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