Yesterday I actually got to do something fun! I went to see an art exhibition called "Aquatopia" at the Nottingham Contemporary with a friend! Now i'm no art critic or artist for that matter, so here's a review from your average, art loving ohpandahat.
Aquatopia was described as "The imaginary of the ocean deep" Quoting the guide book "Science lags behind the imagination when it comes to the ocean deep. We are more familiar with the myths and fantasies that apply to it than it's actual natural conditions." I found this really interesting because it's totally true! Personally, when I think of the the ocean, it's not long before great, mythical sea monsters such as the Kracken pop into my mind.
This was one of my favorite pieces! It's but Utagawa Kunyiyoshi, entitled "The rescue of Minamoto no Tametomo (1851)
The exhibition certainly didn't disappoint. There was a range of different types of art on display, so surely there's something there to interest everybody! Painting, films, sculptures, and the atmosphere was intense in one of the galleries as ocean music was playing out through speakers, I must admit I found it slightly disturbing!
Another favorite, by Bernard Buffet entitled "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea; the Giant porthole of the Nautilus. (1989)
I came home feeling very inspired by the exhibition, I love looking at art that makes my mind start bubbling away with ideas! I'd give the exhibition 4.5 stars, I really enjoyed it so go and see it for yourself! If you've been to see this exhibition, please leave a comment on your thoughts! I leave you with this poem entitled "The Kraken" by Lord Alfred Tennyson:
Below the thunders of the upper deep,
Far far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides: above him swell
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;
And far away into the sickly light,
From many a wondrous grot and secret cell
Unnumbered and enormous polypi
Winnow with giant fins the slumbering green.
There hath he lain for ages and will lie
Battening upon huge seaworms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by men and angels to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die.
Bye for now!
ohpandahat
