Having ruminated about the works displayed on this year’s Sefton Open at our Atkinson museum, I’ve had an opportunity to reflect upon my own biases. After a guided study of Mimesis by Auerbach I came to understand that reading a critic’s opinion is both understanding what is said and understanding why what’s being said is being said.
Some critics make their biases explicit, others prefer to hide them; I don’t pretend to know what is best, but I prefer to read works by the former, and therefore don’t mind making my own transparent: I tend to favour pieces that are humorous, that engage the mind, and that are aesthetically pleasing (in a classic understanding of aesthetics). Others might, justifiably, value the display of strong emotional connections through modern media, and they will, of course, make very different selections when choosing their favourite works.
I share this because I believe this is part and parcel of any conversation about art. Picking a few artworks is fine & dandy, but saying why they have been selected opens another layer to the discussion of art, one where our own preferences are weighted through the art.
.jpg "«Marley» by Fiona Williamson") |
| «Marley» by Fiona Williamson. The little trompe-l'œil really catapults how adorable this dog looks. It’s hard to resist reaching out to pet him! |
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| As this is my second year admiring the ingenious work of Sam Cookson, I can confirm that my preferences haven’t changed much– I still admire Cookson’s humorous approach to contemporary themes. All of his displayed pieces are great examples of video games/anime culture permeating through into ‘normality’. Photography never captures the dynamism of a sculpture, and this is just another example of this limitation. Cookson’s monkeys make a visit to the Open worth it. |
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| «Colours of Formby» by Alan Jones is a very clever acrylic that invites the viewers to interact with their memories of Formby to confirm (or deny) if these are indeed the colours of Formby– I think they are spot on! This painting is an immensely smart summary of the Village. |
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| «World Outside» by Dan Hurst is a rather pensive piece that invites the viewer to partake the calmness of the window-watcher, and to imagine what the subject is pondering, or waiting for: I think this piece is not only beautifully composed, but also offers profound emotional depth. |
Of course, these are but a few of the great pieces being shown at the Open. I’ll share a few more next week!