Stanley's city of dystopia/utopia

Just got back to Toronto last night ...

A change of scenery now - scenes of Toronto from her Urban Archeology series, Pat Stanley at Edward Day Gallery, Toronto 2013:

Same Old, Same Old

Blue Firth's installation Same Old, Same Old at the Architecture Space of Royal Academy of Arts, London 2013:

Too Much Night, Again

For her site-specific installation Too Much Night, Again currently on view at South London Gallery, Pae White used black, red, blue and purple yarn to transform the architecture of the exhibition space. The installation, both monumental and fragile at the same time, echoes White's belief in the transience and insignificance of individual existence in the universal scheme of things.

Observatory

Since I missed his show in Montreal last year, one of the shows I was very much looking forward to seeing during my London trip this time was Carsten Nicolai's solo exhibition Observatory at Ibid.  Exploring  different kinds of particle phenomena, from microscopic to macroscopic, Nicolai's minimalist installations are elegant expressions of the aesthetics of physical science.

The installation Particle Noise uses an analog and a digital Geiger counter to capture radioactive particles and magnetic noise.  The pure minimalist cosmic sound produced is the most beautiful noise I have ever heard.  Too bad I can't show it here :(  The installation is aptly complemented by Traces, a series of photographs which document traces of cosmic and terrestrial radiation.

The installation Thermic makes visible the heat wave produced by a metal heating system with a light source throwing shadows of heated air on to a wall behind it.  A subtle but clever piece!

Plaksin's Structure

Russian artist David Plaksin's Architecture series of graphic compositions at his solo exhibition Structure are playful re-interpretations of Russian architecture.  Here, images of communist buildings, which are supposedly symbols of authority, are dismantled and have become mere decorative elements like a kaleidoscope.  Brilliant idea and execution!

Plaksin at Erarta, London 2013:

Min's universe of phantasmagoria

A trip to east London never leaves me disappointed.  There's always something new, interesting and exciting to discover.  Min Jungyeon's paintings and drawings belong to a realm where the real and the surreal co-exist.  Solid architectural elements clash with nebulous imaginary forms, just as rational calculations are complemented by irrational intuitions in this post-modern world of plurality.

Min at HADA Contemporary, London 2013:

Big Ben [2012]

Sarah Morris is definitely getting a lot of exposure in London lately.  Besides being featured on the cover of the December edition of the London Underground tube map, she also had her commissioned Art on the Underground project Big Ben [2012] completed here just a few months ago.

Morris at London Underground Gloucester Road Station, 2013: