After years of living in London, I finally decided to visit the Tate Britain (http://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-britain) two weeks ago. I left my flat originally intending to go see and exhibition on Picasso's Blue Period at the Courtauld gallery (http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/exhibitions/2013/becoming-picasso/) called "Becoming Pablo" or something to that effect, but I had a change of heart after imagining side by side a fist full of my money being handed at the ticket office and one of his weird harlequins.
I thought a lot about Dali and his harsh words against British Painting while walking through the gallery: Yes, most paintings are beautifully executed, but except Turner and a few others, most of the stuff was too formal to allow for any personality to slip through. When I leave Museums, I usually leave with a few strong images in my mind and the names of their respective authors attached. Aside from J.M.W. Turner and the wonderful paintings by John Singer Sergeant, not much left with me. Too many rules, too formal, too rural, too perfect.
However, I cannot stress enough, J.M.W. Turner was in a league of his own. I love how his oeuvre grows abstract over time and towards the end, he produced work that would not be out of place in a XX Century Art Gallery. Master, visionary and way ahead of his time, Turner's work is definitely the highlight of the gallery.
As the title says, I am currently looking for Art Competitions and Exhibition opportunities - still working on an oil self-portrait I started last year that goes like this:
"Trapo Japonés" 50cm x 75cm. Oil on Canvas.
Again, for me the most agonizing aspect of artistic production is realizing when to stop. I kinda like this piece unfinished like this, but I may buckle to public pressure and finish it a bit (I heard once that it takes two people to produce a painting: one to paint it and another person to tell the painter when to stop) This piece is titled "Trapo Japonés", which translates to something like "Japanese Rag"...I thought the sound of the word Japonés had a 1900's Parisian ring to it=)
Summer 2012 has gone to Heaven...It will be missed. I know the calendar has been telling me we're way past that point, but a yellow leaf landing on my shoulder today was a gentle reminder of the passing season. Very much like the gentle hand of Museum Security on your shoulder when they whisper in your ear that the Museum is closing in five minutes.
In August, I spent most of my spare time visiting random locations in London with enough inspiration to keep me sketching and happy. It was in the Museums, however, where I managed to focus best. I would walk in, spend a couple of hours visually dissecting masterpieces: looking at brush strokes, expressions; trying to submerge myself into the feel of the piece and feel that I was there ("Midnight in Paris", hehehe). Then I would spend the rest of my visit sketching. Let's go through some of the most memorable visits, in no particular order:
From all places I frequented, the V&A Museum is the one I got the most out of. Most of my sketching sessions there were done standing up and quickly as I was playing Museum Pac-Man with Security...They somehow see Watercolours as a threat to the Exhibition, I saw them as a threat to my patience. Many times I was kindly invited to continue my impromptu art sessions in the street...something I strangely enjoyed with rebellious pride. Here's one of the quick sketches from these sessions:
The V&A is more non-linear than most museums because each area has its own feel and decor and galleries go from plain white rooms to an amazing space that appears to be a humongous storage area with Church facades, huge chunks of Roman Pillars and contorting heroes entangled in deadly combat with giant snakes. Impressive.
I went to the Tate Modern twice this summer and my second visit was the longest and most eventful. I did not sketch during any of my visits because it is a museum full of...art that is more searching than conclusive in its execution, hence, it's better to drop the pencil and "listen". It's all Modern Art, so the place is littered with concept pieces, the stereotypical, bizarre Art Videos in dark rooms (I was expecting some Asian spectre creeping out of the screen at some point), Pre/Post War pieces and sculpture that could only be described as giant rat faeces.
I felt the collection as a whole is a homage to spiritual suffering, and I left wondering if the curator needs a hug. Even the Dali's that they have in there are very dark, and Dali's paintings usually stay away from the blues. The heavy feel of the artwork leaves you drained and when you want to comfort yourself with a cup of Tea and a brownie, you sink deeper at the Cafeteria with prices that will make you want to cut your ear off. Below, a painting by Malaga's favourite son, Bad Boy and Player - Pablo Ruiz:
Picasso sure was a strange man: was he complimenting or insulting the women who posed for him? God knows. While I was meditating on this I was interrupted by the laughter of a group of Art School students sketching some of these pieces to detail in their sketchbooks. I found this exercise futile and stupid: Some of the works such as the one above are the conclusion of decades-long artistic journeys...I do not think this is the best place to start; I think the beginning of any artistic journey should be the world around you and then you follow that path for a few years until you reach a style you can inhabit for some time. Teacher: F- for you. If you are conducting a drawing class and people are not absorbed completely into it but throwing things at each other and laughing, something's not working.
Then in one of the wings, there was this impossibly obscure and creepy exhibition by a Korean Artist that consisted in people pushing around some weird trolleys in a dark concrete space and a drum kit ominously sitting in a corner. This will give you an idea of what it was:
Of course, when I saw the drums I immediately felt an urge to play the beat of Two Princes by the Spin Doctors, but that would have completely killed the mood, right? Try this: Watch the video above first and then play both at the same time and you'll see the improvement.
Tate Modern: By all means, visit and reflect on the art, but go watch something stupid and fun later to wash away all the soot from your soul. Mind you, there are some really good examples of people trying to push the envelope on the right direction and also bear in mind that some of the artists in there are the movers and shakers of the XX Century Art world.
OK guys, there is pasta to be cooked and a painting to be finished...I will write later on the Saatchi Gallery, The British Museum and Somerset House. See ya!!
After a rainy, mediocre four-day break that had more miserable soul-searching than Diamond Jubilee celebration in it, I decided to resurrect this Blog as a true outlet to what's been happening in my sketchbook and daily life.
I just discovered that Acrylics and Canvasses may not be for me, so I think I should follow the path of least resistance and persevere with Watercolours. I will be posting some of my experiments here, hope you like them =)
Last week we had our final Life Drawing class. I gotta say I truly enjoyed the course and I brought back home more than just a bunch of drawings and sketches...I learned a lot about Art, the world around me and myself.
The last class in itself was Pastel Techniques and Charcoal. we also did a bunch of quick sketches: these are a really good way to train the eye and I am considering to do as much of this as possible. Here's my favourite piece from the session along w/ some of my classmate's pieces (mine in the centre):
As I said before, I learned quite a lot about Art itself - New techniques like Wash and new things about Pastels and composition in general. I also learned to work with a model, something I was not too keen on before.
During the course I learned the importance of observation. My attention span has always been really poor and dispersed and forcing myself to observe at the model for a whole minute was a frustrating exercise. My eye wanted to wander, I was thinking about work, distracted by raindrops hitting the window, but I managed to find some focus through the course and by the last session I could really get on-task.
Another thought on observation...every time a model walked in I thought "god, what a get-up" as all the models had this punky-bohemian outfit and weird hairstyle (one of them had 80% of her hair clipped but this long, matted fringe). But as the drawing session progressed I started to pick up gestures, the expression of the eyes and even found "muffin tops" beautiful and fun to draw. I see a lot of perfect breasts in Comics and other media, but I challenge artists out there to draw sagging breasts and hanging bellies: these will make you an artist as they force you to draw the reality of what is in front of you - not what you imagine or have seen somewhere else. Feet, hands and drapery are really tough...but there is a huge sense of achievement once you pull of something convincing.
A couple of things I learned about myself through the course...First, that I am too impatient; always dashing for the finishing line and stepping all over the details, pretty much like a St. Bernard plowing through a tulip garden. I need to slow down, relax and enjoy the moment a bit more. Second, I learned that I am unconsciously too proud. Looking through the drawings I did in the class, I saw my signature getting bigger and bigger. The last one was almost as big as the sketch. I never thought about it but I suddenly felt really stupid and embarrassed.
A few years ago, I learned in Egyptian Mythology class that in writing, only the names of Pharaohs and Gods get inscribed in cartouches (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartouche). I'll keep doing it because I got used to it, but I am definitely no Ra, not even a fully proficient Artist. As an extension of this, maybe the artist's name is not important, just the message and execution of the piece - this is what I should definitely focus on, using everything I learned.
Oh, and Desso: Thanks for the wine and sandwiches ; )
As I mentioned before I have been going to drawing classes recently. It was not something I was planning to take on but it was one of these opportunities that present themselves suddenly.
A month ago I got an e-mail at work saying that a volunteer was needed to fill in for someone at one of these Life Drawing classes near Barbican. I cannot count with my fingers how many times I have been presented with opportunities like these and they usually led me to important things. Life drawing, free drinks and socializing...sounded like my kinda evening so I said yes.
The classes are offered by a company called Desso in their showroom and they are part of an initiative called Drawing At Work that aims at helping design professionals get back in touch with the fundamental drawing skills that we have lost over the years to the PC revolution of recent decades.
The first session was about finding volumes and observing while sketching in a given amount of time - I found this session very forgiving because it was with Conte Crayon, which is something I am really into right now. One thing that amazed me was the model's ability of striking a pose and keeping it for 5 minutes...I was in pain just thinking about it. Here's the fruit of that session:
When I started drawing in my first session, I was very rigid and a bit sarcastic about the whole thing, but as I started to define some shapes, I suddenly found myself absorbed into the piece...I felt a release with every stroke of my charcoal and by the end I felt like I just finished an hour long run.
The third session was about light and shadow and we used some washes. I found this really challenging as I am crap at wet media usually. Below, the results of the session:
I think the most important thing I have learned in this sessions is to let go: in order to truly learn and grow as an artist you have to take anything you do as a casual sketch. If you get too serious and caught up, you arrest your development. I reflect at times how much this applies to everything in life...
I finally kept my promise of starting a blog...As much as I appreciate everything I have shared, achieved and learned in social websites, I grew slightly bored with the mechanics and the focus of these sites. Art should be about absolute freedom of expression and ingenuity, not a popularity contest and definitely not a celebration of Commercial Media (Disney, Videogame-related art, etc.) They already get enough exposure as it is - why give 'em more, and for free!!??
To be fair, I know I started drawing at young age influenced by TV, Movies and Cartoons, but at the moment I feel there is so much more out there to explore...I am defintitely ready to move on and embrace the world of Drawing with capital "D". I want to try all traditional tools, draw the good the bad and the ugly - Bring it on!
One thing I've been doing recently is attending to Life drawing classes - I didn't want to join in the beginning but I was enticed by the free drinks and sandwiches at the end of the session. I will write about these in my next post :)
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