Wednesday 10 June 2015

ART: Carsten Höller: Decision at Hayward Gallery - Opening Night

'Voluptuous panic upon an otherwise lucid mind.' - Roger Caillois


Carsten Höller, Isomeric Slides, 2015, Image: David Levene

‘Carsten Höller's art is constantly pulling the rug out from under the way we look at the world' - a stand-out metaphor from Hayward director Ralph Rugoff at last night's much anticipated opening; taking over the Southbank space, Belgian artist Höller has certainly bought more than a bit of slapstick back to the art gallery.

Known best for his Turbine Hall slide installation at the Tate Modern - 'Test Site' - in 2006, Höller has repeatedly required not only active participation with his works, but a certain amount of bravado too. Decision is no different, with the whole show based around the concept of duality and - of course - decision making; it's kind of an exhibition full of Sliding Doors moments, minus the confusing Gwyneth Paltrow haircuts. The exhibition is undoubtedly fun (I will shy way from too much detail on the works as part of its dynamism stems from the unknown), but whether these moments of glee really push us to the artistic realisations Höller expects is something I'm still trying to decide on myself.


With mushroom carousels, dice shaped child’s playgrounds, roaming beds and (of course) outdoor slides, the show feels made for our Instagram generation. Furthermore, Höller's interest in the idea of the present/presence, the experience happening now which is so key to much of his work, taps brilliantly in to the modern FOMO-complex. Now we are all about the experience, the present, showing we were there, sharing our presence with the world so that our lives look like one long playground of brilliant moments. Within this contemporary context do the works thrive, or do Höller's pieces lose the provocation of spontaneous delight which their true effect relies on?



Personally it was not the silliest nor most surprising works which I felt particularly moved by, but instead I fell for a simpler piece called 'Pill Clock': an installation whereby every 3 seconds (the length of time 'in which it is possible to create the impression of presence') a single red and white capsule drops from an unknown location in the ceiling, onto the gallery floor. This playful rendering of a time piece had a quiet power to it, one heightened by it's accompanying water fountain which allowed myself and a few other visitors to drop our own pill as we passed, and was definitely the stand out piece for me.


Carsten Höller at Hayward Gallery will be one of the biggest shows of 2015 and its not hard to see why - artistic epiphany or not, you know it'll be one hell of an experience. And here's one decision that we can make for you: book your tickets now and get over there, FOMO is coming for you.


Wednesday 3 June 2015

ART & FASHION: The Launch of Maison Mais Non in Soho

Krystyna-Kozhoma-x-Richard-Anderson

Tonight saw the much anticipated launch of new gallery Maison Mais Non on Greek Street, Soho. Hailed as London's 'first fashion gallery' and run by Micheál Neeson (son of Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson), Topes Calland (who my date for the night assures me is THE tutor for celebrity offspring), Nell Campbell and fashion photographer Toby Knott, the launch was always guaranteed to be a pretty hot ticket.

Micheál Neeson and Liam Neeson at Maison Mais Non

Actors Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes, poet and it-girl Greta Bellamacina, property heiress India Rose James and model and presenter Rick Edwards were among the attendees, who took in both the fashion gallery and its sister venture The Soho Revue. 

Maison Mais Non

The debut show - named Artist:Artisan - cleverly brought together expert tailors from Saville Row and Central Saint Martins graduates to create and showcase collaborative designs which brilliantly blended the Row's tailoring brilliance with the off-the-wall genius of the fashion students. The show sees Charles Jeffrey, Hayley Grundmann, Krystyna Kozhoma and Masha Reva from CSM working with Saville Row tailors, Chittleborough & Morgan, Anderson & Sheppard, Richard Anderson and Kathryn Sargent.  Hung in a sparse yet dynamic way - think Ikea meets BDSM club - the works were allowed to demonstrate their full potential with little artifice or need for special effects. 


Seeing the camaraderie apparent between Micheál and Topes, as well as the fatherly pride emanating off Liam Neeson, it was clear that this project was far from just a glittery spectacle. If they continue to come at the fashion world with such an artful eye, I think Maison Mais Non might just be on to something. 

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