Istanbul Biennial 2019: The Seventh Continent Istanbul’s art scene is booming and it’s never been more evident than in this year’s 16th Biennial (14 September – 10 November). Running across three sites, and showcasing more than 220 artworks by 56 participating artists, it provides art lovers with a wealth of opportunities to fully immerse themselves in art. This year’s theme – The Seventh Continent The Seventh Continent refers to the mass of plastic waste floating in the Pacific, estimated to be five times the size of Turkey. Curator and art historian Nicolas Bourriaud uses this theme to explore the Anthropocene epoch; an era where human activity has been the dominant influence on climate change and the environment. While the biennial isn’t set on preaching an environmental message, it explores our current period in history and suggests a new ‘approach is needed to make sense of it. Bourriaud sees the 56 international participating artists as anthropologists of this ‘off-centred world’, a time where, the physical and symbolic limits that formerly separated human beings from their environments have collapsed. He suggests that,’ both anthropology and art are reflecting the erosion of the old mass systems – sociological, ethnical, sexual or political.’ The site locations Site 1 Located a stone’s throw from the beautiful Bosphorous and a 30-minute walk from Galata Bridge, the main venue (the new addition to the MSFAU Painting and Sculpture museum), plays host to more than half of the participating artists, so ensure you allow a day to take it all in. It’s also conveniently located for grabbing a coffee or a quick bite to eat, should you want some refreshments after an art-filled day. Site 2 The second host venue, the Pera Museum, is more centrally located near Taksim Square. Here, alongside the 14 Biennial artists, is the museum’s permanent collection, which is well worth viewing. Afterwards, head to Solera Winery, a fabulous little wine bar with a good selection of wines. Site 3 The third site, which is home to five art works, is located on Buyukada (the largest of the Princes Islands), situated a one-hour boat ride from the main port. All of the works are located within a short walk from the ferry drop-off for ease. To help inspire your visit to the Biennial, I’ve rounded up a few of my favourite installations / artists’ works. 1. Korakrit Arunanondchai – Thailand This video piece brings together two historical events – the rise of Donald Trump and the death of the King of Thailand woven together with the artist’s grandmother’s experience with dementia and a drone spirit called Chanti. Done through a collage of cleverly woven interviews, original footage, imagery and story-telling, there’s a real beauty to Arunanondchai’s work, which has an ethereal and spiritual quality. The content of the video is almost irrelevant; it’s the sum of the parts that makes it stand out. He punctuates the footage with poignant phrases, which encourage reflection such as: ‘how have the strokes of history painted your picture’, ‘for consciousness to exist beyond bodies’, ‘soil is the most valued species on the earth,’ etc. 2. Jonathas de Andrade – BrazilPeixe The Fish– video This powerful film shows a fisherman holding and stroking a fish with care and love while the fish slowly dies; a ritual performed by fishermen in the Northeast of Brazil. This demonstration of love while the fishermen knowingly kill the fish for food, throws up a complex set of emotions, making for compelling yet difficult viewing. Andrade uses this video to explore human’s relationship to the earth, that we are slowly killing yet depend on for our existence. 3. Hale Tenger – Turkey Appearance –Installation and audio - Buyukada This meditative piece is set in the gardens of Sophronius Palace, a now un-inhabited, dilapidated building on Buyukada Island. As you wander around the gardens you are drawn to the black obsidian mirrors that reflect the magic of this wild garden. You are forced to walk slowly in between the mirrors so you can hear the audio that forms part of this installation, a poem written by the artist – the voice of a fruit tree. The inspiration for this installation comes from a botanical technique girdling: the complete removal of a strip of bark which can kill trees or encourage enhanced growth of fruit. The artist asks ‘Can you be by not doing?’ and she creates a wonderful space to reflect on this and indeed how humans manipulate nature for their own gain. 4. Haegue Yang – South Korea ‘Incubation and Exhaustion’- sculpture, sound (Painting and Sculpture Museum) Yang presents an immersive sensorial environment with scents, sounds and textures. The room is saturated with biomorphic sculptures made up of motifs ranging from chillies and garlic to high-end surgical robots. These striking hyperreal images and sculptures are paired with an audio from a famous interview with Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in, where native bird song and camera clicks was all that was recorded. Yang’s installation explores the breaking down of barriers between technology, politics, art and nature. Overall, the experience left me feeling reflective. Perhaps human beings are merely a dot on the landscape of the history of this great earth whose time is up. Motivated by human-centric concerns, the climate change debate, which has provoked so much discussion and anxiety, maybe suggests our focus should be on how to leave this earth gracefully.
Elinor Seath
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Late at Tate Britain - The perfect cultural destination for an alternative night out in London18/11/2015 Searching for an alternative Friday night out in London, I found myself looking at gallery lates. I had a distant memory of playing a weird ball game one evening in a grand hall at the Victoria and Albert Museum, so I was looking for something similarly unique to enjoy. I searched Google for 'London museum and gallery lates' and I was overwhelmed by the amount of information that exists. After a considerable search, I discovered the The Body (November) exhibition at Tate Britain. It had something to do with bodies and DJ’s were playing, which was enough information to convince me. I happily found a willing friend to join me, who, incidentally had never been to the Tate Britain, shame on her! Status at Late at Tate Britain This season, Late at Tate Britain is inspired by the theme of ‘Status’, and each event will explore a different idea: Power (October), The Body (November) and Celebrity (December). The series will explore representations of status and its parallels with the Tate Collection, from historic royalty to YouTube fame.
Enjoy some fabulous art...
When we had finished the exhibition, we decided to take advantage of viewing the fabulous artworks on display. From modern sculptures to traditional paintings, there is something for everyone to enjoy. While sadly, the experience didn’t quite live up to our expectations, it still ticked the box for a great alternative night out and I am now on the search for more! Elinor Seath The EY Exhibition: Late Turner at Tate Britain Ever wondered what it takes to preserve masterpieces for future generations to enjoy?
With Tate Modern’s Conservation event: The EY Exhibition: Late Turner, you’ll be able to find out. Learn about the complex and intricate work that goes on behind the scenes to care for fragile and delicate works of art. Join conservator Rebecca Hellen for an illuminating talk on the late Turner oils investigated and treated for the exhibition. Date: Thursday, 11 December 13:00-14:00 Tate Britain Millbank London SW1P 4RG Price: £8.00 (concessions available). For more information or to make a booking, visit www.tate.org.uk. A.A. Miln The Leontia Gallery is renowned for its love of dark, exploratory and thought-provoking art that challenges the mind. From now until the 7th of October, visitors to the gallery can enjoy breathtaking works created by hugely talented artists Flora Borsi, Magnus Gjoen, Mariska Karto and Maria Koshenkova. Curated under the theme of FLESH, the provocative show encourages viewers to explore their own relationship with their flesh (including desires, fantasies and destruction). The first of a series of pop-ups to take place in the gallery, it kicks things off in spectacular fashion. If this show's anything to go by, we can't wait to see what the next pop-up has in store... About the artists Magnus Gjoen Known for his dark humour and digital fine art pieces, Gjoen is an internationally renowned artist who has been billed as 'one to watch'. Gjoen's illustrious career has also included working as a denim designer and graphic designer for Vivienne Westwood, amongst others. Flora Borsi Flora is a Hungarian fine art photographer who uses exquisite photo manipulation to create surreal images that are thematically focused on identity, relationships, emotions and dreams. Her works often feature the female body and she plays with hiding and revealing the eyes or face to leave only the feminine form - exploring questions of female representation and the relationship between body and self. Mariska Karto Mariska is a South American fine-art photographer who explores the complex depths of emotion in her work, which is characterised by its dark, dream-like quality. To view the show, visit the Leontia Gallery (www.leontiagallery.com) from now until 7th of October.
Leontia Gallery 6 Charlotte Place London W1T 1SG Follow Leontia Gallery Twitter: @leontiagallery Insta: leontia_gallery A.A. Miln |
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