kinetica art fair 2010 - part 1

Kinetica Art Fair
04-07.02.2010
Ambika P3 Gallery
The jean tinguely-like milk float at the entrance

Kinetica Art Fair returns to London after its acclaimed debut last year. There are more live performances than last year, and from the turnout of the VIP preview this evening, interest is definitely huge among the public.

The bar area below the entrance
One of the Interactive exhibits - sonic-responsive LEDs

Apart from kinetic exhibits, there are also live performances

Read the reviews by various papers on Kinetica Art Fair's facebook page. More to come in part 2.

frieze art fair 2009 - part 2

The Sculpture Park

Some say Frieze has become corporate, big, fancy and out of touch with the new scene throughout the years... whether you agree or not is highly subjective. Whoever said that Zoo may have stole some lights from Frieze in terms of excitement or alternative flavours, Frieze has undoubtedly retained its leading position - thanks to the sculpture park. 

I have to say that, without the sculpture park, Frieze would just be another generic fair around the world. One could feel really packed and dizzy within the pavilion with all the buzz going on - that is not saying it is bad. It is where you see the people (actually very much this aspect) and the works together.

In the park, the works re-gain the attention of everyone. The ample space between each installation gives room for one to appreciate each piece in his/her own way, without being disturbed/side-tracked. it is important for one to develop his/her own artistic judgement, this is paramount to foster the cultural advancement of a nation. 

The sculpture park provides the opportunity for this to happen. It is the royal botanical heritage of the Park that creates the tension and juxtaposition between the tradition & new, individual & collective, as well as human vs nature.

Perhaps I have exaggerated a bit above, but I honestly think the sculpture park supports Frieze to stay on the art map in the world. I'm sure the organiser understands this very well, and I would like to remind them that it is vital they keep on cultivating this delicious part of the fair every year, and keep this british heritage which you couldn't possibly find in another place.

Here are some nice shots of what you have missed if you didn't visit the park last weekend -

Artificial Rock No. 16 (2007) by Zhan Wang

Breast Berries (2009) by Maria Roosen

Pumpkin (2009) by Erwin Wurm

Someone and Someone (2009) by Eva Rothschild

Edawrd VIII (2009) by Graham Hudson

Bonsaipotato (2001/09) by Remy Markowitsch

Grain Circle (2009) by Andrea Nacciarriti

Two Trees I & II (2009) by Vanessa Billy

A Child's Grove (2009) by Neha Coksi

The Couple by Louise Bourgeois - video link

Henry Moore Bound to Fail [Bronze] (2009) by Paul McCathy

Full photo set here

2 more clips of some works inside the pavilion -

Further reading -
Frieze art fair 2008 photo set (including show and sculptural park) here
Frieze Projects 2009 - interviews by The Art Newspaper

frieze art fair 2009 - part 1

10 favourite pieces in frieze art fair (in no particular order) -

frieze art fair 2009 by you.
Beethoven's trumpet [with ear] opus #133 (2007) by John Baldessari

by Thomas Bayrle (partial view - haven't checked what the name of the work is)

Urgent (2007) by Aristarkh Chernyshev

Urgent (2007) by Aristarkh Chernyshev - video link

Untitled [xerox machine] (2008) by Sakshi Gupta

Untitled [xerox machine] (2008) by Sakshi Gupta - video link

Haven't marked the artist name nor the work itself - any idea?

Sleeping leopard with cappucino galore (not the name of the work) 
Sans titre (2009) by Paola Pivi

A painting drawn by the generic BIC ball pens and a whole bunch of them (not the name of the work) by Andrei Molokin

A Travel without Visual Experience (2009) by Pak Sheung Chuen

Walking Man Who Doesn't Walk (2009) by Elmgreen & Dragset

Untitled (2006-07) by Dash Snow

Full photo set of the fair visit here

Further readings -
An artist's guide to Frieze by Alastair McKay for Evening Standard
Video wall of thoughts from Frieze's visitors at Winkball.com
My week: Hans-Ulrich Obrist from the Independent
Wikipedia's entry for John Baldessari
Video collection about John Baldessari from Google video search
Interview with John Baldessari by Nichole Davis for artnet.com in 2004
Artist's profile for Aristarkh Chernyshev at XL Gallery
Paola Pivi's Frieze Project in 2003
Wikipedia's entry for Paola Pivi
Report on Pak Sheung Chuen's work in Frieze by Sam Wollaston for the Guardian
Pak Sheung Chuen's blog - 二樓五仔記事簿 (chinese / english)
Official page of Pak Sheung Chuen
Wikipedia's entry for Dash Snow
"Dash Snow: An art icon for our times?" by Francesca Gavin for the Guradian, 15.07.2009
Art Obituary of Dash Snow by the Telegraph15.07.2009
Wikipedia's entry for Elmgreen and Dragset
Video of Drama Queens (2007) by Elmgreen and Dragset
Video of Elmgreen and Dragset at Venice Biennale 2009 by Tate