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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 17:54:08 GMT
Art collecting billionaires have gone out of fashion in recent years, which is not necessarily a bad thing, since modern billionaires prefer to pour their money into medical research or aid to the developing world. I may be mistaken, but I would tend to say that in the United States, art collectors of the magnitude of J. Paul Getty are a thing of the past. Most of the billionaire art collectors are now Russian or Chinese, but there are two left in this part of Europe -- François Pinault and Charles Saatchi. I have not seen the Pinault collection, which is based in Venice at the moment (it might come back to France some day if a certain temper tantrum can be forgotten at some time in the future). However, I was absolutely thrilled to see part of the Saatchi collection yesterday at the magnificent Tri Postal in Lille. It is an ugly former railroad building which was a postal sorting center, but it has become one of the most important art exposition centers in France since the Bombay extravaganza four years ago (I must dig up my photos again some day.). How many Bombay video fans on this and other sites know that the Bombay video tool was created in Lille? I have returned regularly to the Tri Postal since that time and have never been disappointed. The theme this time was The Silk Road, showing the mostly overlooked modern art from the Near East to China, along the various paths that people such as Marco Polo took. A camel is always useful on such a journey, so a camel was one of the first things exposed as I entered the exhibition. As has been the case with all of my trips to the museums and events of the Lille-Roubaix-Tourcoing metroplex, I was lucky to have the place almost to myself, at least at the beginning, since I arrived shortly after opening time. Much tea must be drunk on the long journey along the Silk Road, so numerous tea kettles were available. There was a group of small children having the artworks explained to them by their group leader. He asked the kids, "What does it mean symbolically if you show someone who doesn't have a mouth?" The kids were totally stumped about this, but I heard one of them venture, "You can't breathe?" The man with the group sighed, giving me the impression that he would have found a tub of water useful for drowning a few of the children. I continued to revel in having the rooms to myself. I went up to the next level and encountered the absolutely stunning work called " Old Person's Home" by two Chinese artists, Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. They are among the most controversial artists in China, and this particular work shows old men who appear to be ancient political and religious leaders, reduced to senile figures in wheelchairs. Please click on the YouTube video to see how conflicts are resolved. I think the employee in the red sweatshirt represents a United Nations intervention. However, I was soon to see some even more amazing works. (to be continued)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 18:54:29 GMT
The Silk Road has many byways. One of them goes through Palestine. But let's continue along to Iran. What do you think that modern Iranian art looks like? Have you seen any lately? These are by Shirin Fakhim, a woman who was born and who lives and works in Tehran. This work is called " Tehran Prostitutes". In the same room were the works of another Iranian woman from Tehran. Meanwhile, did you know that there was another Yacoubian Building in Beirut? (more soon) |
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Post by bixaorellana on Dec 28, 2010 19:19:16 GMT
This is remarkable and certainly can't be zipped through just to look at the pretty pictures. Whoever mounted the show really knew what he or she was doing, as the progression is perfect. The camel and the big golden pouf give the feeling of artifacts of the silk road, after which the over-flowing bucket of teapots really cues one to look more carefully and closely at all the pieces.
The "Old Persons' Home" should be displayed throughout the world. It's a brilliant commentary and equally brilliant execution. (& I'm sick with envy over the quality of your videos)
Great stuff -- can't wait to see more.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 20:33:04 GMT
The artist responsible for this Indian cartoon contribution was born in New York, but she respects wildly bizarre Indian mythology. A French artist of Algerian origin depicted this scene of Muslim foil women praying. There aren't many galleries with enough room to display some of these works! There were also some Iraqi works, full of latent violence. An Indian artist depicted some tar men from Kashmir. These road workers completely destroy their health building roads through the mountains. They are mummified before they die, helping to develop the country. Other lives end more simply... ... but some people benefit from the sacrifices of others. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 21:47:18 GMT
Still mostly alone in my wanderings... This was a breathing mass of carbonized hospital mattresses. The unpleasant noise it made was quite upsetting. The Silk Road ends in China, so it is to China that I went. Chinese artist Zhang Dali (is Dali his real name?), created resin molds of 100 rural immigrant workers. Here are a few of them, which are hung above the visitors, simply because they are at the bottom of the social scale. Another Chinese artist, Liu Wei, recreated numerous Western world monuments out of edible dog chews. Perhaps to show us that Western civilization will end up looking like a wad of dog spit when China is finished with us? Frankly, this was some pretty amazing stuff. I was sort of relieved to see some fellow human beings as my visit was coming to an end. The smile of the cat chosen to symbolize the exhibition ("Portrait of Mao") was just as enigmatic as when I arrived. Note: mao = cat in Chinese Nevertheless, I had a brilliant morning there and was tempted to visit the entire exhibition all over again once I had finished, except that I had a train to catch.... |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 22:23:50 GMT
Fascinating and eery. Depicting the not so nice part of life. But which is or was what many lived.
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Post by Kimby on Dec 29, 2010 17:47:38 GMT
Fantastic, K2!
Thanks for sharing this with us.
I suspect this exhibit will not reach us in Montana...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2011 18:07:45 GMT
The exhibition has been extended an extra week. Hurry up! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2011 18:26:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2011 19:59:12 GMT
Four more days to see this, and then......  |
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Post by Kimby on Feb 7, 2011 20:15:18 GMT
Where's it off to next? Any idea?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2011 20:46:45 GMT
The items probably went back home to London.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2011 20:46:54 GMT
I really liked this expo. Just needed to say it again.
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Post by auntieannie on Mar 18, 2011 20:35:12 GMT
The video won't work. but wow! impressive!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2011 21:13:54 GMT
I really loved this expo so much! I will return in a heartbeat if if ever shows up again anywhere in reach.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 7, 2011 20:07:24 GMT
Lille 3000 keeps sending me e-mails to make me go back, and I'm sure they are going to succeed. Speaking of Lille, Martine Aubry is the mayor and one of the top contenders for the next presidential election. Personally, she is the candidate that I prefer although she is not the front runner. But in view of everything that she has done in Lille for culture, I will continue to support her.
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Post by nycgirl on Sept 12, 2011 0:08:54 GMT
Wow, what an amazing exhibit! Some of the works are very sobering, like the depiction of the tar workers. I don't know what to make of the strange Indian comic strip parodies. I wonder if the artist's fellow Indians find them offensive? Old Person's Home is a very impressive work. I also liked the tin foil Muslim women and the buildings made out of dog chews. It's amazing what artists can do with such unusual materials.
Thanks for sharing these photos. I would have loved to have seen this show. I wish it could go on tour. When you see stuff like this, don't you wish the entire world could see it?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2011 5:29:53 GMT
The main thing about this sort of expo is that you feel it is powerful enough to "cure" people who think that art is boring -- if only you could convince them to go and see it, which of course you can't.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2012 13:32:22 GMT
Lille 3000 keeps sending me e-mails to make me go back, and I'm sure they are going to succeed. Speaking of Lille, Martine Aubry is the mayor and one of the top contenders for the next presidential election. Personally, she is the candidate that I prefer although she is not the front runner. But in view of everything that she has done in Lille for culture, I will continue to support her. Martine Aubry has now decided to devote the rest of her political career to the city of Lille. They are very lucky to have her. |
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 6, 2021 3:27:21 GMT
I just dipped into the past to take a new look at one of my favourite places.
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