An interview with Hester Jones - AoW, November 15th

What's your favourite girls name?As I don't particularly have any favourite names I'll choose the names of two artists I really admire so.... Sophie (Calle), the French artist...I like this name for it's meaning also which is Wisdom.

What's your favourite boys name?and Sidney (Nolan), the Australian artist whose work I love

If you could use one word to describe yourself, what would it be?A dreamer

Do you prefer film or theatre?Film

Are you a good cook?  If yes, what is your best meal? If no, what's your worst cooking disaster?Not really! Luckily my Brazilian husband is a great cook though! My worst cooking disaster was cooking pasta when I lived in Italy for Italians, as they are quite particular about their pasta - it has to be exactly right!

What made you want to become an artist/photographer?As I come from a fine art background, both parents are artists I suppose it was my destiny, at the age of 5 minutes old my father took my first portrait (see image below), and my mother inspired me more than anyone else to be an artist... I started photography quite late at the age of 30 when my father gave me one of his cameras a Nikon F3 whilst I lived in Napoli Italy, which was a very inspiring place to take photographs, and he said to himself "she won't have a clue how to use this camera" I have since proved him wrong!

Favourite memory from your time at the University of Bologna.  What did you study?Bologna is a magical city, I loved walking below all the porticos which serve as great concrete umbrellas when it's raining. I studied the Erasmas Language programme, whilst also researching for my thesis on one of the most amazing authors ever Italo Calvino. I also studied Neo-realist cinema so I have fond memories of watching such films as The Bicycle Thieves.

What's been your most successful/exciting exhibition/project so far?I would say the most successful project so far has been my most recent one CALL YOURSELF A MOTHER, the maternal and mother/child relationship is a subject I personally find very interesting and am continuing to research for new work I am making. As part of my final MA project it is has definitely so far been the most challenging. I recently took part in an exhibition called 'Home Truths' at the Brighton Photo Fringe which was a very exciting venture to be part of.

A Baby Hester

Artist of the Week winner - Hester Jones!

Hester Jones graduated last year with an MA in Photography from London College of Communication, and has studied in the historical University of Bologna.  Jones won us over this week with her insightful, unique photography.  

'CALL YOURSELF A MOTHER'

Look Left Look Right

Open Your Mouth

"You do not have to be clever, and you do not even have to think if you do not want to" in order to be a “good enough” mother. D.W. Winnicott.

This series of portraits examines the ambivalent feelings and fantasies many mothers experience towards their children. The work unsettles idealized romantic portrayals of motherhood as found in Media and more traditional forms of representation.

Keep Still

Read It

Mothers often suppress these negative feelings, so they are not demonized by society.  They can feel persecutory guilt, frustration and maternal depression, striving to live up to the glorified cultural fantasy of maternal “at-oneness”. (Parker 1995)

Each photograph becomes a space for performance in which various mothers act out feelings and fantasies of ambivalence for the camera. Referencing the Madonna and Child in Western Art, the portraits are cropped to focus on the mother’s hand and breast, so the loving gaze of the mother is disrupted.  With this gaze removed from the viewer's inspection, the conventional portrait is overturned, and each woman’s expression is undetermined. The viewer is thus invited to question the mother’s true identity in today’s society. Since the subjects remain anonymous, they cannot be accused of being bad mothers.

Stand Up Straight

The dark background resonates with the dark thoughts and fantasies that emerge from the mother's mind, emphasized by the play between light and dark. The negative space acts as a balancing element, highlighting the action, tension and drama of the hands.

Jones' goal is to show a view of motherhood that is only seen behind closed doors. These are feelings that all mothers possess, but rarely publicly show.

 www.hesterjones.com

'Duck Man Making Sense of West London' - A Performance by Alex Mazitelli

One of our first Artist of the Week winners Alex Mazitelli, performed a fantastic piece at Salon Contemporary today.  Dressed as a very strange, avant-garde looking 'Duck Man', Mazitelli began by standing outside the gallery asking passers by to donate money for eggs.  An hour later, collecting a whopping £6, the artist stopped by Sainsbury's (with an interesting response!!) and made his purchase.  

Mazitelli then proceeded to make egg paintings in the window of the gallery, handing his work out to an intrigued audience watching outside!

Alex will be performing again at Salon Contemporary next Monday 22nd, from 12 - 4pm.  He'll also be walking the streets of West London, providing an exclusive tour of the First Wednesday venues on Wednesday 1st December!  Artist of the Week opening night AND a CRAZY tour from Alex Mazitelli as Duck Man.

DO NOT MISS THE EXCITEMENT!!!

Introducing you to Akleriah - 'Brockley Cemetary'. FIlm by Jason Wen

Artist of the Week: The Exhibition

Click on link below to read about the FANTASTIC Artist of the Week exhibition - Opening December 1st 2010.  

This is NOT a show to miss!!

Artist of the Week Press Release

Helen Gorrill's 'Fushe Kosove Sex Cafe Chair' 2010
Mix Media

Seeing Things by Dragana Jurisic

'Coglenet' - A performance by Akleriah on May 23, 2010 to commemorate the opening of the East London Line, Overground train service.

Dragana Jurisic's video montage - A Bird In The Head.

A preview of Larionova's film that is showing in the window of Salon Contemporary this week - 'Untitled' 2009

Alyona Larionova in Salon sindow space this week!

Shortlisted Artist of the Week winner Alyona Larionova was in the gallery space yesterday to set up her window installation - a projection of her film 'Untitled' 2009.  Passers by were enticed by the film, many stopping outside Salon Contemporary to enjoy!

Alyona will be displaying her work at Salon Contemporary THIS December, along with the other shortlisted Artists of the Week: Akleriah, Dragana Jurisic and Helen Gorrill. 

Show begins December 1st.  DONT MISS IT!!!!

Dont forget to VOTE for your favourite artist on the voting poll situatied on THIS BLOG! The winning artist will be anounnced on the opening night of the Artist of the Week Exhibition!

Alyona with friend, setting up the projector.

 

Checking if the screen fits...

Covering the window floor space to minimise reflection...

Experimenting with the projection

'Untitled' is going to be shown from 4-7pm for the week, until Sunday 14th November.

 COME AND SEE IT!

Marina Rees: Aow Winner 12! Nov 8th 2010

Congratualtions Marina Rees - Salon Contemporary's Artist of the Week!

A Few Facts About Marina:

If you could use one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

Marina?

What sea creature are you most like?  Why?

Some days I feel as slow as a jellyfish, some days I feel as foreign as a narwhal, some days I feel as playful as an octopus.

What is your favourite food?

A tough question. Let's just say licorice just for this instance.

What is your favourite colour?

Blue. With a bit of green in it.

If you had to save only three of your possessions from a burning house, what would they be?

My husband, the laptop and my record player.

What ocean would you most like to sail/swim across?

North Sea. I heard there were sea serpents sightings over there...

What is your favourite mode of transport?  Why?

Cycling. 

1 - It forces me to exercise 

2 - It is cheap 

3 - It is green

Marina recently graduated from an MA Fine Art at Wimbledone School of Art.  She has had great experience in developing and exhibiting her work, showing in many group exhibitions nationwide, working at a residency in Iceland and developing workshops for schools in Manchester.

Mussel Man, 2010

Whale Head Piece, 2010

Marina's practice is essentially derived from how the human response to the natural world is
transcribed in folklore and other cultural events. She is particularly interested in our perception
of marine life and how it affects both our past and present culture.

'Your Inner Fish', 2010

Within this research field Marina Rees is investigating the uncanny natures of anthropomorphism and zoomorphism, which have developed out of our efforts to communicate with and understand nature.

'Arctic Fox', egg shells, 2010

Sea Serpents, 2010

The use of natural material is an essential part of her work, as it plays a mediator role
between the man made and the natural, as well as reinforcing the authenticity she strives to
achieve when creating fake artefacts.

Polar Bear, 2010

Rees' work usually takes form in sculptures and installations, and has previously been embodied
into fake artefacts or/and representations of folkloric characters.

'Your Inner Fish'  Installation, with Mussel Man suit.

 

'Through my installations I hope to evoke the magic of hidden corners in our imagination, as
well as reuniting ourselves (romantically) with nature.'

View more of Marina's work on her website:

www.marinarees.co.uk 

Four artists announced for Salon Contemporary's Artist of the Week December Show!

The nine winning Artists of the Week were interviewed at Salon Contemporary today by our selected panel of judges:  Samir Ceric, Jean-Phillipe Vernes, Ben Young and Tigz Rice.  Each artist individually presented their work to the judges, who were then left to deliberate over whose work will be displayed in the Artist of the Week exhibition this December!

It was a tough decision.  All nine artists displayed an incredibly high standard of work.  The ones who particularly stood out and will be exhibiting this Christmas are...........

Akleriah

The unique performance collective

Click here to view Akleriahs website!

Alyona Larionova

The innovative video/installation artist

Click here to view Alyona's videos

Dragana Jurisic

The photgrapher who 'slices time'

Click here to view Dragana's website

Helen Gorrill

The controversial mix media artist

Click here to view Helens website

We now have a voting poll on this blog.....so START VOTING FOR YOUR FAVOURITE ARTIST!!!  The winner will be announced on December 1st, and will be offered a residency in Londons West End to develop work towards a solo exhibition at Salon Contemporary!

Akleriah - The Supreme Conspiracy of Akleriah

Akleriah in the Space Yesterday performing 2+1!!

Akleriah drew in the crowds at Salon Contemporary performing their eccentric, quirky piece '2+1' in Salon Contemporary window space!  The gallery was buzzing all day.  Can we have you there every day please Akleriah?

Getting ready:  Make-up lessons downstairs

The final touches, INCREDIBLE COSTUMES.
We want one of those mirror dresses!



The beautiful installation attracted many passers by...



A wide variety of audience!



Suddenly there was a swarm of intregued spectators!





The last half an hour of the magical performance....Akleriah stole the attention on Westbourne Grove

 







Thank you Akleriah!

We'll see you Wednesday, 3pm at the gallery in preparation for the First Wednesdays tours beginning at 7.30pm!

Laura Jacobs: AoW Winner 11 - 1st Nov 2010

Congratulations to our 11th Artist of the Week winner!



Click here to view Laura Jacobs website

Laura Jacobs is interested in the interplay between photography, film, drawing and painting, and how they impact and influence each other.  Her current work explores film by animating her photographs with slow cross dissolves.  She is particularly drawn to the new imagery created during these cross dissolves; a dreamy, nostalgic reverie, fading in and out of focus and reality, the disappearance, absence and reappearance of the figure. Light is pivotal in the work as it is historically in painting, photography and film. The work has a physical, real exterior space and a psychological interior space

The Gaze, mix media monoprint (from Viewer Viewed Series 1)



In this series, various facets of the self are captured within the tension and
return of 'the gaze'.
Laura is concerned with the notion of the viewer as both the artist and the muse.

'I am the viewer and viewed, thje artist and the muse, the voyeur...being watched, caught, seen?  Who has the power, the viewer or the viewed?  Who is looking at whom?'

(1, film still) Print on Somerset paper

(4, film still), print on Somerset paper)





In her recent work, Viewer Viewed Series 2, (seen above) Jacobs takes these ideas further by exploring viewing/representing/posing as parts of a dramatic scenario, which then becomes the main theme in the image. She takes fragments from her photographs and works from them using different media and scale, producing a new series of paintings and photographic prints. This changes the context and makes the image unfamiliar again. The narrative is reinvented through this process of veiling and abstraction.


 

Judging Panel announced for Artist of the Week!

Salon Contemporary has the pleasure of introducing you to the five FANTASTIC judges, interviewing our ten AoW winners this Friday 5th November...

Samir Ceric:  Gallery Director and Founder of Salon Contemporary.  The panel's moderator.

Ceric will be looking for artists that challenge the current art scene, both conceptually and aesthetically.  

 

Ben Young:  Internationally acclaimed artist and mentor to the final AoW winner.

Ben’s experience and raw talent as a painter will be greatly appreciated on Friday.

Jean-Phillipe Vernes:  Experienced Art Collector

Vernes has snapped up works by the most established British artists, before they were recognised.



Medeia Cohan-Petrolino:  Acting Head of Alumni Relations for University of the Arts London where she runs the unique Emerging Artist Programme


Medeia will be keeping her eyes peeled for the rising stars of the emerging art scene.



Tigz Rice:  Editor for Creative Boom and professional photographer.


Tigz edits the cultural magazine, which attracts around 10,000 unique visitors everyday.




Click here to read a more detailed description of our AoW Judging Panel!


The short listed artists will be chosen by 5pm on Friday 5^th November.  Once they are announced, the public will be allowed to vote for their favourite Artist of the Week, via the voting poll that will be situated on THIS BLOG once the announcement is made.  The closing date for voting is 5pm on Monday 29^th November.  

The judges will then discuss the outcome of the public’s choice, which will assist them in nominating the final Artist of the Week winner, who will be announced at the opening of the AoW Christmas Show on 1^st December.  What an incredibly exciting month November is going to be for Salon Contemporary. 

Don’t miss your chance to get involved!



Alyona visits space to prepare for window projection

AoW winner Alyona Larionova visited the Salon last week to measure our window space for the Artist of the Week November teasers!  Some of our talented winners will be displaying their work in the window each week of November.

Alyona will be projecting one of her videos onto the floor (seen above) of the window space for a week beginning Monday 8th Nov.  We welcome any art that promotes public interaction!

Performance collective Akleriah to perform this Mon 1st Nov!!

The stunning, eccentric and colourful arts collective Akleriah will be performing in the window of Salon Contemporary this coming Monday 1st November.  Don't miss the fantastic, other-worldly display they have in store!  Akleriah (our 2nd AoW winners) will begin performing at 2pm throughout the day.  

We CAN'T WAIT!

Visit Akleriah's website www.akleriah.com

Remember, Remember the 5th of November.........

The 5th November 2010 is not only the day for remembering the near destruction of Parliament (and an excuse to set off fireworks)......BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, it is when the 10 Artist of the Week winners will go head to head, to see who will win a place in

Salon Contemporary's Artist of the Week Christmas Exhibition! 

All 10 will be interviewed by a  judging panel of professionals here at the gallery.....and the lucky bunch shortlisted will be exhibiting come 1st December! 

THERE'S MORE................

There can only be ONE winner of the show; one 'AoW'. 

AND we're getting the public  involved. YES, YOU GUYS.

SO, after the lucky exhibiting artists have been decided by our wonderful judges, WE WANT YOU TO VOTE WHO YOUR FAVOURITE IS! You can vote right here on our blog!!

Voting opens Monday 5th Nov 5pm and closes Monday 29th Nov 5pm.

GET INVOLVED!

Joao de Brito Vidigals 'Warmup'