Monday 30 March 2015

Barbican Arts Centre, Magnificent Obsessions The Artist as Collector




The Barbican Estate, London is a fascinating place, a prime example of brutalist architecture combined with nature sharing the space and quietly marking its territory amongst the stark geometric landscape.

Part of the complex is home to the Barbican Arts Centre and recently I visited the exhibition 'Magnificent Obsessions - The Artist as Collector' as I was particularly interested in using it as research for some new artwork.  Photography wasn't allowed and neither were bags into the exhibition as there is an abundance of items on exhibition which has been personally collected by the artists.  One of my favourites was the collection of Edmund de Waal as amongst his exhibits was the netsuke Hare with Amber Eyes.  I was fascinated, although rather uncomfortable with Damien Hurst's artwork 'Last Kingdom' containing columns of stunning insects placed in a frame with a mirrored background.  Other collections I was drawn to were those of: Howard Hodgkin, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Andy Warhol, Pae White's collection of Vera Newman silk scarves and even the crates that were used to transport their things. Take a peak here at some of the exhibits. 

































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