There is a reason behind the word “challenge”. This week I was super busy with personal project Beardology, night of comedy and taking part in the Larkin Out festival at the Larkin’s Bar down Newland Avenue, plus many other life things, so I had to really push/challenge myself to get cultured regards Hull City Of Culture 2017 this week.
This week the focus was on Daffodil display and my own interpretation of it [just cos I missed it].
Ferens Art Gallery and Skin: Freud, Mueck and Tunick was another must see this week.
When it was too late, I discovered that the Lego Daffodil display is gone. The daffodils were given away to people of Hull for small donation that week. I was very gutted, but I still went down to see it for myself.
But I was told that somewhere in Hull I can find two awesome kids who will show me the daffodils and I will be able to have my own photograph of these amazing Lego creations.
With bribery and good chat-up lines, they proudly showed off their daffodils and talked me through the day when they were queuing, waiting and ended up on TV. I was super jealous, but really happy for them.
Inspired by cheesy mainstream fashion magazine edits, I had an idea of how to have my own daffodil display – bit of patience and work, bit of Hull City Of Culture 2017 colours and yeah- I have my own LEGO DAFFODIL DISPLAY.
Skin: Freud, Mueck and Tunick
LONG STORY SHORT – during the week I watched the film about Sea of Hull in making [incredible sense of unity and a lot of naked, blue people], I knew that the exhibition is out and I headed down there. I had a gut feeling that Mr. Tunik will be conscious about people taking credit of his hard work, so there will be no photos allowed. Which is really crap, cos my visuals are better than words.
And I was spot on – no photos are allowed in the Skin: Freud, Mueck and Tunick exhibition.
The staff has got more than three eyes, so I was constantly followed – I think it is written on my face – I am a nosy photographer.
I am really sorry, but just as I was told off I took a miserable picture with my phone.
I think it is ridiculous. This artwork would not be if not Hull. And the whole experience and photos is a fantastic reminder that Hull is amazing and people are absolutely crackers in the most incredible way.
Just have the recordings of the exhibition would mean a lot to me and potentially few other.
Just a quick feedback on the actual photographs and the quality of work.
There is no argument about the content, composition and overall idea. But MR. Tunik clearly used a camera that is not suitable for large scale prints. Very bad print quality and it kind of spoiled the viewing experience.
RON MUECK
I did study about Ron Muek and his fascinating life-like sculptures at Uni and I was hoping that I will have the opportunity to see his work in real life. Thanks to Hull City Of Culture 2017 it happened.
Ron Muek is Australian born, London based artist with incredible talent of shocking viewers with his sensitive and exposed sculptures of human beings.
“Mueck’s works command an uncanny ability to amaze with obsessive surface detail and intense psychic discharge. Engaging and wildly popular, they expose our need to validate our humanity, even as they thwart our attempts at full disclosure.”
Source and interesting interview with artist himself via link below:
The Progress Big Man A Conversation with Ron Mueck by Sarah Tanguy
I don’t know about my need to validate my humanity, but I was gazing at the sculptures for quite a while. It felt like I am a tiny ant looking at humans, analysing the danger they can cause.
It is magnificent execution of detail, skin and dimension.
The sculpture Wild Man without a doubt was the one that amazed me the most. The more time I spent looking at it, the more comfortable I felt.
It is definitely a must-see.
The exhibition is part of Artist Rooms Tour and will be there until 13th of August 2017.
Also I was told that there is a small gallery with samples and sketches of Mueck and I WAS ALLOWED TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS.
+ a random photograph of a random art workshop.
This Bank Holiday Weekend I was hanging out at Larkin’s Bar Hull and Larkin Out festival, so I spoke to a lot of people. In some conversations Hull City Of Culture was mentioned and it is not always sweet.
For example, there are people [from Hull obviously] who feel like this year isn’t really about Hull. We get fed with art that “they” think we should be looking at and relating ourselves with. The people I spoke with are definitely with decent IQ’s and have some sense of culture, so their opinion really matters. And what if they are right? What if we blindly follow what the Hull 17 board is giving us as Hull’s legacy, culture and history. Some of it is a bit out of context, random and too arts’y farts’y. We have been given a choice of many different culture experiences, but how do we filter what really is important for old and new Hull?
My own experience has been wonderful, I have had the opportunities to be part of amazing things and I appreciate art for its being, for the change that it is bringing to Hull and the sense of coming together to get cultured as a city.
But I also see these points applying to the events.
There was another conversation about Hull 17 bringing photographers outside of Hull to record the celebration – that is a joke considering the talented few in Hull have to hunt for jobs. To make it worse – one of the photographers have slagged of local photographers… I have no proof of this, but even having the rumour amongst those who live in Hull being a truth, puts the whole Hull 17 to shame.
This year is a distinctive year for local artists, businesses and people, everyone should have a piece of the Hull 17 cake – that was the whole point of this.
Something to think about and reflect on.
See you next week!!!!!!
ANETE SOODA PHOTO 