Wednesday evening marked the opening of Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset’s ‘The Welfare Show’ at the Serpentine. (www.serpentine.org). Swarming with a mass of art world movers and groovers, there was something ironic about this overtly social and political show. After all, the Serpentine is arguably one of London’s most affluent galleries and this is an exhibition that focuses on well, social welfare. However, that’s not to say the exhibition is bad. On the contrary, it is quite remarkable. It’s disturbing, depressing and stimulating. Indeed, this is an unforgettable exhibition that leaves you pondering on our sometimes seedy social situation and economic state of the world today.

‘The Welfare Show’ is has no beginning or end – there’s no one point to start out, a little like walking around a circle. The first piece, a brand spanking wheelchair with a blue hydrogen balloon tied to its arm, is desolate and somewhat distressing. Other pieces, including a waiting room and, lone baby tucked up in a basket beneath a cash point machine; are equally as rousing.

There’s no doubt that this is a show, which leaves everyone with a different impression. Following the initial onslaught of visitors, some attendees were beside themselves with glee, others lethargic while the rest simply took it all with a pinch of salt. Perhaps this is where Elmgreen and Dragset truly triumph. They have produced a show from the heart and soul, presenting it to a sometimes nonchalant nation. It’s a provocative and thought provoking notion – and it works.

If FADEsters venture West End today! -
Andy Warhol PV 6-8pm at Hauser & Wirth, Piccadilly, Photos & TV Shows (wine / 15 mins of fame)
plus 6.30-8.30 Sadie Coles, Heddon St, Ugo Rononide (show also just opened in the Whitechapel Gallery). Be good to catch up. If they don’t venture East, Foster Art pv (I will be West)
cheers,
fsgbx

ARTEFIERA ART FIRST 2007
DISCOVERING THE LATEST TRENDS IN INTERNATIONAL ART
Bologna, 26 - 29 January 2007

ARTEFIERA ART FIRST is a unique event where visitors can explore the latest trends in the world of modern and contemporary art through the proposals of more than 200 leading international galleries. At the same time it is a major opportunity to directly experience art in the exhibition centre and in the city of Bologna, which is hosting a wide range of initiatives specially for the more than 40,000 visitors to the show.

Organised by BolognaFiere, the 31st edition of the pre-eminent Italian exhibition of contemporary and modern art will be held in Bologna from 26 to 29 January 2007 and will feature an increasing number of events and initiatives.

The participating Galleries from all over the world will be selected by the International Committee and will provide a preview of the most innovative trends alongside the works of the leading Italian artists, who are also prominent figures at a world level.
Most importantly, however, ARTEFIERA ART FIRST is a meeting point between Italian and international art, a role that lends much to its appeal and makes it of great interest to collectors.

This edition of ARTEFIERA ART FIRST will be strongly exhibit oriented and will host more than 200 galleries (35% of which are from outside Italy) and about sixty publishers, museums and institutions.

Participants include LONGSTANDING AND FIRST-TIME EXHIBITORS
ARTEFIERA ART FIRST 2007 will see the participation of both longstanding and first-time exhibitors. One prestigious new entry is the JAMES COHAN GALLERY from New York, which will exhibit an installation by Bill Viola, an artist who garnered enormous success at the last Venice Biennale.

BOLOGNA ART FIRST, ART IN THE CITY OF BOLOGNA
At ARTEFIERA ART FIRST, international visitors will be able to admire modern/contemporary art works at the finest venues in the city of Bologna. The first BOLOGNA ART FIRST initiative in 2006 was highly successful and the event will be repeated at ARTEFIERA ART FIRST 2007 with an even broader programme.

From 25 January onwards, the works selected by the Artistic Committee from the projects submitted by exhibiting Galleries will offer art enthusiasts a fascinating journey through the world of modern art and the architecture of the past.

A.B.O. (Art Before Obvious) AT ARTEFIERA ART FIRST 2007
For the 2007 edition of ARTEFIERA ART FIRST, Achille Bonito Oliva has organised three days of meetings for the A.B.O. (Art Before Obvious) stand where internationally renowned artists will put questions to other leading players in the art industry. This initiative underscores the fact that contemporary artists are both creators and thinkers and that, instead of providing answers, art constantly poses questions about the world in all its aspects.

Artists’ Question Time – Programme
• Friday 26 January 2007 – FABIO MAURI puts questions to collectors GUNTIS BRANDS and ENEA RIGHI
• Saturday 27 January 2007 – MAURIZIO MOCHETTI quizzes architects MARIO BOTTA and FRANCO PURINI
• Sunday 28 January 2007 – GILBERTO ZORIO talks to museum directors CRISTIANA COLLU and JAN HOET

YOUNG INTERNATIONAL GALLERIES AND NEW MARKETS
One of the key concepts behind ARTEFIERA ART FIRST is research, meaning by this all aspects of analysis of new trends and new markets.

Efforts to offer increasingly high quality research opportunities include initiatives such as ESPRIT NOUVEAU aimed at young international galleries (hosted in 2006 in the splendid Le Courbusier pavilion) and the initiatives devoted to new emerging markets.
In 2007, ARTEFIERA ART FIRST will again offer an interesting analysis of new trends, giving collectors and art enthusiasts a global picture of international artistic research.

The art community comprising collectors, enthusiasts, specialists, curators and directors of art foundations and museums will meet in Bologna from 26 to 29 January 2007 for ARTEFIERA ART FIRST, the first international appointment of 2007 devoted to modern and contemporary art.

Info: http://www.artefiera.bolognafiere.it

Last night, ALBION (www.albion-gallery.com), coated by stripes, mirrors and red print flowers, swarming with artists, dealers, journalists and the like, opened ‘Wall Drawings’, a show that pulls together the work of Daniel Buren, Robert Barry and Sol LeWitt. The trio, who first made waves, albeit geometrical minimalist ones, during the ‘60s, are arguably leaders in the area of conceptual art. Sol LeWitt, who has lived a, frankly, remarkable life – serving in the Korean war, working as a designer at Seventeen magazine and exhibiting beside Jasper Johns in the legendary ‘Sixteen Americans’ – has appeared everywhere from the Guggenheim to Gemeentemuseum, while his fellow conceptualist, the stripe bandit himself, Daniel Buren, (an original guerilla artist, no less) lays claim to the trippy ‘Les Deux Plateaux’, aka ‘Buren’s Colums’, found in the Palais Royal, Paris. As for Robert Barry, he’s equally as significant, with his word infused artwork that’s featured worldwide in galleries such as LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art and Galerie Bugdahn und Kaimer in Düsseldorf.

And so to ‘Wall Paintings’… ALBION is ideal for an exhibition such as this. Designed by Norman Foster and Partners, the 11,000 square foot space is phenomenal – an exclusive maze of wide rooms and corridors, creating the perfect home for a conceptual show. The main corridor, the gallery’s spine, is currently home to Buren and LeWitt’s work, with bright primary coloured walls and opposing silvered ones. This walkway forks into two separate spaces, introducing Barry’s offerings, which add a clean-cut addition to the compact chaos elsewhere. In fact, ironically, Burden, Barry and LeWitt, may be from the same school of thought, but their work is quietly contrary and, in that, works well as a whole in ‘Wall Drawings’.

Whatever your views on minimalist, conceptual art, it has a place, point and reason and can hardly be ignored. Since first appearing, its influence has been far reaching – whether it be in graphic, fashion or interior design, contemporary or mainstream – its effect plain to see. If you don’t believe me, head down to ‘Wall Drawings’ at ALBION before March 24th, when the gallery will fold up and change into some other style, one that we hope will be equally as inspiring.

Kirsten
Photos Below

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Originally uploaded by FADLive.

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Originally uploaded by FADLive.

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Originally uploaded by FADLive.

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Originally uploaded by FADLive.