Psycho Sets

So I went to the Psycho Buildings exhibition at the weekend. I wasn't really into the artwank explanations of how the life tunnel was like a journey from the womb, or somesuch. However, it was sensational set design, an art directors wet dream. It was my first introduction to Do-Ho Suh, a Korean installation artist. He created this staircase and first floor out of red nylon, complete with nylon lightswitches and balustrades. I just kept thinking, wouldn't it be a splendid marquee, but maybe that's just my perocial mind.

Then I looked up this giant chandelier thing Do-Ho made, found here. Forget 'the fractured nature of narratives, memories and story-telling', this kicks my multi-coloured chandelier in the arse. See my miniscule version here. Anyway, he also made thisgiant Korean doll's house tornadoed into a New York apartment doll's house, Kansas-style.Rachel Whitehead also did a pretty piece of set design/ lighting - a room full of little doll's houses, lit from within. Not art, Rachel, but lovely none the less.

Vanity Fair was better in the Twenties

There's an exhibition of Vanity Fair portraits at the National Portrait Gallery. The early ones are the best.

More than just pissoirs

The Duchamp, Man Ray and Picabia exhibition at the Tate Modern is a good value economy-pack 3 for the price of 1 type exhibition. 12 rooms, 3 artists - that works out at a room a pound. Probably about 10p per exhibit. You can't knock that.
In order of funniness:
1. Man Ray.
2. Duchamp.
3. Picabia.
Man Ray also wins the title for randomness and wierd obsessions. Have a look at his 'carving chess pieces' phase. And then there's Duchamp's alter ego Rrose Sélavy, which quite inspired me to work on my alter ego. Finally the best bit was Man Ray's telegram to his friend of 40 years, Picabia, as Picabia lay on his deathbed. It just read:
‘A bientot, cher Francis – Marcel’.