'AT SEA' : DUFF HOUSE : BANFF, ABERDEENSHIRE

As soon as you entered both of the two averagely sized rooms you knew the images were all at Home. Paul Duke has completed a project running from 2009 discussing the decline in the fishing industry in Scotland. Therefor he decided to draw attention to this by actually photographing fisherman in a make-shift studio where he asked the fishermen to come in and get their image taken then walk out. This all took place in fishing yards around the Moray Firth, from engineers to           gutters having their image taken.

This quick exchange causes the pictures to have a quality that stands out more than any other images I have seen in the public eye in a while. I think the sheer passion of the fisherman comes across in the images. The time scale for each person comes into concern, and is a concern I believe that Has benefited Duke in sending across that message of passion for the industry that they are working in .
It is always lovely and pleasing to see artists discussing real first world problems through their work. It is good to see it in a style that at the same time conveys a personality to the person in the portrait , or subject in the composition. I think it is rare to see a project that has come out as successfully and beautifully as Paul Dukes pieces. You are able to almost relate to the person in the image as the images strike you . You are able to almost submerge yourself into thought whilst looking at the images, as the depth of the shades of greys drags the eye within the person.
I think what works well with the images is the facial expressions and the textures. You have a very monotone expression on all the faces  through out the 'AT SEA' exhibition in Duff House, Aberdeenshire. I think the textures throughout the images also cease to amaze the eye. The ripped  clothing  , the burnt       fire suits, the paint stained fishing gloves, all aspects that almost bring these images to life.

The strong , and uplifting images show a high class of photography. Each image in its own way eases you in through concepts with in the imagery such  the eye contact, and the determination in each and every one of the Moray Firth Fishermen and women.

Star Rating : 4/5

FRIEZE ART FAIR 2013 : REGENTS PARK

I was lucky enough to attend the annual Frieze Art Fair in Regents Park. To be honest there could not be a lovelier setting to have this big which marquee held than in Regents Parks it self. Walking in and getting your tickets checked was a completely fine, and easy experience. No hassle, no waiting, everything you would expect when attending a highly priced ART fair.
The space that you walked into was set out looking  lovely  , as well as walking into a clean environment. The whole place was nicely lit and showed off if I can remember every piece in its truest colour, form and textual qualities.
It is a massive art fair, however this year I was impressed to see how the works were set out so organised, with the vast size of the exhibition in mind. I think the sections were set out nicely with a consistent size given to each gallery as you went by.
There was a huge variety and mixtures of Works there. There were many interesting forms, however there were many forms I didn't particularly fall in love with. There were many textual , coloured pieces I loved and got instantly inspired by, however once again I think some artists went to far, and maybe got carried away within the canvas.
A perfect example of a car crash that made a stunning entrance to the Frieze Fair was Jeff Koon's Works, that were standing there not particularly looking stunning at all, with a number of security guards around each piece as if it were their prized possession. I think Koon's metalic structures are only interesting to look at for the unjustified price tag that the assistances refused to give out to any one. They are not amazing, they are a perfect example of some of the rubbish that Art is unfortunately throwing out  onto the main stages of the biggest art galleries and fairs. It makes me think does this Artist do it for the millions that he obviously receives from millionaires , or does he make the structures for the passion, with the money being a massive extra?
On the other hand away from the Jeff Koon's works and the Safety Cones by Rob Pruitt's (another car Crash) we had many other interesting unique pieces of work to delve into with our eyes, and with the iPhone to take pictures obviously.
Artists such as Chadwick Rantanen, for his use of freedom in using ink, he created a number of interesting marks over the page. Within these muddled up, organic lines I start to make my own story up, start to pick out shapes. I love work like this as you do not have an obvious direction of thinking, you don't think what the artist was maybe thinking when he / she was creating the piece.
Mark Manders stood out for producing sculpture that involved a varied amount of layers, and a mixture of forms and textures. However ever compliant at the same time coming together to create a form that felt like every piece was equal, because of the way each layer was bunched together.
Charlotte Posenske's box sculpture caught my eye for the manoeuvrable doors, this helps the owner , viewer to interact with the piece so they fit the piece into there lives. I like the concept of being able to walk around a cube look inside, explore this monotone shape/ or form.
I think one of the most amazing and unique pieces I saw was by, Sandra Cinto who focuses on waves and the shapes within the wave, and spray, this is expressed through a number of intricately  focused paint strokes, and intricate detail . By the looks I was giving the work It appears to by the smudging of usually white paint. The smudging tool varying in size to create the different levels of focus.
Peter Buggenhout was a sculpture that worked with dark colours , and dark textures very well. He completely changes the meaning of rags . He looks at a bunch of items and makes them into something special. I think that he is also a very controlled artist. All the pieces look as if they have been fitted in that place on purpose to tell the story. All the pieces stand out as telling us a part of the story. Each piece of rubbish / junk supporting the other. Could this say something about the artists life.
To be honest I felt this year a lot of the at work was challenging to get when you are confined to little confidence in what is correct . That is what I liked about most of the work. You could tell your own story , in your own head, about why the artist did that mark there? Or why that colour ? That form?  I think overall it was extremely interesting , and inspiring to see so much abstract but controlled work. I liked to see that not all the work is making money instantly, and was also interested to see a through switches in the trend in art at the moment.
Throughout the whole number of galleries there showing work, miniature aspects were surprisingly high on the agenda, so was collages of pornography, and the nude body, as well as thick brush strokes, and expressive hand movement from using ink and pen. I was excited by what I saw, I think I was excited at the curiosity of artists at the moment . I was interesting in how their final outcome appeared, to there earlier work. I was always keen to see how artist s change. I think I also enjoyed looking at a healthily amount of sculptural qualities that are being identified by a lot of galleries.
Overall the experience was great. A lot of art, maybe too much art in one space to take in , in 5-6 hours of walking around. However I did like the galleries not having writing around the place as it would most probably slow me down as I would feel I had to read it to get the piece. I liked the uncertainty of what the piece means. I think the Frieze ART Fair 2013 showed of the Worlds art in general in a terrific light , apart from the exceptions of a couple of artist.

Star Rating: 4/5

PACE GALLERY : LONDON ROYAL ACADEMY

The Exhibition that has in my opinion been untouched in the attention it receives in promoting this talented young Chinese artists work.
Li Songsong studied at the Central Academy of Fine arts in Beijing . In 1996 he managed to secure his B.F.A in oil paint.
Whilst looking at his work in the Pace Gallery the huge scale of the paintings drew the eye to explore the paintings in many different elements. I was drawn to the attention of the massive metal boards puzzled together, and was interested in exploring how the eye actually is able to explore the image more because the painting is split into different segments. The segments even though a body of the painting form sculptural qualities when facing the image from a profile point of view. You are able to see the real mechanics behind the painting . You are able to view how the artist has layered the sheets of metal, and ask questions to, why in that order.
The Chinese born artist is undoubtably the artist that has excited me the most in a long time. The confidence he pursues is clearly communicated through the thick, glossy and textural paint he slaps and shapes onto the sheets of metal. The way he works with the paint is different to any other artist I have seen before. It is as if he is working into the paint, sculpting the paint. However he is not working into the surface as most other artists show. He uses the metal boards as a stage for the paint to dry on. Nothing more , nothing less.
I enjoy the way the paint shapes the circumrance lines of certain figures. This is done by the paint being pushed to a certain point . Close up it looks like canvases full of mixed , thick paint, however when you stand back a number of forms appear to the eye to take shape.
His confidence , and uniqueness is undoubtably  two of the most helpful traits to carry. Songsong presents his smart thinking through a number of varied sized paintings, drawing attention to all different areas of the planet.
The Pace gallery is a lovely , light, fresh pace to hang these spectacles. The floor space gives you enough space to manoeuvre   yourself back and fourth to get the real qualities of the paintings out.
The works chosen were extremely well put together, and all seemed to work together, par the Calvin Klein model painting . I think this did not work as fashion brands have their own style and using paint to discuss and twist the fashion industry is extremely hard to re created. Even Songsong could not pass my opinion.

Star Rating - 4.5 / 5