Had a wonderful day out on Saturday on the first Creative Tourist (  http://www.creativetourist.com/ ) organised #Blognorth event. The day was comprised of blogging workshops, networking, and trips to Yorkshire Sculpture Park ( http://www.ysp.co.uk/ ) to see the Joan Miró sculpture exhibition and then to The Hepworth in Wakefield ( http://www.hepworthwakefield.org/ ) to see their new exhibitions. The morning sessions were based at Yorkshire Sculpture Park which is one of my most favourite places (yep I’ll say it) on earth. YSP seems to be growing from strength to strength with a fantastic run of recent exhibitions, Jaume Plensa, David Nash, Rachel Goodyear to name some of my top picks.They have now scored a massive coup by putting together one of the finest and most comprehensive displays of the sculpture of Miró yet seen, filling the underground galleries and many of the outside spaces with the work. Creative tourist also pulled quite a coup by organising the bloggers event with YSP which saw us using one of their dedicated education spaces in the refubished Kennel block, as well as being guided around by the lovely staff (who to my eternal shame I did not get the names of, Nina was with us most of the time but the curator who showed us round even though she was poorly, I missed the name of). Having the work put into context with some background info made all the difference for me. I had been to see this exhibition a few weeks before on a bank holiday and frankly, hated it. It was super busy and I found much of the work repetitive. I had been to the Miró Museum in Barcelona not too long before and was a huge fan of the painting which he is more well known for. Having the process of working explained and insight into repeated symbols and shapes Miró used, brought the work to life for me and actually changed my perspective on the whole show. It’s so important to have knowledgeable and passionate staff who can guide you through an exhibition if you are struggling, it’s not going to be that you will like everything but a more informed view can give you a way in. Moleskine in hand I doodled a few of the symbols and shapes which interested me most

 

We had a spot of lunch then had a great session on critical writing from journalist and art critic Jessica Lack. There was too much to go into but in summation Jessica gave a great deal of guidance and information to us would-be bloggers and critics. It’s always great when someone has the confidence in their own ability to share their knowledge openly for the benefit for others, often you find people like to keep it all to themselves but Jessica gave us all a real insight. Doing my digging I found that Jessica had chosen one of my favourite artists, Rachel Goodyear, as one of her artists of the week back in 2009 so I like her even more now. I hope she got a chance to read the poetry zine i gave her, I always think it’s nice to give people a little something so they know what you are all about.

We headed off to the The Hepworth in Wakefield where again we were welcomed by the team and taken round the galleries. This was my second visit to the Hepworth, the last time I was bowled over by the building itself and also the stunning Clare Woods exhibition which was on. Laura’s large scale enamel paint on aluminuim stone stacks and landscapes were a great introductory exhibition to a new and exciting gallery space. The exhibitions had changed since my last visit and I was enthralled with what I saw. In addition to the permanent collections looking at the sculpture of Barbara Hepworth, there was a excellent group of works by Heather and Ivan Morrison, and my particular favourite a whole room dedicated to post-war British sculpture and painting. The Morrison works seem to be concerned with objects of personal significance and our individual life stories. We were treated to a puppet perfomance that took place in the gallery space, where a story between a couple was acted out with reference to specific objects and their meaning. It was a powerful piece and the objects themselves, laid out in what felt like a house, had a peculiar resonance.

The post-war British sculpture and painting was a really well thought-out space and a great selection of work. The calibre of the works on show is some indication of the pull that The Hepworth has, to ask for and be lent works of such high quality. As Francis Bacon is my favourite artist, having two of his works was a great surprise and made my day, they were really GOOD Bacons as well. Hepworth…I was impressed. The works really tied together and seemed to sum up the fractured and transitory feel that one imagines was the over-riding feel in this period. After such a violent period of slaughter and upheaval, the world must have seemed a very uncertain and shifting place. Images of falling, screaming or disjointed characters and shapes gave the space a great sense of movement, the sloping and angled ceilings of The Hepworth only magnifying and complimenting the work. There is so much more there to see, every room giving something different and holding the attention. A great gallery with great, knowledgeable and friendly staff at all levels. We were treated to some lovely beer and goodie bags as well. Thanks guys.

On the way back to YSP my head was swirling with all we had seen and done, the art work, the bloggin, the wonderful fellow bloggers I met and the beautiful landscape which was made all the more wonderful for the blazing sunshine.

Great art work, conversations and experiences always inspire me to create: so far, a sculpture which I have titled

“Ploughed furrows in a solid surface”

and a poem “A story in moments”

Ruins. Re-ignighted
Stories in an unfamiliar language of co-ordinated movement.
Soundless rooms.
A wide road of phenomenal yellow,
Bones,
Ground charcoal and dust.
The sun- a shared moment of beauty on all faces,
At all times.
In the shadow,
Blue lips, and boned hips bang.
In the open space,
Objects of meaning in our individual story,
Of grief
And pain
Are a proxy for a sensual moment of contact.
Your hand through my hair
Makes my body hum with electricity.
Hands,
holding a simple wooden bowl as time drips in a silent well illuminated room.

 

I think it’s safe to say that I found the first Blog North event a huge success, I met a great group of people and was truly inspired to create new work and to share it all with you. Job done…until the next one.

Big thanks to all the teams from @creativetourist @culturevultures @yspsculpture @hepworthgallery