An insider’s view of the art mart. By David Shilling
E urope in ruins” – you’d think so if you only read the financial press. but when it comes to the art scene, it is a completely different story, believe me. The culture scene in Europe is alive , well and kicking! After the massive successes of the UK’s Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee year in 2012, you might be forgiven for thinking the only way was down, but the reality is the roll keeps on going. All over Europe, fabulous arts events and exhibits are butting the economic gloom with gusto.
Just when you thought it was safe to put away your platform shoes, two great exhibitions in London will waft you back for a magic adventure in nostalgia. There is renown textile designer Kaffe Fassett’s exhibition at the recently reformed Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey. It is a magic carpet ride of pattern, knit and texture. (Until 29 June 2013- Kaffe Fassett – A life in Colour) I first knew of Fassett when I was working with some of Bill Gibb’s most fabulous clients and working with Bill was an unequivocal pleasure. Kaffe’s trademark patterns made an indelible mark on Gibb’s terrific fashion design heritage, begging the question if only Bill had not died so tragically young, where would he be now? Fassett has continued in relentlessly reworking and exploring his own art work, and this definitive exhibition beautifully reflects the subtleties and intensity of his work. There is just the right amount of staging to allow the work to speak for itself. It”s all about intricate pattern and reinterpreting tradition.
If you are saying, “Where’s Bermondsey?” shame on you! This transformed area is where White Cube has also opened a magnificent space, all soaring height and light. It is a must visit when you are in London, with historic backdrops of the Tower of London and the more recently completed Shard, currently claiming to be the tallest building in Europe. And where the White Cube Gallery leads, others are sure to follow.
The artist Andrew Logan’s was a pioneer leading the waywith his “Glasshouse” ijn what used to be a downtrodden and neglected area “south of the river.” Today, the area is becoming transformed, with a mass of bars, boutiques and galleries, including Pizarro’s, who is reputedly the finest Spanish chef in England Bermondsey in London is the way to go after White Cube have moved on from Hoxton. Others will claim that the rapidly gentrifying areas of Hoxton and nearby Hackney are the new star locations in London, Bermodsey is really THE place to be.
And so now lets go back to a time when London was all about Mayfair and Chelsea, and King’s Road and Carnaby Street. The David Bowie exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum over in shady Kensington truly captures the spirit of the 70’s, and magically transports you via high tech innovations to Bowie’s fast evolving view of a future world. There are his costumes, masses of reference to his influences, dramatic lighting effects, movies on screens large and small, and brilliant staging. Ultimately it’s all about the audio feast – there are headphones for everyone with sounds and soundtracks which automatically engage and change with each location wherever you wander through the show, taking you on a truly mystical voyage though Bowieland.
This audiovisual treat is well worth a go, even if you are not a Bowie fan. With its wide reaching references to popular culture, concentrating of course on the burgeoning “London Scene” that parallels Bowie’s lifespan, it should be hard not to get those feet tapping to the Euro beats! But if you really want to see what the future holds, Monaco has held a fabulous event to preview their forthcoming massive celebrations of Pablo Picasso this summer. There are films of Picasso painting canvases and even on glass, but the film chosen for the preview event, attended by Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Hanover, which was shown after interesting slide lectures on the artist’s life in Monaco and the region. This film showed the much rarer film of him painting on canvas (or perhaps “drawing” is more appropriate) shot from the front so you were able to witness uniquely the lines of “paint” appearing, a most captivating technique. Even though today’s digital imaging has put in the shade a lot this simple technique used here, and stripped the technique of the mystery it must have had for early viewers, its still a spellbinding piece of narrative. The exhibition at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum is in two parts and will showcase hundreds of major Picasso works. “Monaco fete Picasso” runs at Grimaldi Forum from July 12 to September 15 and entry is free for children under 18. Combining the best of Britain and Monaco, the Royal Ballet is coming to stage L’histoire de Manon in a co-production with the Monte Carlo Ballet. With the Monaco Dance Forum initiative and its own Monte Carlo Ballet Company headed by Jean-Christophe Maillot. Monaco has built a giant reputation for staging some of the most exciting and adventurous contemporary dance in the world annually. This collaboration hints more at a delightful mix of nostalgia but maybe there are some surprises in store for us. The Royal Ballet is in Monaco June 27 and June 28 2013.