Tuesday night, and FAD headed west to 28 Cork Street for the opening of ‘Visual Poetry’, a colourful offering from Monaco based artist, Owanto. The show was a real goodie bag of artefacts – 5-foot high totems, canvases, big chunky sculptures – and runs until 9th July. Flamboyant to the max, it’s definitely worth checking out, especially for the sculpture, which, although the pieces were thin on the ground, was awesome. (see above for photos of sculpture, and below for totems)

Down the road, The Redfern Gallery was in full swing with the opening of Ffiona Lewis’ ‘Recent Paintings’. Running for the next month through to the 28th July, the exhibition was from the opposite side of the palette to Owanto’s lively show next door. Blue, blue, and greyish blue with smatterings of red and yellow, ‘Lewis’ was a coordinated, mellow mix of canvases. A smooth selection of works from the misty side of still-lifes and seaside scenes. Yep. Everything about her work is calm and chilled. She’s a talent who can make a caravan park look romantic and peaceful – and that’s no small feat.

After meeting Sarah Lucas, things took a turn for the weird (not because of Lucas, you understand – more because of the weather, and those thieving bastards who broke into Dan’s car at the end of the night) when we wandered into the great outdoors to advance east. As we shimmied from The Redfern, the heavens opened. The rain poured down while huddles of revelling art lovers sheltered under the gallery’s overhanging canopy. Now, the Brits like to call this to deluge an autumn shower. But frankly, this was more like a tropical storm. Lightening. Thunder. The works. Thankfully we were driving (can you imagine if we’d had to wait at a bus stop – please…). We spun down Regent’s Street to Trafalgar Square where, most bizarrely, there was a large screen stoically sitting next to Nelson’s Column. Gleaming from it was a still of a galleon ship’s mast. Assumedly this weird, random image had something to do with the Trafalgar celebrations – but still, in the rain, it seemed pretty trippy.

Safely inside the car, we zapped across town to Old Street, where we had planned to catch a little action at the Standpoint Gallery. However, somehow our original plans got waylaid, and we ended up in The Foundry instead, hooking up with Wayne and Mitch. Risking sure death by boredom (The Foundry was exceptionally dull), we’d soon legged it to Shish – a basement bar of fine cosmopolitan cocktails and equally divine décor. With the clock ticking we skidaddled off at (a sensible) 1130, only to discover the car had been broken into. Grrrr. Until Thursday, ciao.

www.owanto.com
www.redfern-gallery.com
www.shish.com

You have received a new message
Originally uploaded by FADLive.

Message text

You have received a new message
Originally uploaded by FADLive.

Message text

You have received a new message
Originally uploaded by FADLive.

Message text

You have received a new message
Originally uploaded by FADLive.

Message text

Thursday night the crew amassed on Cork Street for the opening of all the galleries. It was a good expereince for all those who showed up Kirsten, Zoe, Mitch, Callum and myself, seeing quite a good array of art styles and tastes.

A particullaly good Henry Moore of the underground drawing series, Zoe and Mitch got taken by a series of owls by Ivor Abrahams. Zoe also liked the road montage by the same guy. Frank Stella at the Waddington Galleries was really good sculpture not resting on his laurels but still the unmistakable style. Larry Bell had a one man show and was spectacular (go see).

All in all a good time was had by all and we are looking forward to Brighton,Sheffield, and Edinburgh over the summer.

James and Zoe xx

We had, shock horror, a reasonably quiet night on Thursday. Now, this wasn’t because Art Fortnight on Cork Street was dull or boring. On the contrary, it was quite the opposite. However, since our disaster with vodka last week (or blessing, depending on which way you look at it), we, the FAD crew, have been playing it safe. So, Cork Street, that was originally intended as a right old knees up, was rather more composed. Yep. Last night it was all about the art. Art. Art. Art, and only art. Art, in a sea of free wine and cocktails. Art in a world of Fendi handbags, snakeskin brogues, exclusive venues, and mad, marvellous, multi-figure acquisitions.

The Art Fortnight event, which is back on track after a brief hiatus, runs from 20th June – 4th July. Incorporating 19 galleries on Cork Street alone, and almost 100 elsewhere, the exposition is understandably an important happening in the arts calendar. Conveniently incorporating several auctions and exhibitions, including London Sculpture Week, the event has some big muscle sponsors like Farrer & Co., Bloomberg, and RK Harrison, and also covers lectures, gallery trails, and master classes. But that’s not to say it’s a poncey affair. Instead, Art Fortnight is a place where the old guard meets the new, kicking Cork Street into life, packing it from one end to the other with clutters of people gliding from one exhibition to another.

Since Art Fortnight comprises of public and private galleries, there’s something there for everyone. But, as always, there are certain galleries that shine. Flowers Central, sister of Flowers East on Kingsland Road, Hoxton, stands out with an inspiring show from Lynette Yiadom Boakye. Fresh from the Royal Academy, her work is raw, unusual, and refreshing. In a palate of organic browns and dark blues, Boakye’s canvases as a whole are remarkable. There’s something about them that you can’t quite put your finger on – an ephemeral, magical quality, which makes her work particularly enchanting. Her subjects stare ahead with cynical, sometimes introspective expressions, and although they’re far from figurative, you feel as though, if you ever came face to face, you’d recognise them.

Next door, in Beaux Arts, things were just as kushty with ‘British Sculpture’. These guys represent some serious talents including John Bellany, the late, great Elizabeth Frink, and the poptastic David Spiller, so, as you can imagine, they have some superb works on show. Running until the 9th July, the exhibition includes such wonders as Mauro Perucchetti’s bright red jelly baby, Barbara Hepworth’s shining, brass ‘Four Forms’, and Lynn Chadwick’s strangely sexual ‘High Hat Woman’, and ‘High Hat Man’.

And there’s more… Ivor Abrahams’ ‘A Parliament of Owls’ at The Mayor Gallery is something else. Fun and funky, and filled by owl sculptures of every size imaginable, the pieces are trippy but, dare I say it, classical. The works, made in plastic (epoxy resin and decal) and occasionally bronze, are humorous and, well, kind of scary. Think; Alice and Wonderland with a plastic owl (instead of a rabbit), and a collection of multi-sized owllie friends. Fab.

During its second week, Art Fortnight focuses on the Old Masters, on those who ruled before the 20th Century set claim. As with the first week, there’s a whole bunch of things going on from VIP parties to gallery trails. And, if it’s anything near as cool as last night, FAD will certainly be heading into town again before the 4th July. Until then, adios.

www.artfortnightlondon.com
www.flowerseast.com
www.beauxartslondon.co.uk
www.artnet.com/mayor.html

Rirkrit Tiravanija’s new show at the Serpentine Gallery has plenty of opportunities for you to do stuff: from cooking a meal, having a drink, taking a shower, to appearing live on a daily radio programme on Resonance 104.4FM, the show is all about getting involved.

Tiravanija’s work crosses the boundaries between sculpture, installation and performance. He often cites “lots of people” as a key element in his work, making reference to its improvisational nature and his desire for it to be used. Tiravanija was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1961 to Thai parents and currently divides his time between New York, Chiang Mai and Berlin.