Berlin lad.

Gosh, I've got a lot of blog related catching up to do haven't I? I'll being the catch up process with an entry about my recent venture to Berlin as part of a University led 'educational trip' and by 'educational trip' I mean 'Get hammered and pretend we know what we're talking about'.

One of our first group led trips was to *insert gallery name here* to see the Richard Long exhibition, I was really looking forward to this, I've always loved his work. The building was overwhelming, it was grand and breath taking. After much pootling and faffing about entry, bags being too large and some language barriers we made our way in. The entirity of Long's exhibit was viewable from the front, his pieces formed a line of work leading to a huge piece fixed on the very back wall. Long had his token stone structures layed out on the floor in perfect alignment, with a little help from a circle drawn in chalk beforehand. I was thouroughly enjoying myself trying to get up close to the work, until I was stopped in my tracks by some shrill, obnoxious sounding German security personnel. Of which there were many, all keeping an eye on us English folk intently.

As I reached the back of the exhibit, there was a large circular piece on the wall, at first glance it looked like a huge smear of mud shaped into a circle, but upon closer inspection *but for a mere few seconds due to those lovely security persons* it was just a vinyl sticker type construction. I was kinda disapointed at this, not sure why, I'm not even sure how this piece would be made so perfect had it been real mud. But still, a bit deflating nonetheless.

Long's work uses universal symbols such as circles and rectangles, relatable shapes that are uncomplicated and easy to absorb. His materials are natural and organic, yet arranged in a technical manner against natures flow. Controlled nature as it were. Which kinda reminds me of a recent trip to a forest with a friend, I was talking about how much I do like being out in nature and what not, but how I don't like it when it touches my legs, I'm all for walks in the countryside but control the tree's and plants. This is kinda what Long has done for me, he's taken organic objects and controlled them for me. 

I'd seen a few of these pieces on a smaller scale in Tate Liverpool, somehow this setting, and their scale really heightened the experience. The gallery space was pretty spectactular and it housed Long's work perfectly, shame about the insanely strict security, I wasn't going to steal the work, honest.

 

There were many other works on display in this gallery, it was such a large space with lots of winding corridoors and rooms to explore, there was enough art for about a year's worth of prattling. As a person posessing a very short attention span, this held my attention for a fairly decent time, aesthetically it was beautiful and overwhelming.