November in China was a month of the 20th International Arts Festival. Art 021 Shanghai and West Bund so far the biggest Contemporary Art Fairs in Asia. As I see the purpose of such an event is a sell and spread. Numerous galleries brought local artists and international art from different time periods and places. Artworks from Alberto Giacometti to Takashi Murakami.
Why would you go there as an artist? Because you want to see the tendencies and new ideas? Probably then it is not the best place for this, as video art, performance and “art in the sake of art” most likely not here. Galleries around the World would bring their best pieces which they think could be bestsellers. Here the element of possession and objective borders of the property are more valuable than an element of theory or philosophy.
Walking via space of thousands of art objects it is simple to be lost. Dan Flavin, Ar Penck, Francis Alys, Anselm Kiefer, Damien Hirst, Per Kirkeby, George Condo, Matt Johnson and others – this is a presentation of the most established and fashionable artists. They work in different contexts, with different materials and they are interested in diverse things... This is as if you would come to the Zoo – you can see creatures from insects to mammals. The only difference with Art Fairs is that collectors wait for a new “creature” to come into the world.
I caught myself thinking, that I was focused only on the art which is visually attractive to me. So I can’t say that I saw all art pieces as it was too much (as everything in China a bit too much) but I enjoyed artworks with an original idea or with bright colour with an expressive movement of brushstroke. This brought me on one step closer to my own chose in art – art which I want to create and develop.
Here are some pieces from the “favourites list”:
Gillian AYRES (1985) Lucas, Oil on canvas. 243 cm. West Bund, Shanghai. 10 November 2018.
I find this work very exciting because of colour volume, expressive strokes and balance of the colour stains.
George Condo (2016) Two People Looking at Each Other, Acrylic and Oil pigment stick on canvas. 213.4 x 208.3 cm. West Bund, Shanghai. 10 November 2018.
Balance, rhythm and intricate figures are asking to “read” the work. Elements are soft and round which makes the image pleasant.
Jonathan Meese (2017) Fräulein Kundrilly “UFO-DON DE HOTTIE LARGE (...),Oil, acrylic and mixed media on canvas. 210.5 x 140.5 cm. West Bund, Shanghai. 10 November 2018.
The attraction of this work for me in the colour combination and texture.
Per Kirkeby (1995) “Untitled”,Oil on canvas. 200 x 220 cm. West Bund, Shanghai. 10 November 2018.
It spoke to me! Colour, lines, story, decorative element…
Later I found this video. Will save it if once I want to come back to it.
Kirkeby says something interesting about his art method… It was prohibited. “It had to be right and proper. Making a lot of show and doing something beautiful and virtuoso – was forbidden”. I see similarities with myself – today I recognise that I wanted to rebel against academic criterions of appreciation.
DAMIEN HIRST (2008) Papilio Ulysses, Butterflies and household glass on canvas West Bund, Shanghai. 10 November 2018.
It strikes me with its provocative context…
Doug Aitken (2018) Untitled (fruit bowl), LED, Chromogenic transparency on acrylic in aluminium lightbox with LEDs, 141 x 135.3 x 17.8 cm. West Bund, Shanghai. 10 November 2018.
Narrative and poetic. Technological and Philosophical. For my taste very conceptual and interesting.
Glenn Brown (2017) American Sublime, Oil pait over acrylic paint on bronze, 98.5 x 62 x 60 cm. West Bund, Shanghai. 10 November 2018.
Shock out of Brown’s oil paintings makes me change my opinion about this piece. At first glance, I thought it is something new and can be sophisticated interpretation but not. Very direct and simple - a paint on a sculpture.
Lee Yong Deok (2008) Looking 040703, Mixed media. 195 x 105 x 15 cm. West Bund, Shanghai. 10 November 2018.
Korean artist impressed me with the simplicity of solution and at the same time, I see the extreme contemporary context which mixed with a historical background of sunk relief.
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