HERMES - FESTIVAL DES METIERS

HERMES 

FESTIVAL DES METIERS

SAATCHI GALLERY 

LONDON

21 - 27 MAY 2013

                         

THE HERMES TRAVELLING ATELIER SHOWCASE, STARTED IN 2011,  ARRIVES IN LONDON  WITH A PRESENTATION DESIGNED BY PAOLA NAVONE. HERMES WISHES TO OPEN ITS PROCESSES TO A WIDER PUBLIC AND ESPECIALLY TO A YOUNGER AUDIENCE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN THIS WITH VISITORS OF MIXED AGES AND BACKGROUNDS.

THE AUDIENCE INTERACTED WITH CRAFTSPEOPLE FROM A SELECTION OF ATELIERS AND COULD WATCH CLOSELY AND ASK QUESTIONS, THROUGH AVAILABLE TRANSLATORS, ON THE PRODUCTION PROCESSES.

THE SILK PRINTING PROCESS WAS ESPECIALLY ATTRACTIVE TO VISITORS WITH MANY EVEN PRODUCING THEIR OWN SCARVES IN ORDER TO ASK THE EXPERTS QUESTIONS ON THEIR PRODUCTION AND VALUE AS COLLECTIBLE ITEMS.

MAROQUINIER (LEATHERWORKER)

  

HORLOGER (WATCHMAKER)

THE WATCHMAKER, CHARLOTTE KAESER, WHO WORE A MOST BEAUTIFUL HERMES WATCH HERSELF, SHOWED US THE ABSOLUTE PRECISION AND CARE OF HER WORK.  

SERTISSEUR (GEM SETTER)

THE TRANSLATOR POINTS TO THE DIAMOND ABOUT TO BE SET.

PEINTRE SUR PORCELAINE (PORCELAIN PAINTER)

CONFECTIONNEUR DE CRAVATES (TIE MAKER)

REMAILLEUR (TWIN-SET LINKER)

WE LAUGHED ALONGSIDE DONATELLA CRISONI, THE TWIN-SET EXPERT, ON FINDING OUT SHE PERFORMED HER WORK FROM HER ATELIER IN MONACO.

IMPREMEUR SUR SOIE (SILK PRINTER)

FREDERIC LIBAUD AND KAMEL HAMADOU, THE MOST CHARMING OF GENTLEMEN,  DEMONSTRATED THE SILK PRINTING WHILE EXEMPLIFYING THE CARE, FOCUS AND WELCOME, SHOWED TO ALL BY THE CRAFTSPEOPLE AT HERMES.

THE PROCESS TO PRODUCE A SILK SCARF:

THE FINISHED PRINTING.

JOHN M. ARMLEDER - DAIRY ART CENTRE

JOHN M. ARMLEDER

DAIRY ART CENTRE

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

Curated by Alessandro Rabottini this presentation of Armleder's work is put together as a retrospective.

The work presented allows us to see the artist as easily evading definition and categorisation through a combination of selected works and installations that are specific to the space. 

As we walk through we encounter samples of his incredibly diverse work. His production modes seem to define these works for us: "Furniture installation", "Pour paintings", "Puddle paintings" and "Stencil paintings".

The installations seem most challenging, through their usage of mixed media, technology, found objects, neon, sound and beautifully made plexiglass cabinets with collections of items.

The exhibition information tells us he was interested in the "Fluxus" movement from an early time and this seems to have come through to us by the constant presentation of collected items. We are told that Armleder's work sits somewhere between Duchamp's interest in transforming the everyday and Warhol's interest in consumerism.

The artist wishes us to transform his collections of everyday objects into experiences that challenge and supersede their immediate aesthetic reference and their functional usage. Atmospheres, created through the usage of sound loops, fool the viewer into an acceptance of altering values towards the merging of "aesthetics and function".