was still shining down on the little village of Giverny, where Monet used to live.

How do I get there?
From Paris’ train station Gare Saint-Lazare, you take a train to Vernon. (It takes roughly 45 minutes to get there. And costs just under 30 euros return.) Once you’re at Vernon, you can catch a bus that takes approx. 20 minutes to get you to Giverny for 8 euros return fare.

Once you arrive in Giverny, it is a simple walk from the car park to the village centre where you can visit where the main man used to live and his garden. I hadn’t really given much thought to his house beforehand (but it was beautiful and worth the time weaving up and down his spiral stairs.) Decorated so beautifully, and in a way (that when you think about it) makes sense to the man you’d imagine Monet to be. But his garden. His garden is the true brilliance here.

Monet’s Money Making Garden?
As I’m getting older (such wisdom follows me) I’m finding myself appreciating gardens and landscaping much more than before. His garden was a mixture of colour, vibrancy and such amazing smells. If I could have bottled it, and taken it home I would have. There were so many butterflies. There were so many bees. (There were quite a few people as well, but not too many.)

There are different parts to the garden, and perhaps the most famous, is his water garden, where his bridge and famous water lilies live.

The cost to see his house and gardens is not too much, 5.50 euros if you’re a student, and under 10 if you’re full adult price.

What else is there?
Once you’re in Giverny, you can also visit Monet’s grave or go to the Impressionist Museum that they have.

Final thoughts?
Overall, it was a lovely day, a little pricey once all travel and tickets were added together, but a place that was definitely worth visiting – and a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city.

(On last thing: if you plan on going, and don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on food, definitely take a picnic. Or at least some snacks.)

Liverpool Biennial 2016

This edition of the 9th Liverpool Biennial opened on 9th July (the best day ever) and will conclude on 16th October. (And as far as I know, all (if not most) of things programmed are free. So regardless of what I say down below, always worth remembering there is no monetary risk in finding out whether or not you enjoy what is on display.

I took a day trip (and as with all day trips) there was only so much I was able to see. So. This review shall come in three parts.

1. Things I saw that were worth my time.
2. Things I saw that weren’t worth my time.
3. Things I wish I had seen that I feel would have been worth my time.

As with everything, let’s start at the beginning.

1. Things I saw that were worth my time.

FACT
Krzysztof Wodiczko has a solo exhibition at FACT, and as part of his body of work, there is a restaging of his piece that was part of the Venice Biennale in 2009, named ‘Guests’. This piece of work is one of the best things I have seen in a long time. Despite being made 7 years ago, this work is something that still holds true (and so relevant) to our current global climate. By cleverly using light projections to create life-size silhouettes Wodiczko highlights many realities for immigrants. This work gives a voice to those who often aren’t able to speak. An entire room houses the installation, so you are surrounded by these ‘invisible faceless’ people, all speaking their mother tongue. Each section simultaneously tells a story of someone from a different country in a different language, so when you first enter the space things are indistinguishable until you choose a ‘window’ to focus on. I have to say, not many visual art pieces have had a deep emotional impact on me, in fact only a visit to Henri Matisse’s Chapel in Vence has made my cry. (A beautiful piece of artwork for another post.) But this piece, ‘Guests’ by Krzysztof Wodiczko made me cry. Everything about it is so important. And it all comes back to one simple point. It’s easy to blindly group together people under the title of ‘immigrant’ and not really give a thought to the individuals in that group. But when you stop to listen to their stories, fluently in their mother tongue that they can’t use as they used to, having to deal without everyday necessities that we take for granted, you see the humanity placed back into that blanket term ‘immigrants’. And that’s so important. We seem to have forgotten this important point. That simple fact: that we are all human.

Seriously, I can’t recommend this solo exhibition enough, the rest of it is just as worth your time, particularly a clever use of projections of war veterans speaking about their experiences of war on a memorial of Abraham Lincoln.

This was definitely worth my time. (And would be yours too.)

Bloomberg New Contemporaries
As is customary with the Bloomberg New Contemporaries (work by new graduates), they show somewhere else before making it down to London showing at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (usually in November.) For me, there was one stand out piece of this year's edition of the Bloomberg New Contemporaries (showing at Bluecoat). It’s placed in the room upstairs, at the far end, and is a video on a TV screen. Please, please, please, take the time to put on the headphones and watch the work by Zarina Muhammad. She’s produced two videos, but for me, my favourite is called Digjihad (2015) and lasts for just over two minutes. She takes all the memes, everything on the internet, the gifs, the sparkly text, all the videos, on ISIS etc and creates this masterpiece that is so bad it’s good. It’s brilliant. And the song that accompanies the video is so great that I have no words. If you can’t check it out in Liverpool, and you can get to London when it’s on there, do go and see it. This I loved.

Tate Liverpool
Again, (I’ve just noticed) all these three pieces I’m talking about are related. Like cousins that get along swimmingly at family gatherings. Anyway, the third and final piece that was worth my time was a piece in Tate Liverpool. It is an approx. 4 minute video by Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh and Hesam Rahmanian called Big Rock Candy Mountain (2015). It’s an animation that has been created by using stills from film footage of ISIS militants destroying historical artefacts and toppling statues in Iraq and Syria. The fallen monuments are reanimated, given a new life, and the soldiers turned into new (and sometimes mocking) figures. What I like about this, is that the artists are creating something new from something destroyed. They’ve created a new version of censorship from the rubbles of a misguided, horrific act.

2. Things I saw that weren’t worth my time.

FACT
There was a video upstairs in FACT. After having seen the fantastic-ness that was downstairs with Wodiczko’s work, this paled in comparison. It's called Pharmakon by Lucy Beech and it was questioning the idea of hypochondria in the modern world, and the solace you can take in others. It was filmed in a way that roused intrigue, but ultimately it wasn’t something that grabbed me, and not something I would classify as a piece of video art. It read more as something for the cinema. Too much acting for my liking. And something that was never resolved. Call me impatient, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. (Worth noting, that some friends I was with enjoyed it, so it all comes down to opinion. As always.)

Tate Liverpool
Everything else at Tate that wasn’t that video mentioned above. I know, I know. Perhaps it was because it was the last thing we saw. But, to be fair, I think the themes of this edition of the Biennial didn’t work in its favour, and this room was completely dedicated to it, and it just didn’t work. But I’ll go onto that later.

Liverpool ONE
This was a piece that I was most looking forward to. It's called 'To-day 9th of July 2016' by Mariana Castillo Deball. It is meant to represent the history of 9th July across many years in a large sculptural form that looks like a set of wooden stairs. Only it wasn’t what I expected. And the newspapers that were part of the piece (that was being used as a giant picnic bench (which I have no problem with, that’s just how people were interacting with it as it is located in a public space) were nowhere to be seen. Basically it wasn’t being maintained very well, and I know that part of it is ‘leaving it to the elements’ but it would have been nice to see a newspaper. Even if it was one we couldn’t have taken away. The description of this piece online and in the free brochure you can get (that we picked up from the train station) promised so much more to what was offered. Which you can read here. (That way you can decide for yourselves.)

3. Things I wish I had seen that I feel would have been worth my time.

Rhiwlas Street

Now, this is a site-specific installation that is installed in a suburban area of Liverpool (and because of that reason, and being located in the city centre for the day) we were unable to see this. It looks like a really interesting and natural intervention with its environment. Something that is visually very striking and due to that can mean many different things to different people. It's called 'Momentary Moment - The Stone' by Lara Favaretto. Read some more about it here.

Toxteth Reservoir

This piece is only available to view on the weekend (and as luck would have it, I visited on a Tuesday) so was unable to see it. Honestly, any work that plays with light peaks my interest and this was no exception. This would have definitely been seen had it been open. The artist of the work is Rita McBride.

So that’s it in terms of those three parts, of things I had seen and enjoyed, seen and disliked, and wish had been seen.  Overall, Liverpool is a lovely city to experience via art, and as stated earlier, it’s free. But, the Biennial itself as a cohesive event didn’t feel very clear with its direction.  The themes chosen felt very disjointed to the work. As if, at times, they were trying to make the theme fit these works even though you can’t fit a square key into a round hole.

Here is what the official website writes about this year's direction:

"Liverpool Biennial 2016 explores fictions, stories and histories, taking viewers on a series of voyages through time and space, drawing on Liverpool’s past, present and future. These journeys take the form of six ‘episodes’: Ancient Greece, Chinatown, Children’s Episode, Software, Monuments from the Future and Flashback. They are sited in galleries, public spaces, unused buildings, through live performance and online. Many of the artists have made work for more than one episode, some works are repeated across different episodes, and some venues host more than one episode."

Software, Ancient Greece and Chinatown etc all feel a little disjointed to be themes under one umbrella, and I feel that, that messiness in vision made the whole Biennial feel incoherent. It felt like separate divided pieces, rather than a whole. (The theme that took residence in the Tate, for those wondering, was Ancient Greece.) In any case, I look forward to seeing what form the next edition holds.

That’s it for my first experience of the Liverpool Biennial, one that I hoping to repeat despite not loving everything. But then again, it’s good not to always like everything you see, reaffirms the stuff you do like. So if you can, overall, it’s recommended. You just need to tailor your visit to you.

Review: Georgia O'Keeffe (EXHIBITION)

A retrospective of one of the most famous female painters of the 20th century is currently on at the Tate Modern in London until 30th October. The main attraction for me to see this exhibition was having studied O'Keeffe's floral works. Which is all I knew her for: her florals. (Probably similarly to the rest of the world.) But, she is so much more than that, and her body of work encompasses many more themes than her famed floral close-ups.

The exhibition is thematically displayed in a very logical easy to digest way (which is what you'd expect from any Tate exhibition.) We are guided through O'Keeffe's back catalogue, starting from her earliest charcoal pieces, to more personal displays about her life, Stieglitz and their inner circle, to her New York cityscapes and of course, to her flowers and still lifes. 

I enjoyed weavingmy way through the rooms and seeing works I didn't know existed. I also really enjoyed seeing O'Keeffe's work that I was more familiar with. (There's nothing quite like experiencing artworks in real life that you've seen time and time again in books or online.)

The stand out work for me is 'Special No.9 - 1915' (see image above). Reproductions (as ever) don't do it justice. It is something you've got to see in person. O'Keeffe's mark making and feeling in this piece is just something I find very difficult to put into words.

I only have one reservation about this exhibition: the price. It is too expensive. It is far too much money. For a student ticket it costs £15.40, for an adult (with no additional donation) it costs £17.20. And that is a lot of money. A lot. I assume (and we all know what you say when you assume) that the money recovered from the cost of tickets will go towards covering the exhibition, any additional staff costs, and (probably) any profit will just be pumped back into Tate Modern and its permanent collection, as all of that is, spectacularly free. But still, when it comes individually to coughing up this money, it is a lot. And it's a shame, because the hefty price tag makes it an exhibition you will not take a gamble on. Only those who know O'Keeffe, will go to see O'Keeffe. It alienates a whole untapped audience. 

And because of the price tag, I would only really go to this exhibition if you like O'Keeffe, or want to see the range of her work.

Getting Craftily Radical

Radical Craft is an exhibition currently on tour throughout the UK, today marking its last day at Oriel Davies in Wales. (A lovely gallery, free to visit, worth a look if you're ever in that area.) It's off next to Beecroft Gallery in Southend opening 10th September 2016. After that it will be making the rounds to: Scunthorpe, Carlisle, West Kilbride, Aberystwyth and Dorset. (All venues free!)

The display is a strong one showing a diverse range of work. More established artists such as Judith Scott, contextualise the theme of this exhibition while artists such as Joanna Simpson and her Good Luck Gum Nut Folk (as seen above) showcase the practice of today's contemporary makers.

Definitely worth a visit, for more info on the tour and dates, look no further than here on Craftspace's website. (One of the fantastic organisations behind this exhibition. You should definitely keep an eye on what they do.)

Review: Maggie's Plan (FILM)

Director: Rebecca Miller

Starring: Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke and Julianne Moore

I'm becoming a big fan of Greta Gerwig, and after stalking her imdb page, I came across this film: Maggie's Plan. Essentially, the film centres around Maggie and her desire for a child (but not necessarily the father that would come along with it.) We are presented with a character who is very organised and seems to get what she wants as she is very good at planning. The trailer for this film, I think, is fantastic, as it somehow conceals a major part of the plot line but still gives you a good taste of what it is about.

This film is funny, nicely shot, plays attention to little details (for example, you may notice mentions to Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', which is in this case are very fitting) and is a good example of how life can't' really be planned. It's a fun love story set with New York City as a backdrop. I do recommend this film, trust me, the 1 hour and a half will fly by. A great little film.

Magazine Choices of the Month!

A new exciting feature that will probably never show its face again! Just thought I'd mention two magazines that I happened to pick up this month. (Both out now, this June.)

Which magazine? Art Monthly.
What was the price? £5 UK (and 7 Euros and $8 in all those other places.)
Why did you buy it? Because funnily enough, after my Glasgow visit and finding out all about the amazing Pilvi Takala, there happened to be an interview with her in this magazine. This was the major attraction. Then on the back they very helpfully list all that's inside. Other articles about the unreliable narrator, a Midlands round-up and 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' By Henry Lydiate sealed the deal.
How was it actually? I'm only half way through reading this magazine but so far I have very much enjoyed it. Definitely enjoyed the interview with my new art crush Takala, was nice to hear more about her practice from her own voice. Also enjoyed the article about the unreliable narrator and how the article concluded. So I am looking forward to continuing this on my train journeys.

Which magazine? Oh Comely.
What was the price? £5 UK
Why did you buy it? I used to be subscribed to this magazine, but I stopped because of university and I was finding that I wasn't having enough time (or making enough time) to sit down and properly enjoy the magazine - this isn't a quick flick through. It deserves a proper sit down, cup of tea and slice of cake type of treatment. I picked up this particular issue because of its theme (Oh Comely always have a great theme that ties through the magazine) and this month is was adventure. And I need a little adventure in my life, and this seems to be the perfect fix for that.
How was it actually? Again, horribly behind on reading it, but I can testify on previous issues that this one will be just as great. The layout is beautiful and the content even better. Definitely a magazine worth checking out if you want something a little different. This is up next for my eyes to devour once making it through my Art Monthly.

Review: Tale of Tales (FILM)

Director: Matteo Garrone

Starring: Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel and Toby Jones (to name but a few.)

This film is a visual feast for the eyes. It follows three Italian fairytales, that are specifically geared towards adults. (Do not take children to see this. ) I really enjoyed the three individual tales, they each offered something different. Being aimed towards adults really meant that they didn't hold back on anything, and I feel like this attitude really added to the atmosphere and type of world they were trying to create.

I won't ruin too much - the trailer linked above gives you a very good idea of what you'll be in for, for the 2 hours and 13 minutes that this film lasts. (Although I will tell you this: my favourite story is the one about the two old sisters and the sex-pest king.)

I only had one slight negative about the film - that it was slightly too long in parts, and too short in others. But I do feel like they could have tried to make the stories told slightly tighter, but only just.

Tale of Tales really is a great opportunity to get lost in another world for a couple of hours. The film feels like a passion project, rather than created with the end goal to make money, and that works completely in its favour. The film is visually stunning, has stories (although fantastical) that we can all relate to and really explores, at its core, when the magic and beasts are swept aside, what it means to be human.

There are definitely certain films that you have to see on the big screen and this is one of them. For me, it's a definitely go see.

Magic Pianos

Nottingham Contemporary. Simon Starling. Free. Closes 26th June 2016. Reason to go? This piano. This automatic, self-playing, beautiful piano. Name of music played? Red, Green, Blue, Loom Music (2015 - 16). Go and see it. Go.

Review: Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf (EXHIBITION)

On until 19th June at the New Art Exchange in Nottingham, let me introduce you to Doug Fishbone's Leisure Land Golf! Costs £2 for an adult, or £1.50 for a concession. 

This art exhibition proves to be the perfect 'viewing' for people who might find more traditional gallery experiences boring.

As the name suggest, you play a round of mini golf. Each hole having been designed by an artist with a concept behind it. Near each hole there is an interpretation panel to explain the thought process behind each piece. I think that this art mini golf is a great idea and a great way to engage people. It's also a really fun, playful way to explore darker subject matter. (Than you'd expect for mini golf in any case.)

I think there are certain designed holes that will resonate more with certain people. I just want to quickly mention the hole that the course finishes with. (It's the righthand image.) This final hole is Ellie Harrison's 'Life Raft'. It is 'a scale map of the UK floating in the adjacent canal - [it] offers a safe haven to immigrant golf balls that can make the treacherous crossing.' Essentially, you have one chance on this hole. From your platform that represents mainland Europe (and more specifically Calais) you are asked to hit your ball into in the United Kingdom. Anywhere within the boundary, on the first go. And it is so much harder than it looks. I didn't make it the first time (but landed in Scotland the second.) It's such a great method to make you re-evaluate your own thinking, and add a new perspective. You are literally made to look from the other side. We become the outside looking in, and the chances of safely making that journey become a serious unlikelihood. It really makes you appreciate the difficulty and hardships that people face to make it to our country. And how we easily take that for granted. (I know this seems to be a lot to take away from a game of mini golf, but that's the brilliance about this course.)

Definitely, definitely, if you are in Nottingham, or around, definitely go and see it! If not, I think it may be touring the UK (I think it has been a few places already) but I could be making all this up. Also, keep an eye out on the New Art Exchange, they seem to do some interesting things. 

Review: In the Age of Giorgione (EXHIBITION)

Just a quickie here. In the Age of Giorgione at the Royal Academy. On until 5th June. It is what you'd expect from what I'll bluntly call an 'old painting exhibition'. To put it bluntly again, I wouldn't have paid for it (I have a membership card, normally costs £10 without donation) but it was enjoyable. (But perhaps because it was fun adding stories to sassily painted faces and fancy bouffant hairstyles.)

Not sure I'd recommend (but mainly because of my personal tastes) but if some serious art history is your thing then you'll enjoy this. If not, maybe give it a miss.

If I could, I'd dance instead of walk.

A quick mention of something I definitely should have typed about before: the International Dance Festival Birmingham! It finishes tomorrow so there still might be something you can catch a look at. The city has been taken over by dance. 

I had the fortune of seeing 'In a Landscape'. Here is the brief summary as written on the festival's website:

Featuring Shun Ito, Kei Miyata & Ex Easter Island Head.

Inspired by the writings of Japanese poet Kenji Miyazawa, In a Landscape blends the spiritual and the scientific in a pulsating and atmospheric production which allows audiences to wonder at the invisible rules of nature and the universe.  An unmissable treat for fans of electronic music, art, Japanese Zen and genre defying performance. 

This extraordinary kinetic landscape will be created in the Municipal Bank, directed and choreographed by Kei Miyata (also performing in the piece), in collaboration with Shun Ito and EEIH, and an ensemble of local people.

I'm not normally a person who would go and see dance. But this was something I really enjoyed. The best way for me to describe it is slow. It was very slow but in the best possible way. It was very rhythmic and meditative. Reminded me that sometimes it's best to take your time. This performance was a beautiful example of a successful collaboration. The artist, the dancers and the musicians.

This was a great example of the types of performances programmed during the International Dance Festival. So if you didn't catch anything this year, definitely keep your eye out for when the next one springs up in Birmingham.

Lace Market Theatre and the Bard

To coincide with all things Shakespeare (and today being his registered day of birth) read below for a Nottingham secret and piece of TV that must be seen.

On Saturday, I had the good fortune of booking tickets to see A Midsummer Night's Dream on the 400th anniversary of his death day. (Unknown to me.) Now this isn't a review about that production. (It was great by the way.) But more about the place it was in.

The Lace Market Theatre is a hidden gem in Nottingham. Literally just up the around from a main street, take a right and you're there. It is loving run by volunteers who put on a vast range of plays. (And if the one I saw is anything to go by then they are very enjoyable indeed.) Just alerting you all to its existence. Should you want some cheap, good quality theatre. Support your local!

In other theatre *cough*Shakespeare*cough* related news - the BBC. The BBC did good. To celebrate this strange anniversary, the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon put together a cracking line up for Shakespeare LIVE! It's the best type of this TV that I've seen in a while. The programme did a great job of encompassing the mass influence the Bard has had across art forms and generations. A slurry of famous names took part, as well as multidisciplinary performers from across genres. From opera, ballet and musical theatre to hip hop, jazz and more traditional renditions of Shakespeare. It had it all. And it was great. It will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer if you live in the UK. Definitely worth a sit down and catch up. 

The Glasgow International Chronicles: Part IV

So little bit late in terms of the Glasgow International. But this exhibition is on until 19th June (so I feel like I can be pardoned for my lateness.)

Akram Zaatari, a Lebanese artist, presents selected works at this new exhibition for The Common Guild in Glasgow. My favourite piece in the exhibition was 'Tomorrow Everything Will Be Alright', 2010 - a 12 minute video. (See the image above.)

This whole exhibition deals with love, cultural identity and the development of technology. This is only a quick post to say this is an intriguing exhibition to see. It is rare that non-western work is presented within the contemporary art scene with such weight, and these works slip in there effortlessly with their valid contribution. What I liked the most about the exhibition is that his Arab roots are very much in the work, but they do not drown it. It's a very subtle presence that adds to what is trying to be said, rather than consuming the whole concept.

If in Glasgow - go and see. (It's free!) Also he is the founder of the Arab Image Foundation, which is an artist-driven organisation with a collection of over 600,000 images (started in 1997) to preserve photographs from the region - something that is worth a peek.

That concludes 'The Glasgow International Chronicles'. I hope you enjoyed the whirlwind tour of what I had to say on this marvellous contemporary art festival! Definitely something that is worth keeping on your art radar.

Flatpack Film Festival 2016

We interrupt this Glasgow slurry of posts to give you an update about goings on in the middle of the country: Birmingham.

Flatpack is a film festival (and so much more) that is currently taking place in the city until 24th April. Many events are free and some are paid for. They have a variety of things programmed for this annual festival, all of which can be found here.

Today, I saw a free screening in Birmingham's Gas Hall in the west of the city. Aptly named 'Pic 'n' Mix' the screening played a range of international shorts that have been played across the film circuit.

Five shorts were shown in total. Each very different from the next. The first was perhaps my favourite. It was a small snippet of an exchange between three brothers trying to recreate a childhood photograph of them in the bathtub for their mother's birthday. Only they are full grown adults now and argue as siblings do. It was a very true, realistic and funny story of family. I loved the premise, the actors were brilliant and the writing completely natural. They cleverly kept it very simple and in doing so allowed the message to carry through. Perhaps because it was so relatable is why I was so drawn to it. Anyway, here are the details of the film: The Bathtub, Director: Tim Ellrich (Germany/Austria 2015 – 13 mins)

The others were all really enjoyable (bar the second one which was about farming which I didn't connect to - found it boring). One told the story of a widower wanting to buy the plot next to his wife's grave but things going array (eye). The other, an animation following one creature's obsession with a red coat. And a family's small talk captured at key points throughout a year.

If you want to catch the second half of this showing (focusing on home grown talent instead of abroad) you can do so on Friday (tomorrow) at: BM&AG - Gas Hall at 5.30pm until 6.30pm

Definitely check out what is going on and go go go to something if you can.

The Glasgow International Chronicles: Part III

Next on my list of my whirlwind tour of Glasgow International is the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA). Entrance is free!! In conjunction with the festival, the space has been taken over with some specially commissioned pieces. I had chance to see three out of the four exhibits, one whole heartedly recommended, one slightly recommended and the other unfortunately not so much. But it comes down to taste rather than quality in this instance I feel.

First, the not so great. (Now my opinion might be bias as this was the last one I visited and I was aware I was on a time restriction.)

Third Hand: Autonomous Art from Scottish Prisons. This exhibition is in until 23rd April. For opening times check the CCA website. This exhibition is a tin. (Does what it says.) The show presents works of art created by prisoners creating artwork for the first time. For me, (and although it is a great cause and premise (any introduction of making into anybody's life at any time has nothing but a positive impact in my eyes)) it lacks the criticality that is present in other art of similar vain. It follows the trend of 'outsider art' but instead of presenting the show with the same validity of other contemporary art shows, it looses its chance to ask the audience to see beyond the labels of 'naive' and 'outsider art' as the brochure suggests. It feels crammed into a little corner of a room. (I wasn't that into the artwork itself either. What can I say? Sometimes you like what you like and you don't what you don't.) If you are there in the building already you might as well have a skirt around. But I wasn't that into it.

Now the slightly recommended. This exhibit is called: The Polity of (symbol) and is open until 25th April. Open daily.

The exhibition is particularly pertinent today due to the theme it deals with. Φ is (quote) a floating nomadic country without possession of any landmass rooted on earth, whose occupants live, work and play together as an autonomous community. This utopian state is manifested in the form of an intergalactic vessel. 

This exhibition is part of a community-led research project, encouraging an open dialogue on the right to inhabit specific geographies instigating an inquiry into who exactly is welcome in Britain. 

They try and create a different experience as soon as you enter the door. (If I'm honest it reminds me of a parody of a cult (the kind of representations in films.)) Flags are hanging everywhere, what feels like a propaganda film plays in the background promoting this version of society. A row of chairs (ready for unannounced rallies) faces an official looking set up. Government booths which you approach to fill out a form to receive a visa. Dependent on how you fill the form, depends on whether or not your visa is accepted.

I completely get what they were trying to do - and I did enjoy it. The only thing was the visa application. What I thought would be a double sided sheet was a full on A5 booklet full of very difficult questions about geography and current/historical affairs. Now I'm not very good at this when it comes to my own country, so when it was focussed on Africa and Asia I really struggled. Particularly as some of the events focussed on living memory but before my year of birth. (A lady never tells her age, but I'll let you know it's the early 90s.) I liked that it highlighted how ignorant we are when world issues not concerning the West/ Europe are not as valued or known as the rest of the world. But, after the third page of these difficult questions, the visa application just made me feel stupid. I think it was too long, and because of that they may struggle to get all the answers they wanted, as half way through I just started to guess them all unless I thought I knew the answer.

In summary: nice idea. Not realised to the best of its potential. Worth a sniff.

Finally, and not least by any means, the exhibit I found myself drawn to. (In honesty, I came to see the exhibition mentioned above, but I fell in love with this one.) Simply named after the artist (Pilvi Takala) the show displays an overview of her work to date. (Including a new commission by Creative Scotland to revisit a previous performance.)

She intelligently investigates social situations and human behaviour by subtly subverting the norm. (Essentially, Takala becomes the unexpected in a regular situation with invisible written rules that are followed by everyone else. She successfully, very gently, disrupts societal routine to create quiet ripples that have very present and very visible repercussions.)

Her work primarily exists in video. There were some key standouts from her selected works that were on display that made me question things I wouldn't have given a second thought to before.

The Trainee, 13.52 min, 2008.

This was a month long project where the artist (with only a select few knowing of the true reason of her being there) posed as a marketing trainee using odd working methods. She shifted her focus from working to thinking. For example, the film shows her repeatedly riding the lift up and down the different floors of the office building 'thinking'. Some colleagues found this amusing, some clearly thought she was weird. This particular exercise she tried ended in an email being sent to her manager. She tries other tactics to subvert the norm - so I thought this film was definitely worth a watch.

To briefly name a few others I would recommend researching:

• Wallflower, 10.25 min, 2006
• Easy Rider, 4.25 min, 2006
• Broad Sense, 8.36 mins, 2011
• Lost Pigeons, posters, phone, 5 min sound, 2012 

The exhibition had a very clean and simple layout, with one room dedicated to a piece entitled Broad Sense. Once finished with this room, the long rectangular space is transformed by multiple TVs hung from the ceiling, each with two chairs. (Good choices of seating here. Tate take note.) But the extra touch that worked so well was that the clothes (or props) that featured so heavily in a few of the pieces are slung across the back of the seats you sit on to watch the work. It was a nice reminder to the reality and physical presence that these pieces have that can sometimes feel distanced because of the media used to capture these happenings. It brings the immediacy of the work to the forefront of the audience's mind again. These pieces don't work in isolation with no contextualisation on our part. They have a place in our everyday lives and having the clothes there breaks down that barrier and safe distance that a screen can provide.

Overall, I loved this exhibition so much, that I am readying myself to buy a book of Takala's work. If the other exhibits don't tickle your fancy just make sure you come for this! On until Sunday 15 May. And it's free. So no excuses. Unless you live a long way from Glasgow. Then I'll let you off.

The Glasgow International Chronicles: Part II

Glasgow International continued!...

This one shall just be a quickie. I had the opportunity to see a tech rehearsal of The Citizens Theatre's production of This Restless House: Part 1.

As the website says:

AGAMEMNON’S RETURN

Part 1 of Zinnie Harris’ adaptation of the Greek tragedy The Oresteia

A father’s horrifying sacrifice of his daughter sets in motion a cycle of bloody revenge and counter-revenge. As his family rots from the inside as a result of his brutal act, the loyalties of his surviving children are pushed to the extreme.The curse that has gripped the family for generations looks as if it will never end.

This Restless House, based on the epic Greek trilogy The Oresteia, is an exhilarating theatrical event and contemporary take on an ancient drama that has survived two and a half thousand years.

To what I saw: A tech rehearsal involves a lot of stopping and starting which unfortunately means that I didn't get to see much of the actual play. But what I did get to experience was the stage design and the theatre building itself. Being built in 1878 it is typical of the Victorian era it was built in. The inside of the theatre hall is beautiful, with an intimate feel (yet plenty of seating), and smells faintly like an old church (we'll blame the age. If you were over 130 years old I imagine you'd start to smell a little funny too.)

The premise of the play sounds promising, and the stage setup looked intriguing. And those 10 uninterrupted minutes I got chance to see I really enjoyed and raised my curiosity. I also enjoyed what I heard of the musical score which has been especially composed for this adaptation of this famous Greek Tragedy. (And the musicians are on stage, which is unusual for a production. Normally they are squirrelled away and you really have to crane your neck to catch a glimpse.)

This is part one in a trilogy and I know that special ticket prices for all three are available. So if you're in Glasgow and enjoy a bit of drama, why not give it a go?

The Glasgow International Chronicles: Part I

This glorious visual arts festival occupies the entirety of the city, populating established art institutions to much smaller independent spaces. This is the seventh iteration of the festival that is open from 8th - 25th April 2016.

I was unable to spend as much time as I would have wished to properly devour and get a full taste of this contemporary art extravaganza. I think you need to devote at least a full day (if not two).

First I want to begin with the things I wish I had had chance to see, so that if you are going, you can see them for me: (If not you can just google them and look, and lament alongside me.)

• Clara Ursitti - New Work. In various locations around the city until 23rd April 2016. She will be releasing different smells within the streets of Glasgow.
• Birthe Jorgensen and Tawona Sithole - Bitter-Rose. On until 24th April 2016. This is a nomadic installation that moves thorough the city by foot. The show functions as an impromptu platform for discussion.
• Nicolas Party - Mezzotint. Until 29th May. These prints and paintings begin with familiar objects and exaggerates their presence. Something that seemed worth a peek. 

But what did I actually go and see? I was fortunate enough to pack a variety of sights into my very short stay including exhibits and a play (sort of) at the following places:

• The Citizen Theatre
• Centre for Contemporary Arts
• The Common Guild

Each place and artwork on display deserves its own post, so that is what shall be happening!

However, I do have space to mention the two smaller independent spaces I went to during my time in Glasgow. Both exhibitions. And both specifically on for the tight duration of the 18 days of the festival.

• What? Concrete That Makes Us (Exhibition)
• Who? André Komatsu
• Where? Civic Room, Glasgow
• When? Until Tuesday 26th April. Closed Mondays. Open from 12pm - 5pm.

I went there for one reason and one reason only. The tantalising photograph in your free Glasgow International guide that is available throughout the city.

(That and this is its first showing publicly since its exhibition in São Paulo in 2008. I'm a sucker for anything limited.)

The piece in question I want to focus on is called: Disseminação Concreta, made in 2006 out of gravel and clothes.

Having almost no context to base my thoughts on this piece, it just came from a gut reaction. Which in my eyes suits what it is you are seeing. Essentially, it is a stone person. Clothes and shoes have been placed and stuffed to resemble perhaps the most familiar shape recognisable to us: a human. The construction of the space means that as you circle the piece you are looking over what feels like a dead human being. It's a strange feeling as your brain understands that this is made of rocks, not flesh, but it's disconcerting silhouette says something else. It becomes unnerving, and yet at the same time peaceful. I wish I had had more time to stare but I had to scoot out. For fear of being late. (I was late.)

Last but not least:

• What? The Vegetable Store (Exhibition)
• Who? Erica Eyres and Garnet McMulloch
• Where? Fireworks Studio
• When? Until Monday 25th April. Open daily, Mon - Sat, 11am - 5.30pm and Sun, 12pm - 5pm.

This little display at Fireworks Studio was manned by a man and a dog when I appeared. News on the grape vine is that many fruits and vegetables had to be bought as subjects for these clay creations. The collection has fruits and vegetables in perfect aesthetic condition, with other produce appearing mouldy and last their sell-by date. (Garnished with little flies to boot.)

In all, I would recommend a visit to both of these exhibits in the programme. I would advise picking a few of them to make a crawl out of it.

Stay tuned for the remaining parts to this excellently titled series.

Review: Painting the Modern Garden (EXHIBITION)

It was a dreary morning when my mother and I rocked up to the Royal Academy (RA) with the hopes of seeing the new Impressionist exhibition tag lined 'Monet to Matisse' (something I have a slight problem with, but something I understand.) I'll place my note of warning here: book your tickets in advance. As we approached the building there was a queue. Now this wasn't necessarily a massive queue, but when the gallery is only releasing approx. 10 tickets per 30 mins and this means (as we had been informed) you would be facing a 2+  hour wait to get in, the length of the queue suddenly seems to triple in size. As we were on a tight schedule there was only one way around this problem: become a friend of the RA. Now the only reason we were (really) able to consider this is because I am a 16 - 25 year old human being. You can become a friend of the RA for £45 for the year (now upped to £50 - if in the age bracket.) What does this include? Immediate priority to you and a guest to the exhibition (any exhibition during that year, on multiple occasions if you choose.) If you sign up 'in-store' (as it were) you get a free tote bag, containing a copy of the quarterly magazine that you are now in receipt of (approx. £5 an issue.) You also get 10% off in the shop and something else to do with their cafes that I don't remember. In any case it worked out well for us as we were there for 1 day only and a single ticket to this exhibition is an eye-watering £17 (£10 if a student, but sadly not all of us fit this bracket anymore.) So, for time and monetary value it worked out well. (Also gives me an excuse to go and see this year's Summer Show to use my shiny new card.)

Now. Numbers and practicalities aside. (It is worth noting, that booking beforehand for this exhibition is highly recommended. This is something I seemed to have missed before.) The actual part that we are here to discuss: the exhibition itself.

I'll be quite honest. I wasn't expecting to like this show as much as I did. The exhibition brings together two very popular things (for a certain age group) together. Gardens and Impressionism. With the risk of sounding punny, this exhibition felt like a breath of fresh air - not in that it was showing us anything new, but that these paintings, with their glorious colour combinations, brought the outside in. Despite the drizzle outside, I could feel the sunshine inside. These paintings and artists so perfectly capture the beauty of nature and reiterate the importance of our green spaces. (Way to be relevant Leonardo Dicaprio.) 

These artworks give you the gift of seeing them twice. Once up close: the other far away. As Cher from Clueless so perfectly puts it 'she's a full-on Monet' a mess close up but alright from far away. As you look as close as the little rope will let you, you can gage a range of colours, placed with impassioned gestures that, from a distance, create beautiful blushing flora in colours that cannot be captured in reproductions. (I had to swallow my disappointment - firstly in the gift shop's postcard selection, but then in their poor imitation of such beautiful colour combinations. If Impressionists knew anything, it was their colour combinations.)

In terms of enjoying this particular exhibition (as let's be honest, you can see a variety of these types of paintings in different free institutions (the National Gallery being a fine example)) the atmosphere created really held true as negating the rooms. What I mean by this, is that despite being sold out and rather crowded, there was a lovely sense of calm that I feel only nature can bring. Placing the subject matter aside what the curators of the space ever so cleverly did was to avoid the white cube. There were no white walls in sight. None. Each room had been perfectly matched to colours that evoked a calming energy, but perhaps most importantly, complimented the paintings on display. Various shades of greens, blues and browns really displayed these pieces in their best light. To have placed them in a white cube would have gone against the purpose of the artwork. Aesthetically, it would have washed out the vibrant colours making something so natural and friendly feel too clinical and harsh. It somehow would have changed their meaning completely.

Something else that this exhibition did that I've not really seen successfully done before is integrate two rooms on the exhibition route that didn't house any Impressionist paintings. One contained letters from the artists, botanical books that were inspirations, as well as a collection of Japanese prints that belonged to Monet. The layout of this room was intelligent as its main structure to house these documents was a mini green house that framed the room by being placed in the corners. The green house structure also stood as a centre piece to the room. (Each glass container holding what I guess to be plastic plants.) 

The other unusual room that offered the viewer a break was a room with photographs of each of the artists in their garden, along with a showreel with them in action. 

Another structural decision that worked really well was a room within a room. They had added a second bunch of walls inside one of the galleries, to add extra wall space to show more paintings. What I particularly enjoyed was that the outer walls were blue, and the inside structure was green. (To me this symbolises the water lily - something that inspired one of the most famous sons of Impressionism. *cough*Monet*cough*)

The final, and perhaps most important reason that sets this exhibition away from the rest is the end room. They saved the best until last. (And even use the most daring colour for the walls. (Deal teal.))

Agapanthus Triptych by Claude Monet (1916 - 1919)

(Small snippet of it below.)

This is a three piece painting that I've never seen the likes of before. The colours! The shapes! The three pieces reunited! This is the first time in over 60 years that these painting have been back together in Europe. In the 1950s Monet's family sold them, and the triptych was split up and sent to 3 separate institutions across the breadth of America. In my eyes it is a terrible pity. Almost to the point of destroying the work. (In fact, it does.) It's like separating twins at birth. 

These pieces are meant to be seen together. They are three thirds of a whole. Getting to see these in this exhibition is no doubt a once in a lifetime opportunity (unless you decide to visit multiple times.) There is something wistful about this work, something tranquil. It echoes stillness and contemplation. It really was worth the entire show.   

Below I've listed my other favourites. artists who I had not heard of before (who probably get passed over the more famous names (like Matisse. And although I do love him, he only had a small handful of paintings in this show that paled to others in comparison - hence my problem with the marketing.))

If you get a chance to go, keep an eye out for these. And if not - do Google them!

• Frederic Bazille - Les Lauriers Roses (1867)
• Gustave Caillebotte - Dahlias: the Gardens at Petit Gennevilliers (1893)
• Gustave Caillebotte - Nasturtiums (1892)
• Laurits Tuxen - Roses PS Kroyer (1893)
• Laurits Tuxen - Rhododendron in Tuxen's Garden (1917)
• Emil Nolde - Large Poppies (1908)
• Kandinsky - Murano Garden II (1910)

This exhibition is open until 20th April 2016. If you can go, see it. If you do, remember, book in advance!

Review: The Glass Menagerie (PLAY)

This is a very quick note to mention a very good play. The Glass Menagerie is currently playing at the Nottingham Playhouse in (you've guessed it) Nottingham. Ticket prices range from £10.50 to £28 - I managed to grab a ticket for £11.50 so it all depends on dates etc.

This play is the first by Tennessee Williams, highly autobiographical, and the start of his flurry of success. This four character play (some could argue five) runs for approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes (interval included.) The action (although quite quiet and domestic) allows you to be swept along in your seat, loosing the concept of time. In affect, this suits one of the strongest themes of the play: reality. We are brought in to a dream-like world; a world of the narrator's memory. This family life seems very sheltered, until broken by the arrival of someone from the outside. This all sounds very vague, but you'll get it if you see it, and get it if you've read it. The staging is great, it's quietly dramatic. The acting is fantastic. And it is something I would heartily recommend that you go and see!

On until Saturday 26th March 2016.

Review: Big Bang Data (EXHIBITION)

Open until 20th March - so there is still time to see! Tickets are £9.50 for students, £12.50 for adults.

Somerset House always do a great job at hosting exhibitions that would be difficult to imagine anywhere else. And Big Bang Data is no exception. If I had to describe what type of exhibition it is I would say this: it's an exhibition for people that don't like art.

Big Bang Data acts as a large umbrella to encompass anything and everything that deals with the theme. There are works from artists, designers and companies in a hot pot of responses to the digital world. A lot is very informative, visually stimulating and also (as is customary now) participatory.

The exhibition itself is really informative, helping to visualise data transfer and how much of it is stored and created everyday. Trying to place a weight on something invisible can really hurt your brain, but through different visuals (and lots of pretty colours) it seems much more understandable. One thing I have to say about this exhibition is that you will learn lots of facts. The type of facts you imagine people would use to impress people at dinner parties. For example:

'An incredible 90% of the data in the world today was created in the last two years alone.'

Go and impress your Uncle Bill with that one.

There were a couple of pieces that really interested me. So I'll briefly talk about those here. Firstly, 'Dear Data' by Giorgia Lupi and Stefanie Posavec (2014 - 2015). Loved it. In essence, the piece consists of postcards sent between two artists living on either side of the Atlantic. They measure a particular type of data relating to their lives that week, put the information on a postcard, and send it to each other via snail mail. This artistic transaction makes something invisible (data) into something tangible and something that we can grasp onto. Using an analogue system rather than a digital one, makes the concept of data far less intimidating and far more accessible for the audience to understand.

Secondly, (now this wasn't an art piece but more of an artefact) was the Rosetta Disk (2009). This is a digital archive of the world's languages. Some stats for you: it has over 13,000 pages of information in over 1,500 human languages. This blows my mind. And the actual disk is very tiny. It would fit into the palm of your hand, but somehow it is heavy with all this data. The disk has been purposefully made out of a durable material to last for thousands of years. The idea is that it will serve as a snapshot of the linguistic diversity of the world today. Imagine having a snapshot of the world's languages in something portable that would fit in your purse. Again, crazy!

The third piece that I want to draw your attention to is a work that I experienced first, and read about later. It's towards the end of the exhibition (and by this point, you might be experiencing 'museum legs') so when you see a cluster of black bean bag chairs, they look very inviting. Once sat down, you naturally look up, and above you (projected onto a concave screen) is what appears to be stars. Hundreds of stars that are slowly moving, exploding and shining on this projection. It is pretty beautiful, and rather mesmerising once you get stuck on those bean bags. (You may need a helping hand out of them.) Now, once I had finally struggled (both from fatigue and difficultly) to get up to drag myself over to the label, I was stunned to see that it wasn't purely a depiction of stars at all. It was a real-time representation of financial markets, driven by live trading data from the world's stock exchange. It was a demonstration of how beautiful data can be (and perhaps how deceptive it can be.) If you're wondering, this piece was entitled 'Black Shoals; Dark Matter' by Lise Autogena and Joshua Portway (2015).

There are so many other things that I could point out about this exhibition that I loved - the fact that you could 'sell' your data, see how much fossil fuel had been burnt during your lifetime, or even watching images to music that had been hacked from someone's personal computer.

The exhibition really finished on a high point, and brought the concept back to humanity. It is quite easy to get lost in logic and numbers, yet by educating us about data, this exhibition reminds us that we cannot rely upon this alone. We are reminded that our society can thrive on chance and disorder just as much data-centrism. Sometimes the answer isn't in the data, sometimes its through negotiation and debate, and within our heart. (As cheesy as that is, you know it's all true.) There must be room for opinions, mystery and chance.

The last piece you see as you leave the exhibition is called 'Data Will Help Us' by Jonathan Harris (2013) and it is a manifesto about the positive and negative possibilities of data-based logic. I will just leave you with a couple of lines from this piece, and also the opinion of that you should go to this exhibition if you can.

[About data.] It will help advertisers see people as statistics, but will it help us remember those statistics are people? It will help soldiers kill enemies remotely with drones, but will it help us see war as more than a game? It will help us live forever, but will it help us see that life's meaning stems from the fact that it ends?