David Shrigley's Brain Activity

I recently went to the Hayward Gallery to visit the David Shrigley exhibition, 'Brain Activity.'  This exhibition extends much further than the humourous, witty drawings he is best known for, with 240 works also including photographs, sculptures, paintings and animations.

I have always been a big fan of Shrigley’s random, dead-pan, scratchy doodles and there is a whole wall dedicated to these.  I also really enjoyed the animations and photographs on show  – yet more examples of his one liner humour which has you laughing out loud.

Shrigley’s sculptures (including a headless ostrich and a stuffed Jack Russell puppy holding a placard that says “I’m Dead”) seem less engaging and slightly more novelty.

Walking around the gallery you may question whether anything you are viewing is, or even should be, considered ‘art’ but what you certainly don’t question is how compelling and undeniably funny Shrigley’s work is.  I am particularly fond of the animation below...

'Brain Activity’ at The Hayward Gallery is on until May 13th 2012.

Frieze Art Fair 2011

Regents Park saw the annual return of the Frieze Art Fair last week and when my friend asked me to go with her I leapt at the chance. I have always, for one reason of another, missed out on going so I had no idea what to expect…

When I arrived I found a huge showcase of commissioned art and design to explore from over 170 different contemporary galleries… Curated by Sarah McCrory, a massive, eclectic collection of eye-catching paintings, sketches, prints, sculpture and photography are displayed along several very long aisles (I wiiiish I’d worn trainers!!)

Right: Tracey Emin's 'And I Said I Love You!'

Here are some of the pieces which caught my eye:

Above: This amazingly dressed lady was unsurprisingly drawn to the chandelier of neon, multi-coloured bodies... How brilliant?!

Above: Jung Lee’s sculpture ‘Aporia’

Above L-R: Jim Lambe, Untitled and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster's 'After'

Above L-R: Barnaby Hosking's 'Thoughts' and David Shrigley's 'Untitled (This is Nothing)'

Above L-R: Dawn Mellor's 'Kristen Scott Thomas' and Cornelia Parker's '30 Pieces of Silver'

Above: Sculpture by Tara Donovan

Above: Tracey Emin's 'You Made ME LOVE You'