Michael Samuels

I nots so recently attempted to go see Michael Samuels' work at the Rokeby Gallery - a small basement venue near Farringdon. Sadly the door was locked - I think i may have hit the tiny space's lunch hour, so I was only able to scrunch my nose up against the window pane. His exhibition entitled "Clusterfuck" contained his most recent work manipulating space, light and everyday objects to create a disorientating environment and viewing experience.

Samuels continues to utilize Formica furniture from the 60’s and 70’s, which is sourced for its distinctive qualities and appearance. Elements such as tabletops, chair legs and drawers are liberated from their traditional role, cut up and reconfigured into structures that no longer have a utilitarian purpose. Through their displacement any functional reading of the elements is disrupted. The structures are often punctured with coloured Perspex or they emanate light, which further extends the physical presence they hold. The coloured rays penetrate the viewers space, offering a playful presence whilst questioning materiality and form; in dislocating and rupturing everyday objects and introducing light elements Samuels heightens the tension between the functional aspect of the object and its immaterial value.

His industrial brightness was appropriate for the stark and somewhat seedy setting. Clearly taking a leaf from Mondrian, his sculptural forms embodied various transitions from past to present, both through history and through use of found dated objects adorned with neon and plastic - A certain comfort was found in their synthetic glow. These window like structures continue to question the viewers perception of depth, presence and absence.
Looking through his old work on his website, miniature scenes (such as an island rock, teepee or lamppost) positioned on everyday objects (such as chairs or tables) equally appealed to me. I had problems finding images up for grabs online, so check out his website.

L.S Lowry

"The Cripples"

gaddam its been a long time. excuse my mediterranean hiatus, I'm going to try to be more consistant. For my own sake. Originally this blog was an attempt to force myself to discover new artists and learn more about them. New aim: write a post twice a week. Hopefully this wont be hard in my new parentally-imposed solitary confinement.
After visiting a friend in Manchester last week and hitting up the galleries and such, I found my vision suffocated with Lawrence Stephen Lowry - the artistic pride straight from Manchester's bosom. Poor Manchester. He and his fame is paraded everywhere - the Lowry Gallery holding a permenant collection, while his work is proudly displayed in the Manchester Gallery, and even lends his names to countless centres, theaters, roads, etc.

"A Riverbank"

Born in November 1887 and dying in February 1976, Lowry was an English artist born in Barrett Street, Stretford, Lancashire. Many of his drawings and paintings depict nearby Salford and surrounding areas, including Pendlebury, where he lived and worked for over 40 years. Lowry is famous for painting scenes of life in the industrial districts of Northern England during the early 20th century. He had a distinctive style of painting and is best known for urban landscapes peopled with human figures often referred to as "matchstick men". He also painted mysterious unpopulated landscapes, brooding portraits, and the secret 'marionette' works (the latter only found after his death).

Street Scene (Southport)

Because of his use of stylised figures and the lack of weather effects in many of his landscapes he is sometimes characterised as a naïve 'Sunday painter' although this is not the position of the galleries that have organised retrospectives of his works.
Muted pale colours and canvases thriving with somewhat ungrounded figures, Lowry captures the somewhat bleakness of the industrial north and in some instances perhaps the consequences (the cripples). Yet I feel detached, these images seem to come out of a children's book, and are thus unrelatable, yet Lowry was know for attempting to capture throngs of people in an attempt to portray human plight and society. I think i take the view of his work appearing niave, yet it hard to call dark and ominous industrialization and cripples a niave subject.