Everything art related I saw and liked in February and March (so far)
London & more
I don't even know how are we almost in mid-March! I have to admit I saw less than I would usually see in the span of two months but I find winter months very slow in the art world and take it as a chance to detox from it. But here is what all saw, liked, and maybe disliked:
White Cube Mason’s Yard showed an incredible solo by Japanese artist Yoko Matsumoto. Her abstract paintings seemed somehow lyrical, each colour canvas was like listening to a different song. But I think I was most fascinated by the pink ones. Not that pink is my colour, but the way she blends in white and black to create different shades and hues really captivated me. Unfortunately, the show closed on Friday but here are some images at least. PS: me wearing a matching jacket was a pure coincidence.
A week later or so, I went to Switzerland and had a chance to visit the art & design fair ‘Nomad Circle’ that took place in beautiful St Moritz. It was snowing that day, and everything looked like a fairy tale, which enhanced the uniqueness of this fair. How often do we actually visit a fair set in the middle of the Swiss Alps? It took place in a beautifully run-down hotel that was soon expecting a massive renovation. But the fair made the ‘construction site’ alive and enchanting. It was the perfect blend of architecture, design, and art, which is essentially the motto of Nomad. I could definitely redecorated from what I saw in the fair. And add some eccentric jewels for a good measure. The reward for the most creative concept goes to ‘‘Bread & Diamonds” which sells bread and diamond. Not only they had a cool booth at the fair but they also have an actual shop in St Moritz, The next edition will take place in Capri this summer so it’s definitely worth visiting for those who will happen to be around.
Back in London - last week I went to see a show I was really excited about - When Forms Come Alive, 60 Years of Restless Sculpture at Hayward Gallery. And once again, Hayward Gallery didn’t disappoint. It was a constellation of wonderfully strange sculptures. There are works from important artists such as Franz West, Phyllida Barlow, Ruth Asawa, Tara Donovan, and many more.
My next stop was Yoko Ono at Tate Modern, which I was quite looking forward to as well. Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed. Overdose of art and gloominess of that day might have partially influenced my experience of the show, yes, but even objectively, I thought the show was quite short and could have been more ‘curated’ with a stronger story-telling. But that is just my personal opinion.
BONUS!
Since today’s newsletter is fully dedicated to art I want to add a little bonus - an incredible emerging artist that I discovered last month and can’t wait to follow Billy Vanilli's practice and career development. He is a Melbourne-based artist making realistic paintings of mundane moments and settings. However, he adds a certain flair to his works that makes them very stylish. I find them very ‘juicy.
He is now exhibiting with La Causa Gallery at a Madrid-based art fair called Urvanity.
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