Tuesday 20 November 2018

longweekendofartinfrance


Arriving in Marseille the first thing to do is head to the marina to our favourite restaurant xxx for soup d poisson. After that the day was all about the wonderful space that is la Friche one of my top 10 places to see stuff. The spaces held 3 shows - Planetoyenes - some interesting video work, Biomorphisme - a show that had as its core intention to show work influenced by the organic. Some beautiful pieces exploring the maths of nature. Finally Chroniques a digital arts biennale - it’s always a good selection of work and the standout pieces this time were a video by Renata Poljak where Croatian women walked to be reunited with their men who had left for South America but with the water between them it’s a journey of pain. The beautiful footage of floating clothes took you straight to refugees. There was also an extraordinary piece where  scale models of decimated cities were created using imagery derived from drone footage. This footage was then shows on screens and inserted into ‘breaking news’ feeds - truth and lies were all around us. 
Bernar Venet at MAC in Lyon was a mixed bag. A huge retrospective of his entire life but it was obvious that very little editing had taken place as it was so full of work. You could of taken away 1/2 and still cover all the different ideas he has worked in. The last floor of his monumental steel ‘line’ sculptures had the best work and these alone could of filled the whole 3 floors of the building. Imprints-Galerie in Crest had Assemblages - a beautiful body of work by Herman Ardila Delgado. It was a luxury to spend 3 days with them. 
I have waited 20 years to see Courbusiers masterpiece La Tourette. The visit to the monastery has left a tremendous impression on me. The building is a real triumph. There is a calm stillness that is embedded in every decision. From the detail which include ‘floating’ surfaces and modular rhythmic lines to the overall use of shuttering and huge walls enabling moments of revelation. The body is both stimulated and restful. you are channelled by the materials yet able to find deep inner peace. Grounded and elevated. It was so wonderful to be introduced by Matthew and Isobel to Frere Marc who was a graceful host allowing us to see spaces closed to the general public beyond and within the walls. My many questions were entertained and answered with lightness enabling a rich understanding. Just the material choices themselves were truly thrilling. I could of spent days in the chapel watching the light change but we had to leave to buy boudain noir for the next days breakfast. 
Reply All podcast 130 has stunningly disturbing information about OG Snapchat accounts and cyber hacking - you will be angry and fearful whilst considering your own engagement with social media security.