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Before setting off to cold crisp Scandinavia I managed to attend the wonderful traditional Royal Academy Schools Dinner where I hobnobbed with Professor Tracey Emin and the likes of Ken Howard.
Ken was thrilled as his work was being auctioned for a huge price in the Auction.
Then off to Finland in the beautiful northern sunlight where the snow has not melted yet.
Everything there is starting to take shape, ready for this year’s visits and residencies.
Then it was Kiasma which is looking great, and the show “Thank you for the music” was breathtaking. So much so they have broken visitors numbers records on this one.Also from the collection was Susanne Bürner's 50.000.000 can’t be wrong showing an ecstatic concert audience. Also Iain Forsyth and Jane pollard’s work Kiss My Nauman. I was proud to see a few of our works on loan. Graham Dolphin’s version of Freddy Mercury’s back door.
Loved the work of Jenni Hiltunen she was great fun and loved her bottoms. Thought the work of Pink Twins was full of promise. Candice Breitz photo monuments were also brilliant.
David Blandy built a whole house and travelled with his guitar searching for the roots of blues in the Mississippi delta in the film Crossroads. People were queuing up to see this installation.
The work of Rose Eken struck a chord.
The big surprise was on the top floor was an impressive installation The Murder of Crows by George Bures Miller and Janet Cardiff.
Stopped off at Stockmans Department store to watch some Arabia Glass blowing. The City of Helsinki was teeming with art and design in every corner.
Then it was Copenhagen where the streets were armed for war.
I went to check some of the Galleries. I liked Matt Calderwood at David Risley Gallery. Paul McDevitt looked good at Martin Abaesk Gallery.
We went to their meat packing district and went to Bo Bjerggaard Gallery where Bo was celebrating his big birthday the same evening.
I was too knackered after 24 courses to get over there for some dancing. Then checked out some of the street art.
Very Bacon.
Talking about food we headed to Noma for our 24 course meal of food art.
Here are some of the dishes.
At the end of each evening all 40 chefs were gathered around in discussion. Their hearts and soul are entwined in this intense experience.
Sadly no Louisiana and straight back to London for the Gillian Wearing opening. Proud Gillian standing with Tiffany, Scarlett Lingwood and Lizzie. I do not know if I was being biased because three of our works from the collection were in the show but Gillian’s show was the best installed show I had seen in the Whitechapel.
Before Whitechapel we dropped by to Hilary Crisp Gallery to see the installation of George Young.
He has moved on so much and seems to create miracles on paper. Finally got to the Saatchi collection and loved this show. Gesamtkunstwerk: new art from germanyI had a tinge of jealousy in my soul as I walked around to my shame. I loved many of the artists and the art works would have loved to have them in our collection. I liked especially the Isa Genzken.
My lovely friend Denise hosted an amazing dinner in her beautiful home where we invited community conscious supporters of the Charity. Architects Oliver and Holly from We Made That architecture group who are working on the new playground in Three Mills on the corner of the Olympic park. Claire Woods whose ceramic wall installation next to the Stadium is a feast for the eyes. Our star Monica Bonvicini was here in London to test RUN which was looking spectacular. (Check out my previous diary entry.) Then wonderful Neville Gable who had interacted with our project Sparked in the View Tube. One of his works was a video of him getting in and out of every single seat in the Olympic Stadium. I wonder how long that took.
I managed to get a sneak preview of Dexter Dalwood’s new paintings. No photographs as is top secret. They are mesmerizing and have a light touch to them. On the way out of Cubitt studios we managed to view the show of Nina Canell. Loved the neon piece. Tomorrow is Damien Hirst’s opening watch this space.
