Disobedient Objects & Wedding Dresses @ The V&A

Working so close to the Victoria & Albert Museum meant that I could see their two current temporary exhibitions on my lunch break, so I did just that. I found "Disobedient Objects" really interesting as it was concerned with different movements and how people expressed their protests using objects and props. For example there were picket signs, barrage blocks and costumes, among many other things. Two exhibits I found most intriguing; the first being the "Guerilla Girls" who highlighted how females are represented in the art world. After receiving a speech in my second year of uni from my studio tutor proclaiming how female artists have hardly any chance of making it despite being in majority interest (preaching to a room of females and one male), it felt good to see this movement shown in a widely viewed institution.  The second was the "Barbie Liberation Organization" (pictured above), who switched the voices of Barbie and Action Man dolls so that they had the opposite when children took them out of their packet; a step away from the gender norms, so that Action Man said phrases like "I wanna go shopping" and vice versa. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't take many photos in the Wedding Dresses exhibition, but there were some beautiful pieces on show. One of my favourites was Gwen Stefani's wedding dress from her wedding to Gavin Rossdale, with the pink ombre train. 

Matisse & Malevich @ the Tate

Matisse's "Cut Outs" & Malevich: "Revolutionary of Russian Art"

My new job has given me the major advantage of being able to view a large number of temporary exhibitions that would usually be paid for, for free! Thus, I took advantage and spent an afternoon wandering around one of my favourite places in London; the Tate Modern gallery. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed by these exhibitions. Usually the Tate has one traditional artist and one contemporary artist that uses mixed media, but the content of these were both predominantly concerned with shape and colour; something that doesn't really interest me in a piece of art. Both exhibitions also had a similar curatorial style; very much a "White-Cube-esque" way of presenting pieces with pieces hung on white walls, which isn't very interactive or exciting (in my opinion). Aesthetically, I did enjoy some of the larger scale pieces in the Matisse exhibition, and I thought that the collages had a bigger impact on the viewer when lots were placed together on a wall. In the Malevich exhibition, my favourite room was the futurism one (pictured above). 

Despite the exhibitions not being to my taste, I had a good time anyway, as I always love the atmosphere at the Tate. I ended up spending an extortionate £16 on a book in the gift shop (which I will review at a later date), in the hope that it would assist me on my own art practice and get me a good degree mark (pleeeaaase?!?!) next year!

London Adventures: Hayward Gallery, Camden & Goodge St. Walks...

On Saturday I spent the day wandering around London with the girls, but I didn't really take any photos. Before I met up with them however, I went to see "My Best Thing" (2011) by Frances Stark at the Hayward Gallery project space. This work intrigued me as my current art practice concerns communications and dialogues of the real vs. online reality. I found it pretty funny as well and it definitely gave me some ideas for future pieces. 

Sunday, I persuaded Will to leave the cave that is his bedroom and go on an adventure with me! The day was pretty aimless, but we took some lunch with us and got the train up to Victoria, and first went on to Camden Town from there. Circa my "emo" stage around the age of 13-16 (Will had this too), Camden was a magical place for me; so many alternative, unique shops selling the "weird shit" I was totally into back then. This time, we found Camden a bit underwhelming to say the least. I was horrifically busy and the coercive sales-people trying to lure you into their stalls seem to have got ten times more annoying than before! Needless to say, we did not spend much time there. A bit disappointed and lacking ideas of things to do, we got back on the tube til Goodge Street, as Will thought it sounded funny (guys are the height of maturity). From here, we wandered past shops, UCL and Imperial, the British Museum, Holborn, Somerset House, Victoria Embankment Gardens, the Southbank, before eventually ending up at Blackfriars, where we got the train home. 

I don't think I could ever get bored of just wandering around London. It's forever changing with so much to see and do, even just people watching is fun. 

 

  

Wedding & Moving Out...

 

The 28th June was our friends Jeff and Macey's wedding at Wycliffe Baptist Church in Reading. The ceremony and reception were really cute, with all the decorations hand made. I didn't know anyone apart from my boyfriend Will, the bride and groom, and one of Will's friends who I'd only ever spoken to on the phone before, so it was a pretty weird day for me. I ended up tagging along with Will's friend, Andy and his girlfriend the whole time as Will was a groom's man. Everyone was lovely though and it just goes to show how you don't need to be over the top or extravagant to have an amazing wedding, as that's not what really matters in the long run. After much alcohol, dancing, food, laughs and two questionable performances from the groom's-men, I wish Jeff & Macey all the best for their future together and hope they are very happy :)

The next day I had to finally move out of my Reading house for third year. It was emotional to say the least and I honestly don't think I have ever been so sad to leave somewhere behind. But here's to the future; one chapter ends, another begins...