thenewbitterness

In 2007 I was sitting in a bar in Venice after a tough day spent looking at art in The Biennale! All-around us local drinkers had this intriguing orange drink I had seen 2 years previously, after asking I was introduced to Aperol and continued to drink it until I moved onto Campari and fell in love with its robust bitterness rather than a syrupy sweetness. I am now, thanks to Loick @pre_phylloxera on a journey with Cynar, apparently the next/new/latest thing, its herby bitterness is like Suze or Campari had a child but the herbyness is strong. The weekend saw a great walk from the Thames Barrier to Greenwich – which includes nice/odd pubs, post-industrial, hyper tourist, lost and found spaces. Seeing the dome and the millennium sculptural commissions close-up was interesting and a document of the so-called big ideas involving pomp and government. But they are obvious landmarks, along the walk intimate riverside beach spaces connecting to the river and carved out by individuals told more interesting human narratives. Managed to get into the west end to check out a few shows – Nancy Spiro’s delicate drawings at Frith Street, Marian Goodman projects had some bold, dark, narrative objects. Window shopping in soho got me obsessed with knitwear from wood wood and trainers by Salomon. Meanwhile onto screens - I am not the easiest man – nice idea but with a twist. Mr Harrigan’s phone book – nice idea but not fully exploited. Inside Man – nice idea made nicer with the addition of Stanley Tucci. Bad Sisters – what a tragic ending, but we all knew it was going there….

frenchnesssquared

A break in S France - Marseille was as ever wonderful - checked out the 3 main art spaces on Friday with soup d Poisson at my favorite place down by the docks in between. The Musem is such a gloriously brutal yet liminal space with a rooftop bar to die for. I had never heard of Abd el-Kader but his role within the history of Algiers and Frances relationship with Arabic Nations was being rethought and represented in a more positive light, possibility part of France's attempt at the decolonization of collections.The Frac had an acutely observed show of work by Catherine Melin. I loved the video of children playing within their own worlds and the inflating and deflating of bags used for the transportation of textiles in markets talked of migration and homelessness in such a moving way. The Fric, possibly one of my favorite art spaces had a highly considered and solid show about mimicry - stand outs include the dark yet humerus Grey Area - videos of a person creatively hiding in office spaces by Sofia Hulten. It started out funny then all I could think about were mass shootings and terrorism.  Then there was the tremendous phasmides by Daniel Steegman - a video involving 'stick insects'. I remember as a child buying these in a pet shop and playing with them at home - in the shop it was always interesting to try and spot them in the tank stick-yes-no-yes-no-insect-no-yes-stick! Getting down to Valence on the TGV is a reminder of the joys of travel and the physical connectedness of Europe. The train was beautifully designed, clean, neat, on time and going onto to Luxembourg! The latest show at imprints of Tilman Hoepfl is at one in the space, the work, shadows and walls becoming one and evolving as the light animated the space throughout the day. There is a fabulous exhibition of photography at the art center in Crest with beautiful hand tinted prints from the 1890s that evoke a sense of timeless. This is compounded because of its context because I approached the show after spending the morning in the market, an experience that is SO French it's difficult to comprehend or explain. The wall of cheese smell is almost physical, fruit and veg so fresh and the community bonding through the love of quality good food is intoxicating. Sunday was a busy day - French flea market, clearing a friends house, cycling to a gig up a mountain to see cow bones (a band) - Billy Childish meets Art Brute infused with industrial noise wearing hand made/stitched masks - most excellent. In the mountains on the way down with the skies evolving around us from the usual deep blue in the valley was an astounding experience. All that was left of the day was to eat barbecue ribs and drink. Next day the  fresh sheets of mini ravioli and asparagus for lunch before unraveling the journey back - TGV, bus, plane and car was a reminder to return.

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