David Hockney @ Nottingham Contemporary

At Nottingham Contemporary they are currently showing a David Hockney retrospective until the end of January. For such a small exhibition which is held in only two of the rooms at the new gallery they really managed to create a narrative of how his personal art has developed over his career. I especially loved the piece entitled "Life Art for a Diploma" in which he mocks his lack of interest in his colleges life drawing classes which needed to be completed for his course. This showed a ironic and satirical nature of his work that later developed into his famous depictions of californian life.

A short but sweet little exhibition.

Nottingham Contemporary

This week a brand new contemporary Art gallery has opened in my old stomping ground of Nottingham. It sits on the crest of a hill which has provided the Caruso St John architects with a unique site that they have taken full advantage of. They play with its various aspects and levels; framing the appealing views with carefully placed windows as well as carving out some new rights of way for any pedestrian. Unlike the design of many contemporary art galleries the architects have not been brazen with its form- it sits comfortably within the existing skyline, yet not too comfortably that it is not intriguing. I especially loved the lace imprint made onto some of the exterior concrete panels, a little nod to its site on the edge of the old lace market.

All in all I can hardly criticise any initiative that adds exciting new architecture to the city skyline, let alone free Art to the residents of that city... a resounding thumbs up!

Quote of the Day

" A building should be to a city as a brick is to a brick wall"

- Mamdar Puranik