Visual Art
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ALEX HARTLEY imposing interior, but in fact the space we see from A large'scale assun 0” the senses .... the outside is simulated, constructed from large- London-based artist Alex Hartley has covered the scale photographs pasted to the glass, making the stern exterior of the Fruitmarket with a photographic space idealised and perpetually inaccessible. replication of itself, containing maps of the many Hartley also exhibits a group of photographs which routes he recently managed to trace across it. No, further explore the similarities between the natural this is not what one would usually expect from an and built environment by documenting himself artist familiarising themselves with a new gallery climbing across a range of Scottish buildings. The space, but amusing and unconventional approaches photographs question how much the experiences of to modern architecture are typical of Hartley’s climbing, or watching others climbing in unexpected practice; in 2001 he published a book called LA places can alter established everyday perceptions of Climbs: Alternative Uses for Architecture, in which ‘correct' ways to respond to architectural Los Angeles is approached from the topographical constructions, bringing to mind how different the perspective of the rural climber, exploring responses of animals and young children might be geographical routes over the exteriors of buildings from those of grown-ups. Far more fascinating are and offering a fresh approach to this vain city and the ongoing series of personal photographs, ‘Don’t drawing a close parallel between the urban and rural Want to be Part of your World', in which Hartley has landscape. inserted small models of Utopian, individual buildings
A number of large-scale installations within the into areas of extreme wilderness. The buildings gallery further deride precious attitudes to modern appear fragile, ephemeral and ultimately doomed to buildings, including ‘Case Study’, 2001, a structure destruction. Bizarre and thought provoking, the made from translucent glass, wood and plaster unfamiliar buildings look as though they have been constructed specifically for the Fruitmarket. It is a gathered from sci-fi. (Rosie Lesso) typically austere, Modernist building. At first glance it I Ute /-r;1/;‘ni.’irl-ef (Sal/er ,. .’ $97213. R 7 UN.
appears as if one could walk directly into its slick and 7 t..’:‘(i;irii~~r,prii.
MICHAEL CRAIK
Crisp realisations from pared down painting
could be destroyed With a single
blow. The faceted structure gives it a Modernism isn't gOing anywhere. it seems, Maybe we were too robotic appearance and a childish quick at dismissmg it through prefixing the term with ‘post‘. simplicity. which may have been Deconstructive approaches to Modernism lfltldtly' the waters. intentional. but leaves it feeling cold reinforcmg the notion that Modernism is more of an attitude. a i use ' and unemotiunal. Michael Craik's paintings at Amber Roome will show that this is Sgueexed next to this work is a indeed the case. ‘lf you were to press me for an artistic influence / lUVV-ltdltglltt) section of an industrial then I WOuld say that my deSIre to pare my work down for this new / pipe into which a \‘ldQO loop is exhibition has come from an appreciation of the work of Ellsworth / pioiected from behind. The title. Kelly.‘ he says. The extreme flatness of Kelly/s work meets an 'Circle'. echoes the shape of Our obvious obses3ion With modernist architecture in Craik's ork. yiew hole through the pipe. Within Despite the fact that. in his prey'iOLis exhibitions. the artist has been which we see a foetus-like figure concerned With a kind of hyper photo realism. this was always met standing in gaudy pink liquid. turning With sleek chrome and glass surfaces. and the flat rnatt renderings and twrsting as if searching for a way of architectural details. out. Though some sense of the 'My/ new paintings wrll differ from my previous work in the sense isolation Park seems intent on that l haye abandoned any photographic duality} say/s Craik. ‘The expressing is found here. and in new work is now monochromatic — no pictorial references remam.‘ flickering elements elsewhere. one This analytical approach to painting isimilar to an early Cubist can't help feeling that the Outwardly rejection of CO|OLN to concentrate on form atonei further (Ef'tO‘.'€S slick styling of this exhibition the representatiOnal element that was latent ir‘. the earl, paintings. ultimater masks a lack of theoretical The use: nose that finds its way into some pf‘OtOrealst .vorks .-.'.': substance. iRosie Lessor also be remOy ed — these paintings are crisc reai:sa10ns rather the.“ I The Corr? Exchange Gal/en, 567 heayily worked compositions. iAiexamer Kerwr‘e’t. 7300, until .0 Aug. 7 7.30ar77—480pm, I Amber Roome. 558 3352. until 30 Aug. Free. Wed—Sat 77am—6pm Free.
72 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 2—9 Aug 2007