Anna Boghiguian talk at Tate St.Ives Feb 2019

Anna Boghiguian talk at Tate St.Ives, February 2019

Anna Boghiguain and Carolyn Christov-Bakagriev


The artist spoke for 20 mins, fluently and interestingly. She had come to St.Ives and researched re tin and Virginia Woolf, whose 'To the Lighthouse' she described as like a written painting.
Both artists use, memory, imagination, the subconscious, and ideas.

Anna Boghiguian came over as a serious forceful woman who felt the cold, bundled up in coat and scarf, and wasn't preoccupied with

conforming to society's idea of presenting herself as a woman, not having removed her facial hair,

but had her own inner confidance. She looks older than her years, born 1946.

No one mentions that her career was probably aided by a relationship with Robert Shapazian

who opened Gargosian Gallery in Los Angeles but I had seen that online. Afterwards I thought I

could have asked was it particular efforts she made or chance events that advanced her career to

the point where she is shown internationally. (It's envy prompts my concerns and I never get a

helpful answer when I do voice it.)

Carolyn Christov-Bakagriev, Director from Castelli di Rivoli Museum of Contemporary Art, Turin,

spoke next. She spoke of Anna folding history in a Baroque way, putting the present in contact with

the past, not wanting to be seen as an expressionist, experimenting with new materials , not

repeating herself in her work, and using two main methods. These are using sketchbooks, a linear

form, and using cutting, collage. She spoke of the importance of salt, oil and data, of Nietsche, and

of Revolution.

Anne Barlow

Tate director Anne Barlow added remarks and questions followed after the Italian curator had to

leave to catch a train.

Anna Boghiguian spoke of how much she admires and likes crows and feels they are magical and

have a collective consciousness.

She asked in reply to someone was there a back of one's mind? She asserted she wants to think

globally not of Cairo. [I find in the past she produced an illustrated book about Cairo]

The woman who earlier almost inaudibly asked deaf people to request a radio link I think, hovered

diffidently failing to get the microphone to people who had questions.

The talk ended half an hour before the advertised time but Anna B went to the gallery and anyone

could try to get a word with her. 

I return to the gallery, liking most the salt on the floor, the Nimes tableaux of cut out figures and the

piano music playing which turns out to be by Nietsche although not yet labelled as such.

It's a hotchpotch of imagery as if Anna Boghiguian throws herself into it all, working quickly, not

worrying if its intelligible, if the words are legible, if any argument is discernible,. Some of the

drawing is very enjoyably lively.

I am reminded of Keith Tyson's work. he won the Turner prize on 2002 and his work has a similar huge scope, a feeling of interconnectedness. He said he was as confused as the viewer and trying to be authentic.

I would like more clarity.

I would query if flying in and seizing on tin and Virginia Woolf as the most obvious things about

St.Ives to use is that great an idea.

However it's of interest, it continues our director's promotion of women artists, and it's about stuff

that matters in the world so it's a nice change from abstract modernism which continues its hold on

most of the art around the town

Two Private Views-Tate St.Ives and Porthmeor Studios.

Two Private Views shows- Anna Boghiguian at Tate St.Ives and Amelie Blendi and Jonathan

Michael Ray at Porthmeor Studios.

I had a Tate sandwich, popping out in the middle to Porthmeor Studios to see two artists who had

been in residence. Their work was said to relate to the Penwith landscape but apart from an

inscribed drawing reminiscent of the Rocky Valley labyrinth carving near Tintagel and a murky

video with a tin mine visible, I couldn't see much reference to it. There were a lot of paper

constructions like elaborate origami, some using maps but not of Penwith. There were some lead

weights on nice pink rope.

A handful of artists stood around talking.

A woman had a Bedlington in a nice bright blue coat and said had I dogs as it was showed an interest in me.
I had been out with two dogs earlier. I didn't realise the woman was one of the artists until I the barman told me or I might have gleaned more information.
They had been busy particularly folding paper but to what end?
Maybe the start of an idea that will bear fruit later.

Star of the show was the bar, providing free gin of many types and colours.

I tried one.

I returned to the Tate more cheerful despite the rain.

Anna Boghiguian's work was somehow beguiling. People were wandering around quite interested.

It was clearly about something, about the history of Nimes, about other places, salt, politics,

people, with references to literature, Cavafy, Tagore, Woolf and Nietsche. There was lots to see,

figures made of metal and card, a circular construction one could enter, and a floor covered in salt,

a surprise that was soft and uneven. There were words in English and lots of sketch books. This

artist could draw in a lively way. The paintings were rather mushy looking, sometimes ill defined,

lacking contrast. There were clearly themes, explained by gallery text, although the meanings of

the works were unclear. There was an impromptu feeling to the wooden stands with works on

paper attached. There were big images on cloth or canvas suspended from the ceiling. There was

a studio recreated. I heard that the artist was a large woman with a beard, and I looked forward to

her talk the next day. I had a feeling another look later would reveal more.

Private views are fun, you see people you know, maybe dare to talk to people you don't already

know, and drink alcohol perhaps. No one has time to really take in the work but they get an

impression of it and may return another day. Sometimes the social occasion IS the work perhaps,

as Rikrit Tiravanija worked out. Is Anna B's show any more interesting than the other show? It is,

but it's still a confusing hotch potch of images with no clear focus, just a more personal and

intriguing one with more heart and soul. As a friend said, you need something immediately

attractive enough to bring people back to engage further