Monday 7 December 2009

Material Girl

I recently got the chance to spend a lovely day down by the riverside, taking in good food smells, people watching and hanging around the Tate Modern. The Pop Life: Art In A Material World exhibition was on and with a sneaky blag (of my boyf's mum being a member) we got in to see it for free.

As I have mentioned in previous posts I know nothing about art except what I like, which is mostly funny art, or art that mocks life or art itself. So this exhibition is probably the most perfect for me to visit. From the minute you walked in, to the minute you walked out was so bright, rude, funny, disturbing, politically incorrect and just so wonderful. There was so much to see and remember so I suggest you might just want to read through the rooms here.

My favourite rooms were definately the Keith Haring Pop Shop, Maurizio Cattelan, Pruitt Early and Jeff Koons. Jeff Koons private Over 18's Only room was one of my favourites, just because it was quite "hard" to enjoy, ha, "enjoy" being a very "loose" term as the whole room was full of oversized pornographic pictures. The awkwardness of looking at anal entry and knowing how long to stare at a, more than life sized, ejaculating penis was fascinating and funny to me. Trying to watch other people's reactions at the same time was hilarious. Oh and me tripping over the clear perspex barrier into the huge sculpture of "lovers"in the centre of the room. I am 25 now but maybe I shouldn't have been allowed to go in there.

Keith Haring's Pop Shop was an exact replica of his Pop Shop that he opened in 1986 in New York, the whole room was completely covered in his graffiti style scribbles and drawings, it was so simple and at the same time, there was so much to look at. His work was brightly framed and hung around the walls with, a small booth in one of them for purchasing classic t-shirts and pins.

I am struggling to get hold off any good examples of this exhibition to share my excitement, so I just think you should go and see for yourself.

Tate Modern:1st October 2009 - 17th January 2010