#tateliverpool

[clarendonsixthfashion]

Some truly inspirational work at the Tate Liverpool. Students are engaging with current practitioners from a variety of disciplines to further inspire them and their own practice. #fashion #fashiondesign #textiles #textiledesign #costume #costumedesign #art #artanddesign #design #tate #tateliverpool #exhibition (at Tate Liverpool) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQOX_BNHU4m/?utm_medium=tumblr

[gagosiangallery]

This exhibition presents more than twenty paintings, works on paper, and reliefs. It will showcase a key body of works on loan from the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, including the painting "Reflections: Art" (1988) and large-scale screenprints from the 1990s, alongside works drawn from the Tate collection.

[eelaigroeg-blog]

beauty is in the eye of the beholder ,,

[skinnydippxng]

The window in the museum is art in itself

[historyartsgeek]

The Plant That Stowed Away at Tate Liverpool (RIBA North)

This exhibition at the temporary location for Tate Liverpool is based around how Liverpool is a port city and how this links to colonialism, as well as looking at botanical life and natures development through time around not just Liverpool but other areas as well. This links to the likes of pollution and industrialism. This exhibition was, for the most part, enjoyable to go to and easy to get your head wrapped around to really appreciate the message that is being translated to the viewer, especially the target viewer. With the location of Tate Liverpool being on the Albert Dock, it links amazingly well with the exhibition itself and the message it is trying to translate and how some of the artworks themselves are based around the area they are displayed in.

RIBA North

This is especially seen in Liverpool Guay by Moonlight by Atkinson Grimshaw which was created in 1887. The piece itself is set right outside where RIBA North is located so it is very fitting to have the piece displayed in this exhibition. It also showcases how much time has changed the area in when the piece was created, Liverpool was being shaped by maritime trade and industrialism so there was a rapid growth in wealth and power for the city. In the original information that was displayed next to this piece when it was first displayed was “in the pride of its industry and enterprise, under the most striking signs of its wealth, consequence and power”, today this is seen as rather controversial because of what was being imported into the city. This was notably transatlantic slavery; this came to an end at the end of the century, although it shouldn’t be a forgotten history as it makes those who praise Liverpool’s trade history appear foolish in not being knowledgeable in how the city got most of its wealth at the peak of its trade days. And it also should not be forgotten as so many people’s lives were ruined or ended due to slave trade.

Liverpool Guay by Moonlight, Atkinson Grimshaw, 1887

This links well with the piece that is displayed next to Grimshaw’s. This is Underwater Plant Life by Lubaina Himid and was created in 1995 to 2008. This curatorially is very well thought out. At first glace it may not appear this way as the two pieces displayed next to one another seem out of place, but with context this is very well done. The piece by Himid is showcasing the belief in the Mythic World of Drexciya. This was believed to be the realm in where slaves, who were on the ships taking them to places such as Liverpool, would go when or if they were able to jump overboard or if they had been thrown overboard. There was thought to be a race of underwater dwellers, descending specifically from pregnant slave women thrown overboard during their unwanted deportation. The reason the two pieces being in such proximity is well thought out by the curators is because it showcases the two sides of trade from completely differing perspectives. The Grimshaw piece illustrates how there was a pride from white middle to upper class people of the Liverpool trade community who were proud of the wealth they had “earned” through trade and romanticise it through their art to show prosperity of the Liverpool docks. Whereas Himid is illustrating how trade and specifically slave trade would have led her ancestors to rather want to kill themselves or to be killed than carry on with the long and excruciating journey on the ships just to end up in a life where they would be dehumanised and discriminated and among many other things for the rest of their life.

Underwater Plant Life, Lubaina Himid, 1995-2008

In the exhibition there is also Oil and Sugar #2 by Kader Attia created in 2007 which is a four minutes and thirty seconds video showing oil melting a large stack of sugar cubes. This is interesting to have in this exhibition as it is highlighting two imported goods into the country that are very high value and in high demand.

Oil and Sugar #2, Kader Attia, 2007

One of my favourite pieces within the exhibition was You Were Always On My Mind by Wangechi Mutu which was created in 2007. This is a mixed media collage piece including medical journals, ethnographic photo-essays, fashion, wildlife and pornographic magazines. Further detail is added with ink, acrylic paint, crystalline particles, plastic pearls and paper on melinex. These sources and materials come together to create the illustration of two heads looking to the right of the sheet, one on top of the other. One is much more neutral in tone whereas the other is lush and bright green. This piece reminds me of nature and such due to the different types of journals that were used to collage such as the wildlife magazines, this is well paired with the greenery in the piece in relation to plant life. I feel there is even more of a connection with the viewer by the piece being so three dimensional with the crystalline particles and plastic pearls. With its elements of plant life and nature in general it links well with what the exhibition is representing.

You Were Always On My Mind, Wangechi Mutu, 2007

In relation to the likes of botanical research and records taken over time, Weeds of Wallasey by Chris Shaw created over time from 2007 to 2012 is a good example of this. This series of photographs using gelatine silver prints on paper taken on the other side of the Mersey indicates the perseverance of wildlife in industrial area. This series of images in particular looks almost dystopian in where some of the images shows overgrown masses in areas with much more modern architecture. The theme incudes both maritime history and plant life as one of the images holds the annotation, I See No Ships but The Plant that Stowed Away. This could symbolise how nowadays you are less likely to see the docks full of trade ships and it feels derelict now and lost in history. However, you are still likely to see wildlife springing up all over the docks, even if that may be through the cracks of the pavement.

Weeds of Wallasey, Chris Shaw, 2007-2012, perspective 1

Weeds of Wallasey, Chris Shaw, 2007-2012, perspective 2

Overall, this exhibition was very well thought out and I do highly recommend going to visit this before it is gone as it is free as well. Considering Tate Liverpool is only at its temporary location for this exhibition, it has utilised the location well by incorporating it into the exhibition itself and adhering to the audience that are around the area as it shows off the cities history in more than just a positive light and looks at it through different lenses so the city can even learn from these altering perspectives and grow together.

Other notable works:

The Dancer, Henri Matisse, 1949

Talay O Puv, O Zeisko Tan Part 1, Delaine Le Bas, 2021

Channel, Simryn Gill, 2014

The Afronauts, Cristina de Middel, 2012

1114 words.

The Plant That Stowed Away – Display at Tate Liverpool + RIBA North | Tate - more information on the exhibition if needed

[emmapreston05]

Exploring "The Plant That Stowed Away" at Tate Liverpool

Recently, I was able to visit the photography-based exhibition, "The Plant That Stowed Away" at Tate Liverpool. The exhibition explores themes of nature, memory, and history, offering a unique perspective on how plants and landscapes shape our experiences and identities.

Visuals

The viewer first sees a series of black-and-white photographs, capturing the haunting beauty of urban landscapes and natural forms. Each image tells its own story, evoking a sense of nostalgia and curiosity about the places depicted. The stark contrasts and textures in these photographs invite viewers to look closer, revealing hidden details and layers of meaning.

One wall featured a collection of prints that showcased the fluidity of form and colour. These vibrant works, with their bold shapes and patterns, seemed to dance on the wall, celebrating the vitality of plant life. The use of colour and composition in these pieces reflects a deep appreciation for nature and its ability to inspire creativity.

Having utilised photography in my work previously, it was very interesting to be able to see how it had been combined with nature. Here I have included some pattern designs created, with a combination of photography, something I have really enjoyed, and the inspiration of which was inspired by seeing this exhibition.

Historical Context

The exhibition also highlights historical artworks, including aquatints by William Daniell. His works, depicting scenes of Liverpool and its surroundings, provide a window into the past, allowing us to appreciate the evolution of the landscape.

The Resilience of Nature

Another powerful aspect of the exhibition are the series of images from contemporary artists that focus on the resilience of nature. These photographs capture the interplay between humans and the environment, showcasing how plants reclaim spaces and thrive in unlikely conditions.

Overall

"The Plant That Stowed Away" at Tate Liverpool is an interesting exhibition that encourages viewers to consider the relationship between nature, history, and identity. The combination of contemporary and historical works is diverse, enabling an exploration of how plants and landscapes shape our lives. It was highly influential in terms of my own practice and led me to creating pattern designs incorporating photography, again interconnecting the physical and the digital.

Facebook: [Tate Liverpool Facebook Page]

Twitter: [@TateLiverpool]

Instagram: [@tateliverpool]

YouTube: [Tate Channel

[artistopencalls]

💙➡️ @tateliverpool We're recruiting! 📣 💙➡️ https://sked.link/tateliverpool ⬅️ 🔵 Head of Exhibitions & Displays Closing date: 24 February at midnight 🌐 Visit our website for more information and to apply – link in bio 🔗 ​ ​#TateLiverpool #Jobs #Liverpool #LiverpoolJobs #ArtGalleryJobs #ArtGallery #CulturalSector (at Tate Liverpool) https://www.instagram.com/p/Coa5P2FoG0q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[memoryfortomorrow]

Don McCullin