Text by Jesc Bunyard
Edited and Translated by Michelle Yu
Image Courtesy of Frieze
Yes, it’s that time again. Time for the madness of Frieze, when the London art calendar lurches into life and everyone heads for the Regent’s Park.
是的,一年一次的Frieze又來了,日曆上滿滿的藝術活動,安排不過來,也看不過來,但大家一定都會湧向Regent’s Park的Frieze Art Fair。
In addition to the Live section, which is always a firm favourite of mine, Frieze also returns to the Nineties, with presentations of seminal artists and works from the decade. This means that alongside the hottest of the hot in the contemporary art world you can also see fantastic artists like Wolfgang Tillmans, Richard Billingham and Sylvie Fleury.
There was also a notable trend that has permeated the fair: the assembling and presenting of junk. This was also present at the Turner Prize. It’s quite astounding how many works there are that use this method or aesthetic. What does this say about the current mood amongst artists? Are they reflecting the current disparate moods felt amongst voters, with the electorate divided both in the UK and in America?
Here’s my top five recommendations for Frieze London. If Frieze Masters is more your thing then scroll down my top three of must sees at the fair.
Frieze今年回歸了Nineties單元,展示了近10年來傑出的藝術家項目。和大咖中的大咖一並展示的有很多很好的藝術家,像Wolfgang Tillmans, Richard Billingham 和 Sylvie Fleury。
今年好像突然有個挺明顯的潮流,展廳裡到處都是“垃圾”,(雖然那也是很貴的“垃圾”)。這種拼裝垃圾的手法和美學的流行有點讓人詫異。這算不算表達藝術家們最近的情緒?這些作品是不是也呼應著現在英美投票者分裂的情緒?
以下是我在Frieze London挑選的五件有意思的作品。 Frieze Masters的精選則在文末會提到。
5. Portia Munson, Pink Project: Table, P.P.O.W
The first thing that greets you when viewing Portia Munson’s Pink Project: Table is the overwhelming colour of shocking pink that radiates from the table. This is created by placing a large amount of pink items together, including some Polly Pocket toys. However, all is not a sickly sweet as it may first appear, for amongst the ‘girly girl’ innocent items alongside mature items such as tampon applicators and dildos. All of these items marketed for girls, are coloured pink. Munson highlights the assumptions made by the companies making these products, whilst creating a shocking juxtaposition.
第一眼被這件滿桌粉紅的作品所吸引,粉到發光,粉到刺眼。仔細看看,都是粉紅色的小玩具。但這並不是一件只為了表現粉紅而堆砌的作品,除了天真無邪的小女孩玩具以外,當中還混雜著成人用品,像衛生棉條和假陽具。藝術家揭露了市場為了迎合女孩的喜歡而製造如此多的“粉紅”物品。藝術家展示了這些“粉紅消費”,同時也創造了這樣一種“粉紅奇觀”。
4. Hauser & Wirth
So Hauser & Wirth always come up with fantastically immersive way of presenting their stall. This year they’ve gone for an artist’s studio. It’s a wonderland, and as expected year after year they don’t disappoint.
Hauser & Wirth畫廊每次都會精心佈置浸沒式的、讓觀者有代入感的展位。今年H&W打造的則是一個藝術家工作室,令人讚嘆的是你幾乎不能分辨出來哪些是藝術品,哪些是擺設,攝影,雕塑,繪畫,裝置等等都融在一起,毫無違和感,反而構成一個巨大的、互相呼應的整體,讓人目不暇接,駐留在展位仔細觀望。今年仍然沒有讓人失望。
3. Julie Verhoeven, The Toilet Attendant…Now Wash Your Hands
An artistic intervention in a toilet. One that also highlights low wage jobs. Honestly it’s brilliant, so kitsch, so tacky, there’s music. The artist herself will also be taking up the role of attendant from time to time. The most brilliant moment was when I saw a lady pick up one of the brand new tampons from a petal covered bucket as she made her way past some of the work.
藝術家的這個”廁所計畫”打亂了人們正常的如廁經驗,也引起了人們對廁所清潔工低廉勞動力的關注。非常惹人注目,讓人印象深刻,俗到讓人覺得好玩,當你看見馬桶蓋上套著塑膠、裡面是顏色鮮豔、圖案明顯的布料,還有那玫瑰紅,靛藍的廁紙,讓人忍俊不禁,不知道說少女心好還是媚俗好。藝術家自己也不時在廁所裡出現,這是一件挺討巧的作品,幾乎所有人都要上廁所,都會看見這件作品。最好玩的moment莫過於一位女士俯身撿起灑落一地的衛生棉棒,嗯,這是作品的一部分。
2. Timur Si-Qin, Transformers, Société.
Michael Bay meets Taoism. Posters of the Transformers film have been overlayed with leaves. This series, which covers both walls of the Société stall, is a glorious collage of nature and mass culture. I love it when popular culture is brought into contemporary art and this is a great example.
這個展位讓我想到“當Michael Bay遇見道教(注:Michael Bay是拍《珍珠港、《世界末日》、《變形金剛》的大導演)”。展位的牆上滿滿地掛著變形金剛的電影海報,而海報則又被葉子覆蓋,正好是自然和大眾文化的完美拼貼。我喜歡這種把流行文化帶入當代藝術的做法,這是一個很好的案例。
1. Philippe Parreno, Speech Bubbles (Transparent Orange)/Shahzia Sikander, Singing Suns, Pilar Corrias
It feels like Philippe Parreno is dominating the London art world at the moment, with his commission at the Tate’s Turbine Hall and now this stunning display at Frieze. At Pilar Corrias’ stall Parreno’s helium balloons in the shape of speech bubbles are paired with Shahzia Sikander’s Singing Suns. The luminous orange of the balloons that are crowding the ceiling shine down of the animated video. This work uses the swirling form of Gopi’s (a female worshipper of Krishna) hair. This is replicated until it creates captivating, continuously morphing orbs. The combination is mesmerising.
感覺最近Philippe Parreno鋪天蓋地的,Turbine Hall現在展著的是他的委託作品,現在Frieze也是他。在 Pilar Corrias展位Parreno的氮氣氣球是對話泡泡的形狀,與Shahzia Sikander的Singing Suns一並展示。這些氣球呈現著橙色的光芒,把天花板團團圍起來,映照著牆上播放的動畫視頻。這件作品通過把印度教克利希納黑天神頭髮的盤旋形狀加以複製,直到它扭曲形成一個變形的球體。這個組合實在是很催眠。
Frieze Masters
I’m often critical of Frieze Masters. Compared with its brother further down the road in Regent’s Park, Masters can often feel like a very expensive shopping centre.
However, when the gallery stalls are displayed right, the results are stunning. Masters also presents the opportunity to get close to artworks and artists that would normally be contained behind alarm wires at galleries and museums.
There are so many intriguing works to see this year, including some photo concrete works. I’ve highlighted my top three, which showcase some of the best aspects of Frieze Masters.
我一向對Masters都很挑剔,它在Regent’s park的另一頭。 Masters經常做得像一個非常昂貴的購物中心。可是,只要展廳佈置得好,成果也是驚人的。 Masters讓觀眾可以近距離欣賞大師級的精品作品,要知道,這些大師的好作品一般都藏於博物館內,被各種警報器圍著。今年在Masters上有非常多有趣的作品展示,甚至包括一些攝影作品。以下是我挑選的三大看點,這三個例子很好地展示了Masters裡優越的方面。
3. Sérvulo Esmeraldo – Sicardi Gallery
In the Spotlight section is work by the kinetic artist Sérvulo Esmeraldo. Several of the works are controlled by static, meaning that the movement of a hand can trigger the work. The works are a stunning combination of minimalism and kinetic art. The Spotlight part of Frieze Masters is always a good place to engage with different galleries and works.
Spotlight區展示的是動態雕塑藝術家Sérvulo Esmeraldo。他的有些作品是需要觀眾配合手部運動才會使作品運動的。這些作品是極簡主義和動態藝術的最好結合。 Masters內的Spotlight區很好地讓觀眾和不同畫廊和作品進行互動。
2. Cy Twombly
Here I may be slightly biased, as I am a self-confessed Cy Twombly fan. However, this is a perfect example of Frieze Masters allowing you to get up close and personal with a work. I discovered Twombly’s and found a new favourite ‘Untitled (Phaedrus/Symposium)’. I spent a lot of time with this work, and that’s the beauty of Frieze Masters. I rediscovered an artist whom I love.
也許我有點偏心,我自認是Cy Twombly的粉絲。這是一個很好的案例,在Masters裡你可以盡情近距離地觀摩大師作品。我發現了一件我從來沒有看見過的作品-“Untitled (Phaedrus/Symposium)”,它成了我新的心頭好。我花了許多時間在看這件作品,這就是Masters的魅力和優勢。它讓我對喜歡的藝術家又有了新的發現。
1. Ancient Mande Terracotta Gods from Mali/Judy Chicago – Bernard de Grunne/Salon 94
This is one of those perfect combinations that happen at Frieze Masters. Take femme de force of Judy Chicago and combine with clay statues from the culture of Ancient Mande. The result is a stunning exploration into myth and mystery.
這是Masters裡藝術品結合展示的完美例子之一。把當代藝術家Judy Chicago的Femme de force和古曼德文化裡的陶土雕塑結合展示,創造了一種新的語境,產生了一種微妙的效果,讓人對神話和奧秘有了新的探索。