(Modern) Art Makes Me Want To Rock Out

Since I quit my job in April I've actually had a chance to go and do things, and by a quirk of fate some of my favourite artists have had retrospectives in London since then. So here is a quick look at the exhibitions I've been to in the last couple of months.

Lichtenstein: A Retrospective @ Tate Modern
Roy Lichtenstein is one of the first artists I can recall liking, infact at secondary school when we were asked to copy a famous painting I chose 'Whaam!' and I remember being pretty pleased with the outcome.

The exhibition was well arranged into periods & subjects, showing how he developed his style aswell as the objects of his art. From the early comic book frame representations to later more abstract pieces, from the most familiar & famous to the more obscure that I hadn't seen before which became some of my favourite works in the whole show such as the mirror series, seascapes and japanese landscapes.

 Mirror #1

 

 Seascape

 

Landscape In Fog

 



His work is so stylised and perfect looking from a distance it was interesting to see Lichtenstein's work up close. You can see the colour going outside the lines, the paler than others dots, the brushstrokes. Which was inspiring for someone like me who tends to be very critical of my own work. We accidentally missed the room with his most famous comic depictions, so looped back at the end which worked out well as it meant 'Whaam' was the last picture I stood infront of and spent a long time taking in. This exhibition ended 27th May 2013.

Whaam!

David Bowie Is @ Victoria & Albert Museum
Whilst not strictly art per se I thought this was well worth including here, both Debra & I are big Bowie fans, especially Debra. Normally I'm not one for the audio tour handsets (in art exhibitions people spend more time looking at them than the actual art) but in this case they were compulsory and really added to the experience, playing Bowie's music as well as interviews and other related clips. Comprehensive would be an understatement in relation to this show, working through Bowie's career, inspirations, costumes and artifacts. Of course it helps that he is a very visual musician, the highlight was probably the huge space near the end with live footage projected onto the walls and costumes around all the walls. A superb exhibit that I highly recommend to all music fans, the show is on until 11th August 2013.

Lowry & the Painting of Modern life @ Tate Britain
If Lichtenstein was one of the first artists I remember, then Lowry is the very first. And stood in front of 'Coming from the Mill' in the first room of the exhibition brings it all back, a print of the picture hung on the chimney breast of my parents house throughout my childhood and in sixth form college I wrote an essay about him.

Coming From The Mill

 



Debra did not come with me, she finds Lowry depressing, but I've always found his work endlessly fascinating, depicting as it does the minute of daily working class life. There is alot of repetition in his paintings but everyday life was and is repetitive. The figures that people seem to concentrate on reflect the ordinary people you see around you every day even today with the pace and stress of modern life. The chronology showed how Lowry's work began by depicting everyday street scenes before he moved onto showing how heavy industry was destroying the landscape, before then zooming out to view imagined cityscapes set against the countryside.

The Lake

Industrial Landscape

 

I found it very interesting to see some of his influences alongside his own work, from his mentor Adolphe Valette, to the french impressionists such as Monet & Pissarro to even Van Gogh. It was also fantastic to see some of his drawings for paintings, many of which are amazingly clean-lined and very different to how you would imagine. The only disappointments for me were the absence of his portrait work and the only recently uncovered drawings of fetishised women, which show an important different side to the man. This exhibition runs until 20th October 2013.

The Auction 

Patrick Caulfield @ Tate Britain
Caulfield is a British artist that I know little about other than one or two pictures that I have seen and liked alot. His paintings are highly stylised, cleanlined and boldly coloured usually in block colours with the use of collaged photography to striking effect. This show was much smaller than the Lowry show but well worth seeing especially on the combined ticket I had bought. As a graphic designer & illustrator myself I found his work especially interesting and the influence of his work on advertising is obvious. Exhibition ends 1st September.

After Lunch

 

Dining Recess

Reading #2: Graphic Novels

34 is a pretty unusual age for someone to start getting into comics and graphic novels I admit, and while I've been reading Harvey Pekar and other biographical graphic novels for a few years, it's only this year that I've started to read more traditional superhero tales. All of the books below I bought at Ace Comics in Southend-On-Sea, who are very friendly and welcoming to new customers and are happy to order in anything you're looking for that they don't already have in their large stock.

Civil War (Marvel)
Mark Miller/Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, Morry Hollowell
Having been a fan of the Iron Man & Avengers Assemble movies in recent years I wanted to read a Marvel book and after a bit of research on the internet I settled on Civil War. The plot is a well worn superhero one of which side of the law superheores fall (as explored in X-Men, Batman, Watchmen etc), in this case costumed crimefighters are required to register and reveal their secret identities. This creates a civil war between those willing to sign up and those unwilling with familiar Marvel faces on both sides (although the Hulk is oddly absent), the principle players are Iron Man & Captain America. While the story is an interesting one I did find the dialogue cliched, but my main problem was with the artwork. I found it too perfect, the colouring was airbrushed, too realistic and high sheen - as someone who draws himself I want to see the mark of the illustrator and it lacked character for me. So my first experience of Marvel left me disappointed and a little put off.
Artwork: 1/5 Story: 3/5

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (DC Comics)
Frank Miller/Klaus Janson, Lynn Varley
Batman is probably the most told crimefighter story in the movie world (7 films to Superman's 6), and with Chris Nolan's darker films in mind I opted for The Dark Knight Returns, written by Sin City author Frank Miller. In this story Batman has retired and Gotham has gone to hell in a handcart, and the release of Harvey Dent from prison prompts a greying Bruce Wayne to take up his cowl once again. But's a different world Batman returns to, mutants rule the underworld, 24 hour news coverage gives him nowhere to hide, Commissioner Gordon is retiring and the new commissioner wants Batman's head on a stick. I really enjoyed this book the story had depth and the artwork was much more interesting - simpler and with more character than Civil War, I'll definitely be reading more of Frank Miller's Batman stories.
Artwork: 4/5 Story: 4/5

Hellboy #1: Seed of Destruction (Dark Horse Books)
Mike Mignola/John Byrne
Although not your average superhero, I'm a big fan of the Guillermo del Toro directed films so Mike Mignola's original books were always on my 'to read' list. Seed of Destruction follows a similar story to the first Hellboy film although the film script is very different - Hellboy is a paranormal investigator, and while investigating the death of his father figure he comes up against Rasputin who needs Hellboy in order to end the world. That's where the similarities with the film end, despite the radical differences I enjoyed the book and look forward to exploring the character more (I've already ordered #2), and I liked the bold block colour artwork alot.
Artwork: 5/5 Story: 4/5

Live #1: Akira the Don & Art Brut

Unbelievably it's been over 2 years since I last went to a gig, being a carer will do that to your social life. But when I heard that Akira the Don was playing a support slot for Art Brut at the Scala, I knew I couldn't miss it.

Having arrived at the Scala, perused the merch stand and bought a beer, we saw Akira bound over to the merchandise, a prime opportunity to meet the man himself. So I sent Debra over (I'm far too shy) - they say never meet your heroes, but 'they' didn't get to meet AtD, who is as nice in real life as he is on twitter and is soon posing for photos with me and even using his own phone to take the picture as mine doesn't have a flash (see below). Then he has to run off as he's due onstage in 2 minutes and we make our way into the, so far, sparsely populated auditorium where we take up a position at the front.

Akira the Don & me, taken on his phone.

Supporting a guitar based indie five piece isn't probably the ideal situation for Akira the Don's stripped back one man rap show, but he pitches his short set perfectly playing his most 'pop' & singalong tunes. His boundless energy & enthusiasm quickly wins the growing crowd over, and it probably helps that his lyrics share some DNA with Art Brut's, rapping about the everyday, politics, comics, music and more. 'Steven Wells' certainly hits a chord with the older indie music lovers, and on 'We won't be broke forever baby' & 'Thanks for all the Aids' he gets everyone singing along. Debra and I are surprised and pleased to hear the very poppy 'Babydoll' & 'Oh! (what a glorious thing)', two of our favourite songs, before he rounds the set off by getting Eddie Argos onstage to sing 'Living in the Future 2.5' with him. And then he's gone leaving Debra & I with a warm glow that we've finally seen someone whose music we've loved for so long, and hoping he'll do his own headline show soon (subtle hint).

Akira the Don onstage at the Scala.

It may have been a long time since I've been to a gig but pretty soon it feels like I never stopped going to them, dashing off to the bar between bands, finding a spot, random support bands like Keith TotP & His Minor UK Indie Celebrity All-Star Backing Band. There are 15 people onstage, 7 guitarists, 1 bass, 2 sax, 1 french horn, 1 trumpet, 1 flute, 1 musical saw and a drummer, who make a joyful lo-fi indie-pop racket with quirky lyrics.

This is however Art Brut's night, their 10th anniversary party no less, they're a band whose first two albums I loved but somehow lost track of after that. They are in a party mood and eager to impress that as they are now 10 years old & have a 'best of' out (it hasn't left my stereo since the gig), they are now a CLASSIC ROCK BAND. They open playing the intro to 'Paradise City' before launching into 'Formed a Band' when Mr Argos arrives, they may be an energetic 'indie' band but they're not shy to wear their love of Guns'n'Roses on their sleeves. Eddie Argos is a chatty & funny fellow, often interrupting songs to talk about how things have changed, such as during 'Little Brother' where he talks about how his younger sibling is no longer the brother his parents are worried about. During 'Modern Art' he ventures into the crowd to tell us that in the 10 years since he wrote the song he has managed to go to one more art gallery on his travels around the world. The rest of the gig flies by in a blur of energy, fun and a family party atmosphere, and this lapsed fan has well and truly returned to the flock.

Art Brut are indie, Art Brut are punk-pop, Art Brut are witty, but most of all Art Brut are CLASSIC ROCK. Long may they continue and we'll see them at the 02 in another ten years.

The Day We Painted Wembley Blue

A crowd of 43,842 in a stadium with a capacity of 90,000 would at first glance appear to make for quite a subdued atmosphere, but there is an air of excitement in Wembley. The Football League Trophy is a competition frequently denigrated by the football fraternity, a Mickey Mouse cup, or in it’s current guise, the Paint Pot cup. But it’s not everyday as a lower league supporter that you get to follow your team to Wembley.

And so it was that Southend United, the team I have supported since I was 12, found themselves in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final at Wembley. From an average home attendance of 5,036 Southend would be supported by some 31,000 people in their first ever Wembley final appearance, and in the weeks leading up to the big day it certainly felt like the whole town was going to be there.

After a fun packed, or should I just say packed, train ride up from Rayleigh (thanks Greater Anglia!), we arrived at Wembley Park station, and even from the steps at above Wembley Way the national stadium loomed large ahead of us. After meeting our friend up from Exeter, we joined the river of blue clad Shrimpers making their way up Wembley Way (I refuse to call it 'Olympic Way') with the Stadium growing ever larger in front of us. Once inside, the concourses are easy to navigate and wide so even with thousands of fans it's not too tricky, and after a swift pint and some grub we made our way up the steps into the arena itself. Emerging from the enclosed interior blinking into the daylight, the vastness of the stadium really hits home, especially from the third tier.

From our lofty position we can see a sea of Southend United supporters filling the stands below us and stretching out around the curve of the stadium, this is one of those times that gives you goose bumps. It takes the half hour or so until the teams emerge to really take it all in, and then the teams do run out, to a roar of noise and then line up for the national anthem, something you've seen countless times watching the FA Cup final on TV but it's a truly spine-tingling moment when it's your club, your players, your fans singing it.

The build up to the final had been far from ideal for Southend, with Paul Sturrock the man who had got Southend to their first Wembley final, unceremoniously sacked less than two weeks before the final with former Hull boss Phil Brown installed as his replacement. He doesn't exactly endear himself to the Southend fans with his Wembley team selection, picking left-back Anthony Straker on left wing, and Bilel Mohsni (centreback/striker/winger) in centre midfield. It sets a tone of frustration that will last the rest of the afternoon, and for me much of the coming few days.

Southend start off sleepily and Crewe, Southend vanquishers in last season's play-offs, take a spectacular lead from a well worked corner in just the 5th minute. Then in the sixth minute the much smaller Crewe support break out into applause for their absent no6, Adam Dugdale, whose 10 day old son had died just days before - an applause joined by the vast majority of the Southend support. While Southend have their moments, an ironclad penalty not given in the first half, a goal ruled out for offside & a goal-line clearance in the second half, there is only ever one team likely to win, and Crewe ease to a well deserved 2-0 victory.

And as the Blues dejected players trudge up the Wembley steps to collect their runner's up medals, the stands quickly empty, while we make a point of staying long enough to applaud the players efforts, we leave before we have to see Crewe's on-pitch celebrations. A journey home that is even more stressful than the one coming to the Stadium adds to my sense of frustration, so that by the time we arrive home, irritated and tired, my overwhelming feelings are negative.

It's taken a few days for those feelings to subside before I can look back with wonder at an amazing day in Southend United's history, to fully appreciate the feelings of walking up Wembley Way, walking into the stadium for the first time, singing the national anthem and seeing my team play on the hallowed turf along with an incredible 31,000 others. Those things I will never forget.

 

Wembley, we'll see you in another 106 years - and we'll take the coach.

Listening #4: Tracks Jan '13

As I haven't bought many albums so far this year (not many out yet), I thought instead I'd post some videos of my favourite songs thus far. Admittedly fairly heavily influenced by BBC 6 Music.

Temples ~ Shelter Song. From what I can gather this is the bands first single that was released at the end of 2012, but I only just heard it in January.

I Am Kloot ~ These Days Are Mine. IAK are a band I've known of for a long time but never really listened to but this song has been lodged in my head for virtually the whole month.

Nick Cave ~ We no who u r.

 

 

David Bowie - Where Are We Now. Opinion seems to be divided on Bowie's new track, but I really like it.

 

Suede ~ Barriers. In a month of comebacks I wasn't sure about this song at first but it's really grown on me, anthemic like a true Suede song of old.

Eels ~ Peach Blossoms. Only E could write a stomper about smelling the flowers.

Foals ~ My Number. Foals have been around for a few years now, yet for some unfathomable reason I hadn't got into them, but Inhaler & now My Number have caught my attention.

 

This post should be ending with Pulp's James Murphy produced After You, an absolute funk fueled dancefloor filler but all the video's on YouTube have been taken down. Instead I'll leave you with an old song I've only recently heard. Gang Starr's Jazz Thing...

 

Reading #1

I've just finished reading Bradley Wiggins' 'My Time', which I enjoyed reading alot. Like many people last summer brought me an increased interest in cycling as a sport, so 'My Time' was my first book on the subject. Obviously ghostwritten, it was a bit dry and missing the humour & character that he is known for, however it was a fascinating insight into the preparations & tactics of the world's best cyclist and what it takes to win. I'm sure there are plenty of better books about the sport, but 'My Time' was a great introduction for a novice like me.

 

I don't often make New Year's resolutions but this year I decided that I should try to read more female authors as all of my favourite writers are men. Unsure where to begin, I asked on twitter and Waterstone's retweeted my question, and I got more responses than I knew what to do with! After a bit of research I made a shortlist as a starting place these include Evie Wyld, Yoko Ogawa, Lauren Beukes, Katherine Dunn, Scarlett Thomas, Sarah Hall and Jennifer Egan. But I am kicking off with Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale', a science fiction novel that I actually picked up for 50p in a charity shop last year.

Last year when I went to the International Press Festival one of the comics I picked up was Spandex, 6 issues of Martin Eden's gay superhero adventure which was alot of fun, and having read the first 6 issues I couldn't miss the final chapter. So having ordered issue #7 online (which was dead easy) it duly arrived with a note from the writer/artist (one of the advantages of ordering direct from people), and it wasn't a disappointment. Without wishing to spoil the story, #7 continues from the revelations of #6 and answers the questions of whether Spandex will win or even survive to fight another day, and ends with the welcome news of a final special later in 2013.


To finish with I'll leave you with a couple of articles from the web that I enjoyed reading. First off is Neil Kulkarni's piece on HMV's plight and why it makes people like me feel like we're losing something.

And secondly this Vice article called 'Things That Need To Die Before British Culture can Move Forward', which made me chuckle.

My Top 10 Albums Of 2012

10. Beach House - Bloom (Sub Pop)

9. Godspeed You! Black Emporer - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! (Constellation)

8. Coasting - You're Never Going Back (M'lady's)

 

7. Dan Deacon - America (Domino)

 



6. The Lovely Eggs - Wildlife (Egg Records)

5. Patrick Wolf - Sundark & Riverlight (Bloody Chamber Music)

 

4. Akira The Don - ATD28: The Unkillable Thunderchrist (www.akirathedon.com)

 

 



3. Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra - Theatre Is Evil (8ft Records)

2. Teeth - The Strain (bandcamp)

RIP John Grabski III. Rock vs Cancer. Rock Wins.

 

1. Dinosaur Jr - I Bet On Sky (Jagjaguwar)