Study Visit to 'Paper' at Saatchi in London
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This study visit, on Friday 27 September, represents almost the last chance to see two of the most interesting exhibitions of contemporary art in London this year. ‘Paper’ comprises the work of 40 artists from a dozen countries and includes three-dimensional sculptures, collages and digital prints as well as delicate watercolours and expressionist extravaganzas. The most exuberant is a large carnival-style sculpture by the Brazilian artist, Marcelo Jacome while perhaps the most restrained is a series of pencil drawings by Klaus Mossetig, which faithfully reproduce the tiny scuffs on the surface of a projector lens which the artist observes when he tweaks the lens to focus on itself. Many of the works seem like diaries. Among them are Dawn Clements’ Untitled and Jessica Jackson’s Couch’both inspired by the artists’ experiences watching television. In a similar vein is Paul Westcombe’s use of London Transport tickets and paper coffee cups to record his boredom while working as a parking attendant. This being the Saatchi Gallery, there are plenty of conceptual pieces. Among the most successful are Annie Kevans’ seemingly innocent portraits of young children, which on closer inspection turn out to be images of some of the world’s most notorious dictators from Adolf Hitler to Mao Zedong. There are also wonderful paper flower arrangements by Jodie Carey made out of copies of the Daily Mail and equally elegiac images of trees coaxed from McDonald’s hamburger bags, which the artist, Yuken Terua, has incorporated as frames and peep-shows for the work.
The same wit and stylishness can be found in ‘New Order: British Art Today’, which is on the floors above which we will also visit. This is not so much a survey show as a slightly blurry snapshot of 17 young British artists. Among them is the self-styled ‘Dominic From Luton’ who portrayed his namesake during the Olympics as an outstretched arm holding a Reebok trainer. An equally cynical take on British identity can be found in Richard Billingham’s deconstruction of an eighteenth century caricature of the Prince Regent. A more traditional use of materials can be found in the sculptures of Sara Barker and James Capper whose pieces have recently been seen in other groups shows in subsidised galleries in Britain.
OCA tutors Gerald Deslandes and Sarah West will be accompanying you on this visit. This study visit is very soon, so please email enquiries@oca-uk.com for a place as soon as possible.
Jane, not that I can go, but I couldn’t find a date anywhere on the post or title…
Would like to go but I can’t find a date either!
Re Paper: Can really strongly recommend this exhibition, (if you can find the dates!). This was so good and I haven’t the time to say which pieces I loved the best. I would say that it really made me look at my own work and see drawing and paper itself as a material in a completely different way. If I get a chance I would certainly pay it a second visit. New Order was excellent as well, quite inspiring to see such diversity of practice. Enjoy them both if you get an opportunity for the study visit.
it says 27th September but not the time.
Thanks for that – it must have been added. Pity I can’t make that date.
Yes, it was added after Catherine and I mentioned it … usually they post and say ‘thanks, corrected ‘…