Chihuly

Yesterday I popped into the rather busy Chihuly show at the Halycon Gallery on New Bond Street. When I think of Dale Chihuly's work I almost always think first of all of the Chandeliers at the V & A. The V & A of course being the world's premier museum of decorative art, it would only be natural to have a work by Chihuly - who has done so much to bring blown glass to the attention of the art world- in their foyer. To me it looks like an organic organism, that if I were to turn around one of those slender green tentacles might, in true cartoon style, tap a rather bewildered me on the shoulder. 

This feeling of life, light and transparency, is what really struck about the Halcyon exhibition. Many of the sculptures were reminiscent of scenes from a nature documentary on bio-luminescent sea creatures. Whilst others reminded me of some strange fantasy garden that you might come across in a Tim Burton film.

http://www.halcyongallery.com/news/bbc-london-news-interview-dale-chihuly

Kawaii

Kawaii is the Japanese word for cute, although it goes far beyond the English comprehension of the term as it could be considered an aesthetic in its own right. The most obvious scion of kawaii embedded in pop culture -world over- is Hello Kitty. The extent to which kawaii pervades Japanese culture is so extensively mainstream; from everyday items to youth tribes i.e. Gothic Lolita . One can not help but observe it to be the predominant aesthetic of goods imported from the country and its popularity in Britain is for all to see on the high street, which is adorned with anthropomorphic pieces of cake (the cute cupcake phenomenon).  From a feminist point of view I find kawaisa and its adoption by grown women slightly peculiar, yet it is fascinating.

Takashi Murakami, about who it is near impossible not to draw comparisons with Andy Warhol for his awareness of pop culture whilst contributing to it significantly, is obviously influenced by the kawaii aesthetic. Commercially the first example that springs to my mind is Murakami's collaboration with Louis Vuitton. Here is the Superflat First Love video, which celebrates this union:

Here also is a video clip from Adam and Joe Go Tokyo, where the pair discuss kawaii and have quite a typically British reaction to it:

Ronald Searle

I was sad to hear that the illustrator Ronald Searle, of St. Trinian's fame, has  passed away. I do very much love his witty work, it's so terribly British to be scared of school girls. 

http://ronaldsearle.blogspot.com/

Asian Art Investment Boom

 Here is an interesting article from The Guardian that describes the continued buoyancy of the Chinese art market as collectors see art (as well as other luxury items like wine and diamonds) as a steady investment as well as an aesthetic pleasure.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/dec/18/asian-art-investment-boom

Heart and Soul- Shinto

When I was in high school one of my classmates whinged to our R. E. teacher about her subject. Why should he have to take it? It was a waste of his time. My teacher's response was one of weariness- she must of been asked this question at least twice a week- she said that learning about religious beliefs helps you to understand people, what they say and why they do the things they do. I couldn't agree more! Which is what is interesting about this excellent radio show from the BBC this time on Shinto. How can you understand the history of Japanese art without any understanding of the country's historic religious practices?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00lzhq4/Heart_And_Soul_Shinto/

Samurai

There was a review in The Guardian the other day about a new exhibition of samurai suits of armour at the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris. Unfortunately the closest I shall get to France anytime soon is a limp croissant from some detestable bakery.

The samurai are, like geisha, an anachronistic image that has permeated my western consciousness of Japan, but in reality they have been done away with by our modernity. The very same modernity that allowed any real awareness in the first instance. Can you tell I wrote my undergraduate dissertation on British policy in Japan during the twilight years of the Bakumatsu? I am feeling all wistful, I may have to get round to watching The Last Samurai some time soon.  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/dec/06/paris-exhibition-japanese-armour

Ma Lin

I'm writing an essay at the moment on Ma Lin and Southern Song poetic painting and thought I should share one of the most ephemeral images I have ever seen.

Ma Lin, Scholar Reclining and Watching Rising Clouds Fan:

Photo from: http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/dbcourses/publicportfolio.cgi?view=1017

Pandas

Pandas are cute. Cute enough for all the hassle of moving them to Edinburgh?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/05/how-to-pamper-a-panda?INTCMP=SRCH

Belated pop of the week ix

The Bawdies Feat. Ai- Love you need you

Can China save the world

Can China save the world? There's a lot of discussion/hype around China's global economic power and what could potentially happen. I like to think the beeb is still impartial enough to provide a balanced fact-based analysis.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00lqpcl/Business_Daily_BRICs_at_10_China/