A couple of weeks ago I went to see the Viktor and Rolf exhibition at the Barbican Center in London. It is particular interest to me for a number of reasons; firstly because I am a great admirer of Viktor and Rolfs' oeuvre and secondly I am very interested to look at ways to articulate Fashion in a gallery context.
Museums and galleries worldwide have an enormous problem in finding a way to show fashion that manages to keep the values that fashion has that make it so exciting for so many people. Its desireability when presented out of context and more importantly for a medium that is so crucially time based, its relevance when shown seasons after it was created.
Museums are left with having to show the craft of the garment, its materials and its structure, which seems so far from the reason people craved , lusted and spent more than they could possibly afford on it in the first place.
In other words, the main raison d'etre of the garment has gone and the dress appears almost as a witness to that moment.
In the V/R exhibition I was very pleasently relieved to see that they had managed to overcome this problem and create a show that not only explained more of their fantastically modern and surreal world ,but also kept some of the desire that is so much of what Fashion is.
I am going back for the third time this week, if you are based in London I would highly recomend it.
Hi Nick, I was in London a couple of weeks ago and booked tickets to see the show but missed it on my last day due to packing too many much into the trip. I was so gutted I decided to come back to London for a couple of days in august just to make sure I see the show. Glad you think it's worth a third visit! Or in my case a trip from Iceland!
P.S. walked past SHOWstudio and felt quick excited despite seeing nothing but your boor-bell!
if you are coming to London make sure you see the Chapman brothers exhibition "Fucking Hell" at the White Cube, if you haven't already.A friend of mine said it was"life changing".
If we had known you were waling past our front door we could have asked you in for tea, apart from our present place is not at all geared up for such impromptu pleasures.
We are moving in the begining of next year and hopefully to a much nicer place altogether so maybe we can be more hospitable .
All the best,
Nick.
The Chapman Brothers are among my favorite artists in the world, and it really pains me to have missed their recent show, which ended July 15th. I saw the original "Hell" on a few occasions including at the ICA a few years ago where they gave a talk after the show. Simply brilliant. Only Anish Kapour, Olafur Ellison and Damien Hirst can leave me feeling as stirred as The Chapaman Brothers have on these occasions so I can understand why your friend would describe it as life changing.
And thanks for your kind words- I would love to come for tea when you are settled into your new offices, and I will bring you and your team some weird and wonderful Icelandic treats on the day!
