INSTALLATION CLARA URSITTI: FOUNTAIN
Triggering memories with smell 0
Laudable but disappointing
There are popcorn movies and now there's popcorn art and in the case of Clara Ursitti's Fountain you can take that literally. Entering the room where Ursitti's piece sits. the staccato rhythm of popping corn assails the ears: pop pop pop. while the unmistakable smell of popcorn rushes up the nose.
In the corner is a small popcorn machine firing out little fluffy lumps of popcorn that someone has just thrown in. Ursitti's intention is to trigger our memories With smell and create strong visual messages. If your memory goes beyond the sticky foyer of cinema complexes yOLI're doing well. Ursitti's intentions as an olfactory artist are laudable — she has previously created self-portraits in scent — but this piece is extremely disappomting relying more on the fascinating science behind smell and how it Creates memories.
Did yOu know that we breathe an estimated 23000 times a day and with each breath we can create memories from smell? So the 300 or so breaths spent On Ursitti's art aren't entirely wasted as It creates a more cultured popcorn memory. Poptastic! (Isabella Weir)
I Collective Gallery 220 7260. until I Sep. Free.
PRICELESS TREASURES FORBIDDEN CITY: TREASURES OF AN EMPEROR
Jewels of the Qianlong emperor O...
This exhibition has over 76 priceless items of art from the Forbidden City in Beijing dating from the 60-year reign of the Qianlong emperor. The Oianlong emperor was a man of great artistic taste who not only loved to be painted but he loved to paint. write poetry and collect art. especially jade and the immortality that it conferred on its owners.
Thus there are some magnificent jade pieces interspersed among the grand silk paintings. the delicate calligraphy and elaborate costumes of this exhibition. The silk paintings, ranging from depictions of thousands of warriors to simple flowers and fruits. are exquisite in detail and design. As are the clothes. especially the emperor's ceremonial armour and his function gown both embroidered with the cosmic design of celestial dragons.
The title of this exhibition is enough to evoke the strong ideals. splendour and greatness of the ancient dynasties of China. It is an opulent exhibition that will appease anyone's notions of ancient China whether gathered from Monkey Magic. The Last Emperor or hard historical fact. (Isabella Weir)
I Royal Museum, 247 4279, until 75 Sep. £4 (£3); under 723 and NMS members free.
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MIXED MEDIA
NEW: RECENT ACQUISITIONS OF CONTEMPORARY BRITISH ART The gallery shows off its latest acquisitions CO
New is a selection of the National Gallery of Modern Art's aCQuISItIons of contemporary British art made SIIICC 1990. In the entrance to the exhibition. there are three dimly lit collections of unmemorable prints by almost even/ YBA artist. a convenient way to get that lot but the way.
DEJITIIOI‘ Hirst is represented by a gimmicky 'Spin' piece and a dreadful spot painting made in collaboration with Paul Simonon of The Clash. His other pieces Love Will Tear Us Apart and Liver
Bacon Onions at least salvage his reputation. Christine Borland‘s Spirit Collection: Hippocrates is impressive and with Helen Chadwick's touching and poignant Sell-portrait adjacent. makes for a fitting combination. Among the old guard, Howard Hodgkin is represented by a rather lacklustre print Street Palm whilst Kossoff and Davie by trademark paintings.
Elsewhere Julian Opie's Imagine You Are Driving. 7. is assertive. though the hanging of Jonathan Owen's slight / Don't Usually Do This in the same room has to be questioned. Alison Watt's new work Love (on loan) is crass in concept and the painting so unresolved that she should have left this one in her studio. DOuglas Gordon‘s List of Names (Random)
also disappoints. as it is far too reminiscent of Tracey Emin's tent embroidered with the names of all the peOple she has slept with.
Rachel Whiteread's bronze and white enamel sculpture Untitled (Pair) so memorable from her recent GMA show has been banished to the shrubbery and sadly looks half its former self plonked on grey paving slabs. Tony Cragg's Kolbenneb/ok however sits more comfortably, simply on the grass. All in all this exhibition is a mixed bag and what is apparent is that without Cragg's inclusion, New would have far too little work of any real weight. (Michelle Thomas)
I National Gallery of Modern Art, 624 6200, until 77 Nov. free.
1—8 Aug 2002 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 69