FOR YOU? NOT FOR ME......

Obviously an eye has to be trained to see and see something else but there are moments when I can quite happily ignore what is around me and walk through a gallery or a museum seeing nothing that my eye appreciates. This was the case with «La Maison Rouge» a few weeks ago. A contemporary collection by Italians, Giuliana et Tommaso Setari. There was one inciden. I saw this - and thought it was for real.

 I was a bit startled when a man came up to me and said «...he does look real, doesn’t he?» We started to chat. He was retiring the following Tuesday and had spent a great number of years as the Curator of one of our largest classical museums. A comment I will not forget. «Madame, I read a lot. I see a lot and have seen a lot but someone has got to explain how to look at this work...I don’t understand what I’m seeing.» We tried to work it out together and did not get very far.....

Another exhibition which left me a little cold was «Au-dela du Street Art». «Beyond Street Art». Last year I had followed a series of conferences on graffiti and street art. The year before there had been a spectacular restrospective of street art at the Cartier Foundation. They also allowed young artists to paint on the walls outside the foundation. Fascinating to watch and to see in action. Nicky enjoys this work - so do I when I see something good in the street or high up on walls....but here, oh dear, it was so contrived. These were now artists working in studios earning anything up to 500 000€ if not more for their work. Gone are the days when Bansky, Dran, Invader....are using stencils to paste their work on walls, buses, metros....for us all to see, admire or criticize - or I suppose so. And how is it that Bansky who is unidentified by the likes of us gets the finishing touch done to a now well known picture....I’m sure you know all these artists. I didn’t and I will just go on looking for what is done... in the street.....

Gerard Zlotykamien - Ephemeres
Nostos - Letter box stencil 2013


Space Battle 2 - Invader 1999
Banksy - Grin Reaper 2006 So who painted the legs?

Ludo



Know them?



 

And then coming home and in the next street.....


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