My Visit to Leeds Art Gallery to View the Northern Art Prize

"The time is right to recognise the contribution artists make to our society by rewarding the best creative talent in the region. By supporting artists of this generation, the Northern Art Prize hopes to encourage future generations and contribute to the establishment of the north as a place of imagination and excellence." - Quoted from the website of the Northern Art Prize.

The Art Gallery of Leeds had the nominated artist's Pavel Bϋchler, Nick Crowe and Ian Rawlinson, Rachel Gooyear and Matt Stokes to offer when I visited. I'd come across one of them before, Rachel Goodyear, as she graciously gave my course a lecture upon her work the previous year.

Most of the work which I viewed was of Paval Buchler, who would go onto win the Competition and a cheque for £16,500. Nick Crowe won the public vote.
















One piece that I particularly liked and peaked my interest was of the winner of the prize Pavel Buchler, entitled; 12:00:00 - 12:04:33, 17 October 2008.



This work consisted of a pocket watch inside a glass case on a plinth. What I Read from this work was that he was displaying a TIME. These seconds from existence on that date at that time. Perhaps the time of his life was being displayed in this case. The 4.33 seconds of existence of himself on the 17th of October 2008. It could be viewed to me as a self affirmation of being alive, in being able to display a snippet of his time 'alive'.

I have to say that on my part I would have wished Rachel Goodyear would have won, though this opinion is most likely biased due to former knowledge and encountering her work before. As well as knowing much more about her work from the lecture she gave my class. Aesthetically I would say Rachel Goodyears displayed art was the most traditional. Pavel Buchler being the most contemporary I believe. Though I'm not saying this accounts for his win.





This piece is especially to me as it highlights aspects of my own practice. I know that this is a very different thing that is being said though in contrast to my own work. Knowing some of Rachel's work, this is set in a world where this person may easily 'live' without a head to speak of, or speak from. Suggesting this may be a much more pure being than ourselves. Without a mind to cloud and distract the heart. Though what of the attire and the metal detector this headless free being holds? The piece is entitled Headless Hunter. Though what is this hunter hunting for? is it as simple as looking for his lost head? Is his head 'lost'? Rachel's title does suggest he is in fact headless as does the stump on his neck, but is this a bad thing? Freedom from the ever question and curious mind is likely quite the release. Although at what cost.

A Key work by the artists Ian Rawlinson & Nick Crowe was of High Definition Video loop, entitled Two Eternal Flames.

It shows, derived from myth and folklore, torches burning in two locations in Miami, USA: one represents US friendship with its neighbours, the other commemorates invasion. There is a soft calming feeling to the viewing of the piece as the torches slowly burn in the night-vision looking film. Not until looking into the flames themselves you feel some strong sense of violence and benevolence. The title suggest these flames will be forever burning, a quite frightening concept of the rage of the fire to last longer than our own beings, life being more subject to being extinguished than that of the primeval pure raw tongues of fire.

The Work I saw of Matt Stokes entitled 'These are the days, 2006-09' a two screened film depicting the sweaty, hard, ear throbbing of seeing a band and participating in the 'moshpit' of seeing them live.

Bureau Gallery Manchester

Bureau Gallery is located in Manchester City Centers Northern Quarter. 60 Port Street Manchester.M1 2EQ.



It is a small gallery originally based in Salford but got funded by the arts council to move to Manchester and set up the gallery they currently in inhabiting. To begin with they were mostly self financing and still are to a extend but are more funded by various grants and councils. It's directors are Sophia Crilly & Mark Kennard.

At my time of visit they were representing 7 artist's, most of which are older and further educated, a number of which they found at the Zoo Art Fair of this year. Which they have a monthly catch up with to keep in contact up to date and to keep their best interests at heart. Bureau currently represents Jacob Cartwright, Dave Griffiths, Mark Harasimowicz, Tim Machin, Paul Needham, Vinca Petersen, and Mit Senoj. "Bureau’s exhibition programme is complemented by screenings, talks and performance events, alongside international collaborations, exchange and residency projects. The gallery further supports artists’ practice through publishing initiatives, and participation in art fairs."
From the show i visited at the time the works range in price from £500 - £2300 and form those they do sell they keep in contact and add to their invite list's to upcoming shows to keep their audience informed and close.

Overall from my visit to the Bureau Gallery they seem to be a very close knit and open minded directors. Who are becoming very well established and quite up and coming in the gallery business. Their Gallery is very professional, clean and dynamic, with a very friendly atmosphere also. Its simplicity is very appealing to the layout of the space. I wouldn't be surprised to hear a lot more from Bureau in the future.

Manchester City Art Gallery: Angels of Anarchy

This is first major exhibition and only showing in the whole of Europe to explore the role that female artists contributed in the Surrealist movement. It is curated by Dr Patricia Allmer, MIRIAD, of Manchester Metropolitan University.

There is a total of 32 artists, 3 of of which are still alive today, from the 20th century also from a variety of countries, Mexico, United States, Mexico, Uk, Etc. There are 150 artworks, which include paintings, sculpture, photography and a collection of surreal 'objects'. The exhibit is broken up into Portrait/Self Portrait, Landscape, Interior, Still Life and Fantasy. The portrait and self portrait offering a unique opportunity to see pictures and photographs of the actual artists, making the whole show feel much more personal.



"The Exquisite Corpse Drinks The New Wine."

The title of the show is derived from the first piece of work you are confronted with upon walking in which is Eileen Agar's 'Angel of Anarchy'.



The opposing nature of the words a fitting name for the shows artists and work.
From the moment you walk into the show you are encountered by large surreal shaped walls covered by a lush red velvet which gives the small sense of regality and vulnerability. The dark softness of the shade giving a air of some softly violent themes a fitting introduction to the nature of the exhibit. Money well spent on creating atmosphere. Though their budget was not entirely spent upon interior decorating, their main crux of funds being imputed into the transport for the work to the gallery. The works are thoughtfully broken up into their respective themes and broken apart by a number of walls and glass cabinets filled with books made by the artists. But before they could even display a number of the works they themselves had to carry out some major restorations as a lot of the works have come from private collections who have not taken great care of their great works of art. Some works even contain mysteries to both us and the curators, one of the curators favourite pieces being that of a Leonora Carrington's, Self-portrait (White Horse Inn),1936. Which in its centre left has a mysterious smudge we cannot determine if its a purpose made mark or not.

Many of the female artist's included in this shows were influenced by one another, many of them were close friends. A few of these artist's expressed some displeasure about being in an all woman show, or some of them wouldn't be too pleased about it were they with us today. The show aims, and somewhat achieves, showing the hidden side of surrealist work by the women of the surrealist movement, though you cannot deny the influence of the male counterparts and peers, especially of Magritte who you can see reminiscent in many of the landscape works. Particularly that of Jane Graverol's L’Esprit saint [The Holy Spirit], 1965.
Oil on canvas



The characters of the artist's and their work form a strong mould between the viewing of piece to piece, without knowledge of who made these one could say they were made by perhaps one or two individuals working together, their work carrying along various motifs and themes including of which the flip-side to traditional stories, decay, subversion, the sphinx, death, disintegration, blurring reality, sinister, oppressive, claustrophobia, illusion, myth and magic, folk lore to name but a few. The artist's themselves being very linked personality wise, a small number committing suicide at and early stage of their lives, a major time of work for the artist's were during the "free love" and Bohemian lifestyles.

A fitting penultimate piece to the show is that of collaborative work which at the time of making were simple games carried out by the artist's. This is the game Exquisite corpses, in which players draw in turn on a sheet of paper, fold it to conceal part of the drawing, and then pass it to the next player to further this drawing in their own style unbeknown to the others as to what they are drawing until they reach the end of the paper. works of art in their own right but a very personal insight into the social and relaxed lives of the artist's and their peers in the surrealist movement.

The final piece of work brings it all together and surmises the exhibition in its entirely and ends the journey through the surreal path you've just been walked along. It is another of Eileen Agar's work, the Angel of Anarchy being the starting point of the exhibition her work the Angel of Mercy ends the show, allowing you to pass to go on back to the real world, the empty judgmental eyes reserving judgement on your choice to lead a life of beige ordinary everyday. You will leave the show feeling grateful for the sights you've seen and the concepts beyond that of the world we know and understand. A rejuvenation of the imagination to see the world in a 'different' way.