On The Scene//Liverpool Biennial 2012 Launch
The ever creative streets of Liverpool were packed with people for the launch of the much anticipated Liverpool Biennial 2012. Needless to say the creative scene was on a high and with events across the city to sink ones teeth into (and no doubt drink a little wine) there was much to see and do. Seba Rashii Culture was there and brings this report...
With score of openings across the city it was a night to savor as the art world and all it's cousins came out to celebrate the launch of Liverpool's Biennial in 2012. With events across the town we decided that the best place to start was where the action is. That is, the Baltic Triangle where Camp & Furnace held the opening party and various shows sprang up in the area to delight the many visitors.
We started our evening at The Gallery Liverpool where many be-suited and tailored individuals (including the not unnoticeable Zandra Rhodes) were enjoying the work of the shows subject Duggie Fields. Easily found in his exhibition co-ordinated attire the artist was surrounded by fans and celebrities alike throughout the evening and with such iconic work on display it was no wonder. His work trod a line between Warhol-esque pop art and Cubist styles and it was the former that impressed the most.
Following this we made our way down the dusty streets to Baltic Creative Campus. The work in the Platform show was admittedly hit and miss on many counts but none the less contains some entertaining work but whilst the show had promise that wasn't quite lived up to ultimately, the show just down the street (in the same building) from it was an excellent one, showing what the Bienniel was truly about. The show is question is CAVE, brainchild of two curators from The Royal Standard.
Rather than trying to force artwork together that didn't aesthetically match it was an excellent exercise in creating work that made you react and think in various ways. There was everything from the quietly obscene to the perfectly subtle to overly conceptual and it was a joy to wander the space taking in the multitude of work. Highlights included a smoking monkey fondling a pair of breasts placed conveniently on the floor, a voodoo paraphernalia filled shed that was extremely effective and a pair of trainers with a rather well defined face. Fun!
Across the road from CAVE was a rather curious yet oddly fascinating show from Michele Howarth Rashman where visually unappealing characters, with exaggerated facial deformities and a ghostly palour are displayed in glass display cabinets. The characters are displayed with statements such as the beautifying 'She Calls Herself Funloving' or the gender bending 'He Calls Himself Margaret' and although they are initially difficult to look at they really do bring engender a curiosity much in the vain of 'beauty is on the inside'.
We ended the night at Camp & Furnace where artists, press, art lovers and others were mingling under the rather impressive lighting and although there wasn't any actual art on the site it was still a fine end to the first night of what looks set to be an excellent ten weeks of art.
To be continued...
Words and wandering by Sebastian Gahan. Images by Scattershot Photography.
With score of openings across the city it was a night to savor as the art world and all it's cousins came out to celebrate the launch of Liverpool's Biennial in 2012. With events across the town we decided that the best place to start was where the action is. That is, the Baltic Triangle where Camp & Furnace held the opening party and various shows sprang up in the area to delight the many visitors.
Following this we made our way down the dusty streets to Baltic Creative Campus. The work in the Platform show was admittedly hit and miss on many counts but none the less contains some entertaining work but whilst the show had promise that wasn't quite lived up to ultimately, the show just down the street (in the same building) from it was an excellent one, showing what the Bienniel was truly about. The show is question is CAVE, brainchild of two curators from The Royal Standard.
Rather than trying to force artwork together that didn't aesthetically match it was an excellent exercise in creating work that made you react and think in various ways. There was everything from the quietly obscene to the perfectly subtle to overly conceptual and it was a joy to wander the space taking in the multitude of work. Highlights included a smoking monkey fondling a pair of breasts placed conveniently on the floor, a voodoo paraphernalia filled shed that was extremely effective and a pair of trainers with a rather well defined face. Fun!
We ended the night at Camp & Furnace where artists, press, art lovers and others were mingling under the rather impressive lighting and although there wasn't any actual art on the site it was still a fine end to the first night of what looks set to be an excellent ten weeks of art.
To be continued...
Words and wandering by Sebastian Gahan. Images by Scattershot Photography.
