One Venue, 9 Artists and whole load of gusto.
In my own opinion this is the best way to view art, especially if you're of the "my 3 year old could do that" brigade. Viewing art as it is created makes it quite clear that not all art is created for the consumer as many people like to claim*.
It is a brave Creative who can work at their art amongst a sea of critics. At Filmbase one evening last week I was met by the pleasant site of Artists and Crafts People doing just that and brave they were!
For the Love of Live, the brainchild of two Dublin based graphic designers, brought together a host of Ireland's emerging talent to display not only what they do but how they do it. Crafts people, artists and hobbyists alike were invited to apply for the opportunity of showcasing their talent at the week long show. Of the many that applied 9 were chosen.
Olga Tiernan was a particular favourite for me. Her work consists of geometric style drawings, which at first glance I wrongly assumed were abstract portraits of reclining figures. Having checked my theory with Olga I can tell you they are not portraits at all. In fact, these shapes of Olga's are depictions of "which ever way feels right to draw the next line". They come purely from the organic flow of Olga's careful pen strokes, which is hard to believe given that the lines are so perfectly straight and the angles so sharp.
As her 'live' piece Olga was busy working away on a large scale drawing (see right). Hunched over a board, kneeling on the ground Olga seemed entranced by her own drawing.
As equally as impressive as Olga's organic approach was the lack of pretension in the way her work was displayed. Her completed drawings were exhibited neatly on a wall, held up by simple, tidy, strips of masking tape. I hope that I am right in thinking that Olga and her work are untouched by the curse of consumerism; or by the urgent panic caused by the need to 'sell' that so often causes those blessed with a creative streak to conform in some way that takes the lustre off doing what they once adored. I hope that Olga is able to continue the work she does, as she does it without compromising for mass production.
More to come tomorrow Bex Blogger
*(generally claimed aloud when they want to sound as pompous as they are 'well of course he only won the turner because he used Elephant Dung, shock factor that's all that art needs these days'-enlightening!)
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