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A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON

20 June 2013

I started the day with the wonderful historian Ben Jones at the National Gallery. He explained to us Michael Landy’s project Saints Alive. The sculptures were colossal and bombastic with Landy’s sense of humour integrated into all the works. His inspiration came from the most beautiful intricate works of art by Pinturicchio, Crivelli, Botticelli. I am often educated by the artists I collect.

A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
This work is based on a painting by Sassetta “The Stigmatisation of Saint Francis” in 1437.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Surprising who you bump into outside the National.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
I dropped in to Hauser and Wirth to experience the work of Takesada Matsutani. An older Japanese artist shown in the UK for the first time, his work is visually powerful, when Fontana was slashing canvases his thing was breaking up mega paint bubbles.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
The Royal Academy School MA show was brilliant. Some of the artists already in our collection had their work on show - and if they were not in our collection they were in the David Roberts Collection. This work by Mary Ramsden called Hundy Mundy.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
A new discovery was the work by Tom Owens. “After today I do not want to talk about today”
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Brad Grievson had totally changed track and followed the trend of looking at process.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Then already in the David Roberts collection was Adham Faramawy's 'Relief Lounge'.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Charlie Billingham - an artist I had not come across – certainly had something to say in his ‘Coming Out’ work.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Then the Royal icing on the cake was Eddie Peake – pictured here with his gang in his Kool Room: Eddie Peake, Mc det, Funky Flirt, Brokie and Moses.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Eddie has invited Kool London, a previously pirate radio station into the RA for the month – go and visit them or listen live! http://www.koollondon.com/ now they have the royal seal of approval on their culture defining music!
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Then it was byebye to the Kool Family and hello to the South London Royals at the RCA. I spotted some interesting work. Daniel Braggin was looking iconic
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Virgile Ittah with the help of Hitomi Kai Yoda had created wax sculptures with a fluid beauty.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
I particularly liked the work of Petr Davydtchenko his project called Love will Tear Us Apart and the work called “They Walked in Line”
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Jim Woodall an all English artist in touch with nature - his a work called “Dagenham Dock” was strong and ambitious.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
My favourite artist on show was Matt Moser-Clark. His works were very different to all his associates. He definitely has some sort of sparkle there and it seemed to translate well to the audience. One never knows who will succeed in the end, so many elements come into play.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
As I was leaving I managed to spot performance artist Helle Kingbird Bjerregaard who was working away moulding her vessels.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
The day rounded off with a fun evening at the ICA where you could pick up one of Oscar Murillo’s concrete balls for a sneeze or two with the help of Oliver Barker.
A TYPICAL DAY IN LONDON
Gregor Muir (wearing his tie) was very proud of himself and his merry helpers. I had to admit I was a tad too tired to enjoy myself to the full, time for holiday so don’t expect to be reading so much from me in the next couple of months!