Magnus Plessen's 'The Skin of Volume' exhibition was my first visit to the White Cube Gallery, Mason's Yard. One of four White Cube sites across London, this petite gallery tucked behind The Ritz was an old electricity station in its former life. Today, it features an expanding programme of exhibitions, hosting a wide range of art from international artists.
In this exhibition, Magnus Plessen presents a series of provocative images exploring the impact of war on the human form. Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, the artwork has a playful, child-like quality and his use of vivid colours is striking against the back drop of the black walls. There are two main rooms in the Mason’s Yard White Cube. In the first, Plessen’s work is presented in a dimly lit room with black painted walls, which add an air of drama. In the larger space down stairs, the walls are white, which created a lighter atmosphere. In addition to the larger works of art displayed in the two main rooms, I loved Plessen’s smaller ink on paper works in the lobby, which showed a completely different side to the artist. I was also thrilled to have caught a glimpse of the founder of the White Cube dynasty, Jay Joplin, and his new beau! While I tend to prefer my galleries on the larger side, allowing me to get lost within the space, I absolutely loved this exhibition and was immediately transported into Plessen’s world. It's definitely worth a visit for anyone who's a fan of vivid, modern art. Magnus Plessen ‘The Skin of Volume’ White Cube Mason’s Yard Dates: Now until 14th January 2017 http://whitecube.com/ Elinor Seath
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Lacking some colour, fun and kitsch in your life? Then don't miss Jeff Koons: Now Lobsters balancing upside down on chairs, mountains of Play-Doh and graphic pornographic images, where else could you be but at a Jeff Koon’s show?! Jeff Koons: Now spans more three decades (35 years to be exact) of Koon’s extraordinary career, providing enough art to fill the six gallery spaces in London's Newport Street Gallery. Lauded as one of the most significant artists to have emerged in the postwar era, Jeff Koons' diverse work has explored themes of taste, consumerism, mass culture, beauty, acceptance, and the role of the artist. Now is the first major UK exhibition to be devoted to the artist since Jeff Koons: Popeye Series at the Serpentine Gallery in 2009. Now features more than 30 paintings, works on paper and sculptures dating from 1979 to 2014. Drawn from Hirst’s collection, a number of these works have never before been shown in the UK. Koons' work is all about the surface, which is generally oh so shiny and deceives the viewer. The largest of his works the ‘Balloon Monkey’, (a loose interpretation as I didn't see a monkey), is a giant imitation of a few nifty twists and turns of a balloon, crafted in steel. Its sheer scale combined with its perfectly reflective surface make it a truly captivating piece. I love how Koon juxtaposes fantasy with the mundane, a theme that runs throughout his work.
I’m not getting involved in the debate as I'm not an expert on Koons. All I know is I left the exhibition with a smile on my face and it stayed with me for the rest of the day – thanks Jeff. If that doesn't demonstrate the power of art, I don't know what does.
Jeff Koons: Now is on Until 16th October 2016. To book tickets. visit www.newportstreetgallery.com Newport Street Gallery Newport Street London SE11 6AJ Elinor Seath |
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