Once again I used my Tate card to its full potential by visiting this years shortlisted Turner Prize artists. The four artists included, Dexter Dalwood (who ironically I saw outside college shortly after leaving Tate), Angela De La Cruz (who when I spoke to a steward was told had studied at Chelsea but on her biography made no reference), Susan Philipsz (no relation to Chelsea) and finally Otolith Group (headed by Anjalika Sagar and Kodwo Eshun). In the first gallery space several pieces of Dalwood's mixed media paintings were presented, some highlighted (similarly to his piece 'Hendrix's Last Basement' (below)) specific events, places, environments or landscapes with certain prevalent objects which related to that person or place. Then on the other hand there were paintings which merely portrayed a room or scenario which was abstracted; all of which were initially quite awkward but looking back now I really like how he shows a creative view point on a historic event. For example 'Hendrix's Last Basement' or 'Neverland' (a quirky look in to/impression of the bedroom of the late Michael Jackson) in which he symbolises Hendix's drug use by allowing the paint to run in an all most psychedelic fashion.
'Hendrix's Last Basement'
The Otolith Group rather perplexed me, even though I watched a short documentary at the end of the exhibition by the Sagar and Eshun the level that their ideas were working on was a touch to intellectual for me. Angela De La Cruz's sculptors/ paintings didn't really appeal to me, it felt as though they had no real emotion or skill or je ne sais quoi, the only piece in her exhibition that I remotely liked was 'Three Legged Stool' yet even that I found to be slightly cliched. Finally Susan Philipsz' audio installation based around a age old Scottish lament or folk song, unfortunately I'd remembered that her actual piece was first installed under and around a bridge which of course couldn't be recreated in the gallery space. This in my opinion altered the effect of the piece in the sense I think the environment and the echoed and resonating sound of her singing would of been more engaging. Despite this I still felt really relaxed and at ease listening to her work and I suppose this interaction and emotional response is what her works all about.
Overall I think Philipsz certainly has the unique factor in her favour whereas Dalwood being the 'biggest' name on the list is possibly overdue the recognition... so for me its a two horse race.
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