Just off the North Sea, November 2, 2008: I visited the Aberdeen Art Gallery which is the main museum for art in the city. For a public museum I found the collection to be full of energy and vigor, especially the collection of older paintings. Lots of rough brush work among the Scottish painters of the last century. The Aberdeen Art Gallery boasts some choice masters, very interesting paintings by Monet and Dega. I had never seen these paintings in any books. One of my favorite paintings from the portrait gallery was the Gypsy Queen of Seville 1852, La Perlade Triana by John Phillip.
There was one sculptural piece that I found especially mind blowing to find in the northern cold foggy haunts of Great Britain. I was astounded to find a large sculpture of a Harajuku Teenager standing in the middle of the main gallery. Kenny Hunter’s Feedback Loop 2003 is an amazing work. To begin with it’s a beautiful sculpture. At first glance it looks like it’s made from feint gray plastic. Its actually glass reinforced plastic. The piece is a Japanese teenager from the streets of Harajuku, Tokyo, defiantly holding up her fist clutching a bouquet of pink flowers. About her waste she has an assortment of modern accoutrements, some more easily identifiable. Mp3 player, iconic Japanese doll and bags. My first thoughts cast her as young cyberpunk rebel fighting the authoritarian establishment that seems to constantly demand mass submission. I felt very emotional looking at that sculpture. And especially in the cold north of Scotland which I had not anticipated would appreciate a work of such subtly and beauty. I feel like this piece express so much of the rebelliousness and ambivalence about churned up by modern life.
Another piece that stood out was Ken Currie’s Gallowgate Lard. This painting is very spooky and beautiful. A ghastly image that looks dead alive. The Aberdeen Art Gallery is full of many amazing paintings. It was refreshing and surprising to find so much great art. Aberdeen has a lot to see if you make the effort, and stop listening to people tell you to get on a bus to Edinburgh. Aberdeen is a beautiful granite city.
There was one sculptural piece that I found especially mind blowing to find in the northern cold foggy haunts of Great Britain. I was astounded to find a large sculpture of a Harajuku Teenager standing in the middle of the main gallery. Kenny Hunter’s Feedback Loop 2003 is an amazing work. To begin with it’s a beautiful sculpture. At first glance it looks like it’s made from feint gray plastic. Its actually glass reinforced plastic. The piece is a Japanese teenager from the streets of Harajuku, Tokyo, defiantly holding up her fist clutching a bouquet of pink flowers. About her waste she has an assortment of modern accoutrements, some more easily identifiable. Mp3 player, iconic Japanese doll and bags. My first thoughts cast her as young cyberpunk rebel fighting the authoritarian establishment that seems to constantly demand mass submission. I felt very emotional looking at that sculpture. And especially in the cold north of Scotland which I had not anticipated would appreciate a work of such subtly and beauty. I feel like this piece express so much of the rebelliousness and ambivalence about churned up by modern life.
Another piece that stood out was Ken Currie’s Gallowgate Lard. This painting is very spooky and beautiful. A ghastly image that looks dead alive. The Aberdeen Art Gallery is full of many amazing paintings. It was refreshing and surprising to find so much great art. Aberdeen has a lot to see if you make the effort, and stop listening to people tell you to get on a bus to Edinburgh. Aberdeen is a beautiful granite city. 
1 comment:
Haha, i'm doing my history of art essay on just these two pieces, they are my favorite in aberdeen art gallery aswell :) It's funky how two modern pieces stand out so much from the other works of old.
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