Art & the Olympics

Bob & Roberta Smith -Who is Community?

Trawling Art on the Underground I came across this Olympic film by the artist known as Bob and Roberta Smith. Produced for Stratford station, the artist imagines the founder of the Olympics Baron de Coubertin meeting philosopher Hannah Arendt on the Central Line and falling in love. It is a heart-warming message about hope in the community and Arendt wears a striking green suit with orange shirt that would match my favourite hideous bag.

Chris Ofili - For The Unknown Runner

Currently showing at the New Art Gallery, Walsall is Good Sport celebrating the spirit of taking part, and showing alongside are 12 limited edition prints, commissioned by Counter Editions to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The 12 artists include four Turner Prize winners: Martin Creed, Howard Hodgkin, Chris Ofili and Rachel Whiteread, as well as other highly regarded UK artists including Tracey Emin, Michael Craig-Martin, Bridget Riley and Gary Hume. Through their distinct interpretations of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the artists have created a diverse and captivating collection of posters that celebrate London’s hosting the Games, the significance and spectacle of the occasion, and the values the Games uphold. Jackie Mackay

Cork St Galleries

The Three Graces - Euan Eglow

Yesterday we decided to avoid the heavy rain and travel south for inspiration. The first gallery we visited was Browse & Darby showing the works of Euan Euglow. I loved the quirkiness of The Three Graces. The working process with its meticulous measurement lines and holes are clearly evident, but this adds to the interest of the pieces. If you are interested ,Painting Perceptions is a good website to discover more about his technique. Next door was a gallery with some 'palette knife daubs of flowers, trees and landscape' works for the tasteful lounge but then it was Flowers Gallery with more exciting textural works by Terry Setch based on the pollution found on Penarth beach. One very large work, Tide Shift - unframed and screwed to the wall- contained crushed cans so we had to ask how it was stored and transported. Unbelievably it could be rolled. Watch this clip from the BBC to find out more - Framing Wales

Woman on the Edge - John Bellany

Then it was onto Beaux Arts with one of my faves John Bellany - well he does like orange. Bellany has lived through numerous surgeries and near death experiences. Soon after leaving hospital in the 1980s for a liver transplant he wrote to an old friend in capitals: 'COLOUR IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING'. This exhibition certainly showed that. Seeing his drawings confirmed the importance of sketching to help to develop your own artiststic language - unfortunately something not pursued enough or even particularly encouraged at some Art Schools in this digital age.
Jackie Mackay