TRACEY EMIN: A FORTNIGHT OF TEARS

by Carmina Masoliver

content warning: mentions of death, abortion

The last exhibition of Emin’s I had been to was probably She Lay Down Beneath The Sea at Turner Contemporary in her hometown of Margate. For me, what this current exhibition at White Cube lacked in comparison to the previous one was more context to frame the concept of the artwork. Whilst there was an A4 sheet about the exhibition overall, it felt like the viewer was being pushed to form their own meanings. Whilst formulating the meaning of the work is part of the joys of conceptual art, it is always interesting to read or listen to more, particularly for those who are not as familiar with Emin’s work as fans will be able to infer the meaning and links to past work that newcomers can’t access. I also enjoyed the work in Margate more for its skill of embroidery where the stitched looked like paint from afar, whilst pieces in this exhibit lacked this sense of innovation.

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WHY I DISAGREE WITH THE ‘EXIT FROM BREXIT’ FLOAT IN NORWICH

by James Anthony

Content warning: article mentions suicide, and features a carnival float depicting suicide

To mark the arrival of BBC’s Question Time in Norwich on Thursday, a rather controversial float turned up in our city. Created for a festival in Dusseldorf, an impressively sized and eerily lifelike representation of the Prime Minister with a ‘Brexit’ gun in her mouth, was rolled around nearby streets to attract attention and to supposedly draw support for the pro-EU cause.

While I can appreciate the enthusiasm behind the protest, I can’t help but think it’s the wrong way to go about building a campaign focused on ensuring a future close to Europe.Continue Reading

FEARLESS LITTLE GIRLS AND GREAT BRASS BULLOCKS

by Richard Worth

If you’re reading this you are doubtlessly already aware of Kristen Visbal’s sculpture Fearless Girl, that has taken up residence on Wall Street opposite Arturo Di Modica’s Charging Bull. Sculpted by Visbal and funded by State Street Global Advisors Fearless Girl appeared on March 7th, 2017 (the eve of the Women’s March) and went viral. Its intention is to address the lack of women at the top of huge corporations.

Most people would have to agree this is a worthwhile cause; unfortunately, Di Modica isn’t exactly happy about Fearless Girl’s placement and is currently campaigning for its removal. Before we decry this as sexism or fear of the power of women, in any fair society he should be allowed to state his claim, so let’s hear it.
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FINE ART IN CÓRDOBA

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by Carmina Masoliver

The past few weeks I have been acquainting myself with the visual art that the city of Córdoba has to offer. These included the Museo de Bellas Artes de Córdoba, the Museo Julio Romero De Torres, and the Centro de Creación Contemporánea. Whilst there is still more to see, my wanderings gave me a varied picture of fine art in this part of Spain. Continue Reading

HOW MUCH DOES A PAINTING REALLY COST?

by Jess Howard

Last week a painting by French artist Paul Gauguin sold at auction for £197 million.

Nafea Faa Ipoipo, which translates to ‘When will you marry me?’, features two Tahitian women sat on a stretch of grass in front of a tree. We see the islands formidable mountains and an expanse of green fields behind them. The sale set a record for the most amount of money paid at auction for a piece of art. The work knocked Paul Cezanne’s The Card Players off of the top spot, which sold for £158 million back in 2011.Continue Reading

LOVING WITHOUT [GALLERY] LABELS

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by Jess Howard

Norwich city centre is home to a plethora of well-known art, by many famous and reputable artists. The Sainsbury Centre collection holds paintings and sculptures by artists such as Alberto Giacometti and Francis Bacon. A multitude of texts have been written on our Cathedral and the remains of the historic city walls. However, just because a piece wasn’t created by a world famous practitioner does not make it irrelevant.

I frequently find myself guilty of thinking this. Guilty of assuming that certain pieces of work around me are inferior because they are not held in well-known collections. Simply because they are not flanked by a well thought out gallery label, or hold price tag reaching financial levels equal to those involved with purchasing a small house or remote tropical island. Therefore this past week I have spent some time opening up my art historian eyes a little bit, and finding things that I didn’t appreciate before.Continue Reading