Monday 1 September 2008

Manchester continued..post 2!

On the second floor of Manchester Art Gallery there were several exhibitons, Green Drops and Moonsquirters: The Utterly Imaginative World of Lauren Child. Lauren Child is the Author of the children's books Charlie & Lola. Also the imagery, which is ever so child-like but really imaginative and interesting. We didn't spend too long looking around this exhibition as it was packed with kids! Kinda wish I was a kid again so i could of dressed up in the crocodile outfit. haha.
Moving on... Gwon Osang: Deodrant Type.
This was quite an interesting exhibition, it was really odd, at the same time quite amusing.
C-print, mixed media, every collaged up life sized.. hmm dolls shall i say? i don't really know what to call them. Some were quite freaky (Yamaha, 2008) and others looked quite amusing like the girl in a bush.
Photos below include an insight to how the exhibition is set out, Yamaha (orange t-shirt) and the face of Slip Slider, 2006-07.

















Another part of the gallery called Modern Art: You Cannot Be Serious! shows contemporary art, illusions and ambiguity to play games with the viewer. From found objects and popular culture, to optical illusion and pure abstraction, the works in this display ask the question 'should we take modern art seriously'?
This is the only image I managed to get through this exhibition, cause I don't think you were allowed to take photos! I love the bold black outlining and the bright colours used within this work.





















Ohhh and how could I forget the Clore Interactive Gallery, again I think this was aimed at children and getting them involved with the art seen around the gallery, but we couldn't help ourselves and had a little play! There was a big pile of suitcases attached to the wall with loads of luggage labels attached, and you could write on them with anywhere in the world where you would like to be. I think i wrote Jamacia getting crunk. :)
And then there was the recycled bit, where you made faces on a magnetic board.
Here's mine:






















Finally in this Gallery, we visited the Gallery of Craft and Design, which included ceramics, glass, metalwork, furniture, toys, textiles and armour. The gallery is displayed in three themes:
1.) Making demonstrates how artists and designers approach the making of objects. There are objects to touch, makers talking about their work on audioguide and videos of craftspeople working. You can even sit on three of the exhibits.
2.) Memory is about the personal and communal meanings objects acquire through use, from commemorative plates to christening gifts. It might prompt you to think about the important objects in your life.
3.) Collecting examines the reasons why people and museums collect things. Six people who have built up their own collections talk on video about the impact of collecting on their lives.

First thing that really caught my eye was the Porca Miseria! chandelier, designed by Ingo Maurer.
Welded stainless steel framework with porcelian and stainless steel cutlery.
Porca Miseria! is Italian for "What bad luck!" or "Oh blast!"
Only 10 of these are made a year and each creation is unique.





















Tord Boontje. Wow. There was the 'Wednesday Cabinet' 2002. A series inspired by the birth of his daughter, Evelyn in 2000. Unfortunatly I was unable to photograph his work, or fail to find this particular piece on the internet, but I have found some of his other designs which are along the same style.
Most of Boontje's patterns are inspired by woodland scenes, flowers and gambolling animals. Which creates a fairytale like quality.
Lampshade designed by Tord Boontje.













Boontje's designs have been hugely influentional in recent high street trends for floral decoration, particularly his Garland light sold in Habitat.




















Favela Chair.
Designed by Humberto & Fernando Campana. 2003.
This chair is made up of Pinus wood, nails and a lot of glue!
















Armchair. Made by Wendell Castle, USA about 1969.
Moulded with fibre glass, with black nylon edging. (Although the one in the image below doesn't seem to have the nylon edging like the one I saw in the gallery).
Development of plastics in the 1960's opened up a world of new possibilities for modern furniture designers. Plastic's unique, malleable and fluid qualities allow it to be manipulated and moulded into abstract, organic and vibrant shapes. Wendell's work embraced this new material. Plastic offered him the opportunity to create new exciting shapes which previous materials couldn't offer.















This exhibition ended outr visit to this gallery, as it was time to go sit down and eat our hearts out at Pizza Hut buffet!! And indeed I did just that! :)
We wondered round the shops for a bit, then realising we'd better find the Urbis gallery before it was too late. On our travels we found Heals! Kimmi and I both shouted HEALS! And in we went! I loved all the mugs and plates and all the pretty fabrics, arr we loved it. If only I had lots of moneys. hehe.

















How I love the layout of shop windows. Took a couple more, of Harvey Nics and Louis Vuitton.
















Next stop... The Urbis Art Gallery. (See Manchester Post 3.)

No comments: