the circus at kinetica art fair

Kinetica Art Fair 
Ambika P3 gallery
03-06.02.2011

Spotlight Entrance Sign

In its 3rd year from the debut in 2009, Kinetica Art Fair has gained the status of flagship event in London's art world for February, and provides a fundamentally different flavour to art-lovers from January's London Art Fair.

As of last year, there's a 'weclome' piece at the entrance to the fair - however it is ironically full of EXIT signs:

Exit-Wall by Cécile Colle & Ralf Nuhn

There are also some layout changes to various parts of the fair - the cafe has moved from below the main entrance platform to the platform, right behind the reception counter, replacing the souvenoir and kinetica publications / merchandise shop. One may wonder whether the sales of merchandise would be significantly affected because it exists only as one of the exhibition stands now, losing its prominent physical location. Or perhaps the sales of food & beverage is a much more profitable business which even the organiser can't resist the tempt to make more money from it? 

The bar has moved from the main exhibition level to the entrance level

There is an anchor piece at each end wall of the gallery - a moving floral matrix (above) as the backdrop of the bar, and a video projection wall (below) at the other end. This actually helps to contain the space and give some visual stimulations to people when they are walking across the exhibition stands at the main exhibition area and looking up.

The rear end wall of the gallery is filled with video projections this year

Here are a few highlights (in no particular order) in the fair -

Tunnel View by Hans Kotter at Patrick Heide Contemporary Art

Seeper - interactive visualisation sphere

Moving objects no 486 - 501 by Pe Lang - there's a real sense of life in these cables if you keep looking at them!

Fascinating Revolving Installations consisted of calculators (front) by David Cranmer

Work, Eat, Sleep by New Opera Hero

Trailer of a similar show they have done at the Shunt last year - video link

Electro Set Visuals - these are part of the contents they performed in the fair - video link

Floatins Forecaster by Poietic Studio, with each foam sphere's motion individually customisable by an iphone app interface

The Particle by Alex Posada

Official video from the artist's vimeo - video link

Departures 2010 by the Trope Troupe - this screen-based travel information system is meant to help travellers to be aware of local laws

Moodski 2004 by the Trope Troupe - sample more here: http://t.co/CzBiggq

*****

Further Readings -

Page: Official page of Kinetica Art Fair
Page: Works of Swiss artist Pe Lang
Review: "Art with a life of its own: ears, skulls and holograms by Roland Hancock" for the Telegraph, 04.02.2011 (with video clip)
Review: Kinetica Art Fair 2010
Review: Kinetica Art Fair 2009
Video report from the BBC - 04.02.2011