]]>After arguably his most acclaimed retrospective Panorama at the Tate Modern this Year to coincide with his 80th Birthday, the documentary Gerhard Richter Painting has been released. Richter’s art work is known around the world by artists, art lovers and collectors alike, though he himself is rather less known as a consequence of his reclusive nature. This in my opinion has helped his career due to the proficiency and exceptional nature of his work, allowing the critics to converse with the work, rather than with him. Corinna Belz’s the filmmaker behind the fly-on-the-wall documentary has spent three years as a passive observer capturing the routine and methodology behind creating his radical and consuming abstract works.
“You get the feeling the paintings are staring at you,” says Corinna Belz, who met the painter while filming his vibrant pixelated stained glass window for the Cologne Cathedral. “There’s a physicality to Richter’s paintings. I wanted the viewer to become immersed in the subtly suspenseful cycle of the process.”
Masters are never born, they are developed and honed by years of disciplined studio practice, continuing to work through triumphs and mistakes in search for the next and the search for the now. This documentary sees a master at work at the height of his powers and is a unique insight into a visionary genius.
Works unfold before your eyes, changing at a moments notice; reflective of the society we inhabit. Each work is complex and compelling not least in their final state, a single work can consume you, in a wall of smeared multi-layered colours and textures that holds your attention and captures the imagination. This documentary in uniquely insightful, compelling and inspirational; I recommend that whom ever you are, you should watch this documentary.
Gerhard Richter Painting Web Site | Buy Gerhard Richter Painting Film Documentary
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We are a group of 30 UK artists who have been invited to exhibit at the Orange County Centre for Contemporary Art, bringing some of the UK’s most ambitious, emerging artists to California.
The list of artists reads like a who’s who of the young, London art scene, including Rosie Emerson, Tahnee Lonsdale, and Agnetha Sjogren. Works by these and other collectible artists are available to you here as part of the fundraising campaign.
We are a very talented group, pushing the boundaries of the art world even in a time when it is hard to get arts funding to make shows like this happen. To enable the first Museum show of the London art scene in California, we need your help.
Our 'perks' in return for your donations are listed to the right, or we have opened an online shop here with more range: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LondonCalifornia
The Impact
This is a very exciting and potentially career expanding opportunity for all the artists that have been selected, and will also enable us to help raise support for OCCCA which develops and actively participates in public educational, outreach and community art services.
Your contributions, big or small, will be helping on many levels.
We are not just shipping work to California – we are providing an interactive, performative presence. We will be turning heads! In order to achieve this we are aiming for as many of us as possible to travel to the show.
What We Need & What You Get
Firstly we are offering limited edition artwork postcards signed by the artists. 50 of each design will be created to make up this exclusive collection.
Now that's pretty good in itself but we have a really incredible opportunity for you as well: All the artists are offering original works of art! This is a fantastic chance to own artwork from these successful emerging artists – each very talented and collectible. Currently exhibiting in London and represented by Notting Hill based gallery Debut Contemporary, we have all successfully shown in other locations as well.
A few of the places the artists have exhibited: The Venice Biennale, Tate Britain, Tate Modern, The Southbank Centre, Sommerset House, and galleries in Singapore, LA, Russia, Salzburg, Austria, Germany and Poland. Collectors of their work are in many countries and include Banksy and Bill Woodrow. They have worked with clients such as Jerry Lewis and Groove Armada and have had work auctioned by high profile Christies auctioneer Hugh Edmeades.
This is a wonderful way to get a piece of collectable contemporary art whilst supporting the artists in furthering their careers! Its not just a donation to us, it's also an art investment for you!
Other Ways You Can Help - Spread the Word
Thank you for taking time to read this and if you have been inspired to make a donation then an even bigger thank you to you! You are truly wonderful!
LONDON CALLING – LA
OCCCA, Orange County, USA
December 21, 2011 – January 12, 2012
List of London Calling exhibiting Artists:
Abigail Box, Agnetha Sjogren, Alyona Larinova, Azadeh Fatehrad, Beth Nicholas, Carlos Martyn Burgos, Chantal Powell, Darren MacPherson,Katerina Stavrou, Katerina James, Kimi Wylde, Henry Wood, Joe Cruz, Lloyd Durling, Lyndsay Martin, Masa Suzuki, Nicola Anthony, Rachel Noble, Rosie Emerson, Robert West, Senghye Yang, Silvia Krupinska, Sylvia Morgado, Sun Ae Kim, Tinsel Edwards, Tahnee Lonsdale, Twinkle Troughton, Victoria Heald, Vikram Kushwah
OCCCA acts as a catalyst for self-organised initiatives with a keen focus on social engagement, intellectual and cultural exchange and endeavours to produce a forward-thinking intellectual framework. LA www.occca.org
Debut Contemporary showcases new works by a group of internationally bold and incredibly talented contemporary artists http://www.debutcontemporary.com
For press enquiries and high res images, please contact Ben Austin at Fluff PR , Tel: 020 7424 9599/ 07703 185291 ben@fluffpr.com
]]>A week to remember! After finally completing the second of my new figurative paintings, I was ready for a inspirational week in London, and indeed it was. London was wrapped in the haze of pure creativity, and my mind was soon to be overrun and to the point beyond productive exhaustion with unique visual and ideas aplenty after seeing Gerhard Richter and the Frieze Fair.
Richter although having had retrospectives before, none had ever been so comprehensive, nor as illuminating as Panorama. I was not pushed for time and after walking around in amazement at the seemingly endless wonders of visionary marvel that lay before my eyes, I proceeded to walk around the 14 exceptionally curated rooms once again in awe and in disbelief at the sights I had just encountered. To me this was the greatest painting exhibition I had ever seen, and I was acutely aware of this whilst I was experiencing the exhibition. This was an exhibition and experience I recommend you take on your own, and certainly take your time over.
The exhibition is a fundamental manifesto of what painting is capable of and why painting is certainly not dead and shows what a single artist is capable of. Gerhard Richter is arguably the most accomplished painter and indeed Artist of his generation and so I would implore you to see this Exhibition as I believe it may never be surpassed in its complexity nor execution and will be remembered in Art History as a landmark exhibition.
The exhibition was organized to coincide with Richter’s 80th Birthday and was launched at the height of London’s busiest Art season. As the titled suggests this is a broad view of Richter’s back catalogue inclusive of all his many distinctive signature styles. This exhibition, explained Nicholas Serota, aims not to present an artist of any specific style, but to recognise an artist who “chooses to express ideas at different moments.”
Tate’s cavernous rooms lend themselves to the large format that much of Richter’s Abstract works are based, juxtaposed along side small scale figurative works such as Skull (1983) and Flowers (1977). Richter’s large scale abstract work tower above you and trigger an immediate response with their immense and seductive walls of colour, that lure you in as you succuumb to their complexity and clarity seem smeared into undistinguishable moments. Though subtle moments in the exhibition draw you back to reality, some to an uncomfortable one, such as September where reality and abstraction seem to be as one; I almost walk past the work labeling it as abstract, then my eye wanders to the title and read the solitary word September, in which the depiction of the two towers can just be made out behind the shades that lay over their surface.
To conclude Richter is at the very peak of his powers and has produced in my opinion some of his greatest masterpieces in the last decade and has excelled where so many great names have floundered in their later years. Gerhard Richter: Panorama is a wonder to behold and is a must see.
Gerhard Richter: Panorama at Tate Modern, SE1 (020 7887 8888, tate.org.uk) runs until January 8, 2012. Open Sun-Thurs, 10am-6pm; Fri-Sat, 10am-10pm.
Frieze Article coming soon......
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Are you in Leicester? Do you want a studio space? GOOD NEWS.
Two Queens will be a combination of Midland art superpowers Vanilla Galleries and Cusp, providing excellent studio and exhibition spaces in the heart of the Leicester cultural quarter, with only a stones throw from Phoenix Square, The Curve theatre and the Leicestershire Creative Business Depot among others.
This may be the place for a Leicester Zine Fest at some point, hosted by US.. YEEESSS. We will keep you updated about that..
The studio spaces will hopefully be available from November and will be priced at £65 per month.If you would like to be added to the waiting list, email info.cusp@gmail.com with your details.
There will be an open evening at the space THIS Tuesday (20th September) between 5 – 6:30 PM. So come down if this interests you at all.
It’s here: http://maps.google.com/?ll=52.635146,-1.125148&spn=0.000416,0.001206&t=h&z=20&vpsrc=6
]]>The LAB group from Debut Contemporary including • Robert West • Vikram Kushwah • Chantal Powell • Tinsel Edwards • Nicola Anthony • Sylvia Morgado • Kimi Wylde • Abigail Box • Darren MacPherson • Katrina James • Twinkle Troughton • Carlos Martyn Burgos • Azadeh Fatehrad
In the 11 hours of anticipation while we where whizzing across the skies on our way to LA, we could not have even begun to imagine what a turning point this exhibition would be for the LA art scene and for the London Art Box artists. Our adventure has really only just begun, but there is much to report back on, with so many important connections made and discussions held that I am going to give a condensed version below as a starting point.
At FLAG STOP inLos Angeleswe have met many inspiring people who we have already gained a lot of insight from. With one of our main aims being to share and report back from this LA adventure, I have arranged to talk more in depth with several key figures and will be writing more here about their artistic practices and perspectives in the coming days and weeks. Later today I am on the panel for a discussion with Bill Moreno, prominent art figure and the board of LACE, where I will be representing Debut Contemporary and the innovative mentoring platform that it is. More on this to come!
So what’s going on in this exciting slice of the London Art scene that has been landed in California? We’re here in the London Art Box - a London ‘micro-gallery’ in which 13 of London’s most exciting and ambitious emerging artists have been invited to prepare a special exhibition for the landmark LA event, FLAG STOP.
The trip seems to have turned into a rather epic journey – particularly as we have spent much time doing loops around the road system guided by our ‘quirky’ Tom Tom… We visited the OCCCA museum inOrangeCountywhere we have been selected to exhibit this December, and we explored the amazing space, capturing it on film for the other artists who were unable to visit in person. Lots of research was done followed by our reward of touring the artists village and gorging ourselves in the yummy Gypsy Café – a quick refueling and a glass of celebratory beverage before driving back to FLAG STOP.
We have had a great meeting with the charming Joella March – OCCCA curator – who was very excited and animated about the Debut Contemporary artists and our work. She introduced us to Argishti Musakhanyan – aSan Franciscogallery owner who one of our artists, Kimi Wylde is driving up to visit this week, whilst myself and Abigail Box will be going on a tour round some LA galleries and with her on Monday.
The first few days have involved much discussing and mulling over the London Art Box interactive ‘concept’. It has evolved and become very much a grouping together of our original ideas plus new curatorial ideas which emerged having seen the space and context – plus of course working out the practicalities. What’s the most effective way to get interactive with the visitors? The best way to curate the work of the 13 Debut Contemporary artists? and of course…. can we achieve it in time using only our bare hands, sheer willpower and a massive amount of coffee??
The micro-gallery space is not at all like the static, white-wall gallery of institutional convention. Rather, we are providing an interactive, performative presence: staging impromptu discussions, creating dialogue about the 13 artists works, and the curation of them. We’re here representing a lot of talented people form Debut Contemporary Gallery, so we’ve had a lot of fun researching and really delving into the work of our fellow artists with our visitors, as well as answering questions about our own practices.
Whilst busy encouraging a dialogue about contemporary art we are also regularly re-arranging the space and inviting visitors to help curate the space. We have a salon style approach on two walls which form our ‘pick and mix’ area, with our ‘white square’ at the far end, our visitor curated space – which is both prompting and resulting from all the exciting conversations and observations.
Visitors are writing down their comments, opinions, and own perceptions of the work and the dialogue between the works – we’re building up a great collection of comment postcards which are being pinned and strung around the micro-gallery –building up an organic web and visual representation of the discussions, perceptions, and energy in the space.
During the event, I will also be as orchestrating an interactive performance element myself, as my word collection project extends across theAtlantic to collect words from our American neighbours.
Whist it’s barely been any time at all there is so much more to tell. Other highlights include a personal invitation from Nick Lisica, assistant director of FLAG STOP, to visit his home for dinner. We viewed his own fascinating personal art collection and talked about linking his gallery, Hudson Linc, with Debut Contemporary. Lisica is a very interesting and proactive art figure, and – sneak preview – an interview about his directing own gallery and curating pop up exhibitions will be published on here in the coming weeks.
LA is overwhelmingly positive about London Art Box, and we have already been introduced to the key figures here who are also very excited about our work, the space, and the concept – more to come on these inspiring and influencial characters: Tm Gratkowski – FLAG STOP DIRECTOR, eminent curator Howard Fox, prominent artist Bob Zoell, Joella March influential art figure and curator at OCCCA, the curators of Torrance Art Museum, Peter Frank art critic, the distinguished Bernard Fallon from the FLAG STOP board, and the charming LA Journalist Bondo Wyszpolski who has already published articles on flag stop.
Naturally, the people of LA are enjoying our ‘Englishness’ (yes we’ve suddenly become exotic rarities), and considering that The White Cube gallery is London based, they are also enjoying the re-mixed and alternative version of the ‘white square’ existing within the London Art Box micro-gallery. It’s wonderful to see visitors so engaged with choosing the pieces of work to curate together and discussing the possible dialog between the artworks they’ve juxtaposed.
DEBUT CONTEMPORARY | 82 WESTBOURNE GROVE | NOTTING HILL | LONDON | W2 5RT
LONDON IN LOS ANGELES
LA: 2 - 4 Sept 2011
London: 28 Sept 2011
• Robert West • Vikram Kushwah • Chantal Powell • Tinsel Edwards • Nicola Anthony • Sylvia Morgado • Kimi Wylde • Abigail Box • Darren MacPherson • Katrina James • Twinkle Troughton • Carlos Martyn Burgos • Azadeh Fatehrad
Some of the UK’s most ambitious emerging artists are packing up a small and exciting piece of the London art scene to captivate Los Angeles: London Art Box (LAB) is a London ‘micro-gallery’ in which the artists have been invited to prepare a special exhibition for the landmark LA event, FLAG STOP. Catch the LAB and take part in LA or London this September.
Curated by Samir Ceric and showcasing artists from London’s Debut Contemporary, the LAB will not be your typical tea party gathering. Neither is the space anything at all like the static, white-wall gallery of institutional convention. Rather, the artists of LABwill provide an interactive, performative presence: staging impromptu discussions about not just their own works, but also the works of their peers, encouraging a dialogue about contemporary art. They will be regularly re-arranging the work and inviting visitors to help curate the space.
If you can’t make it across the pond to catch LAB, there will be a special UK VIP event on 28th September when the LAB will return to London with a film screening of the event, discussions with the artists and curators, plus a rather creative twist. Come along to meet and find out more about this exciting group of artists.
FLAG STOP is an alternative contemporary art event in LA. Its mission is to present new and emerging contemporary art to a larger audience outside the mainstream art venues. FLAG STOP’s invitation to Debut Contemporary to feature LAB in this landmark event will bring these talented artists into direct contact with Southern California’s public and some of today’s most reputable artists, galleries, and arts professionals.
The artists represent a wide range of media, backgrounds and contemporary approaches to creating art. Between them they have exhibited at The Venice Biennale, Tate Britain and Tate Modern, worked with clients such as Jerry Lewis and Groove Armada, and have had work auctioned by high profile Christies auctioneer Hugh Edmeades. Collectors of their work are in many countries and include Banksy and Bill Woodrow.
As FLAG STOP is free to the public, entire communities that aren’t typically exposed to contemporary art will have the opportunity to meet these artists and ask questions—demystifying contemporary art and forming a more personal and meaningful understanding of our world through the eyes of an artist.
“Today, on average, every house has one and a half cars,” says Ceric. “I’d like to think in 20 years every household in this country will have at least two pieces of art, if not more. I want the importance of art to be grasped by every strata of society.”
Most importantly, the art experience will not be confined to the project’s exhibition space. No, the LAB artists will be everywhere during FLAG STOP’s events—they can be found discussing the work of other contemporary artists, posing for a photo op, or even sharing a bite with you at the catered food trucks. How will the public know who they are? “They will be wearing white LAB coats, of course,” says Ceric. So get comfortable with contemporary art—it is a social experiment, after all.
About FLAG STOP:
Torrance, CA – FLAG STOP is pleased to announce An alternative Contemporary Art event which presents art in unique, unconventional places. The goal of FLAG STOP is to give local art communities and the art world at large a chance to see and experience art where previously not thought possible.
FLAG STOP’s mission is to present new and emerging contemporary art to a larger audience outside the mainstream art venues.FLAG STOP searches for alternative venues in which to present the best curated examples of what, why, and how art is becoming relevant today. Each “STOP” will feature art which has been curated with some of the best examples of contemporary art, brought to you by some of the top professional, emerging curators and artists from Southern California and beyond.
www.FlagStopArt.com www.FlagStopArt.wordpress.com flagstop.media@gmail.com.
FLAG STOP, An Alternative Contemporary Art Event is free and open to the public:
Friday Sept 2nd opening for guests only
Saturday Sept 3rd & Sunday Sept 4th, 12pm to 6pm
South Bay Lexus, 24777 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505
About Debut Contemporary
Debut Contemporary is a unique mentoring & exhibiting platform for emerging artists, and will be represented by LAB at this event. Located in Notting Hill, London.
It’s an innovative concept for all aspiring and ambitious artists, showcasing the best of creative talent across all arts disciplines including painting, sculpture, photography, video, installation and performance art.
Dubbed as “Kingmaker” (International Life Magazine) of creative talent, “London Top’s Tastemakers” (Time Out) and “One of the UK’s Most Powerful Couples in Fashion and Art” (The Times Magazine), husband and wife duo Samir Ceric and Zoe Knight, the “High Profile Couple” (Drapers Records) behind the launch of Wolf and Badger, Salon Contemporary (including Artist of the Week, Curator of the Month and Best of British competitions) and First Wednesdays, launched DEBUT Contemporary in 2011, having already discovered some of the big names amongst contemporary artists in the past decade.
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Kerry. Oil on Canvas. 76.2 x 101.6 cm. 2011. RW 45
So my friends Nick and Greg from Zeene went to the London Zine Symposium at the Rag Factory last Sunday, the day was a great success meeting fellow creatives and Zine producers. The day was hot and thousands flocked to the venue to see the emerging Zines making an impact on the landscape. Nick and Gregs highlights were Zines from Eyeball comix and UltraHorse.
