Saturday 28 August 2010

NET RESULT

Ernesto Neto (or, to give him his full name, Ernesto Saboia de Albuquerque Neto) is a contemporary Brazilian artist whose site-specific "immersive, sensory installations" The Edges of the World can be explored ('seen' is far too passive a word) at The Hayward Gallery in London's Southbank Centre.

Supports

Dome

Neto is a good name for an artist who has done the more for nylon netting than anyone since whoever it was who invented women's tights - and with considerably more imagination! Basically Ernesto's world is constructed out of slot-together wooden struts (often vaguely resembling bones) over which is stretched a lot of nylon netting weighted down with stones...

Foot

...and joined to other structures with stocking-like tubes that resemble connective tissue.

Connections

Elsewhere, his netting divides rooms creating new levels only visible from viewing platforms that allow head-and-shoulder access into these upper spaces...

Upper Level

Strands

According to Wikipedia...

Neto's work has been described as "beyond abstract minimalism". His installations are large, soft, biomorphic sculptures that fill an exhibition space that viewers can touch, poke, and even sometimes walk on or through. These are made of white, stretchy, stocking-like material -- amorphous forms stuffed with Styrofoam pellets or, on occasion, aromatic spices.

Herbs

Herb Wall (1)

In some installations, he has also used this material to create translucent scrims that transform the space's walls and floor. His sculptures can be regarded as expression of traditional abstract form, but in their interaction with the viewer, they work on another level as well.

That is certainly true and visitors spend a very happy hour or more wandering through Neto's mysteriously secretive environment and, last weekend, that included David, Sophie and myself...

Looking Around

Sophie (2)

Brian (1)
And here are some of the things we photographed...

Trail (2)

Weight (1)

Little People

Stones (3)
And here's Sophie photographing David...

Sophie & Stones
While David was photographing Sophie...

Photo Op
And I looked on and laughed...

Brian in a Hole (2)


The Edges of the World continues on show until 5 September. And Google has a great many (and varied) images of Ernesto Neto's work.

And you'll find more photos from our visit on my flickr photoset, Arty-facts.

Images: Brian Sibley & David Weeks © 2010. Photographs of David & Brian by Polkadotsoph © 2010

Be Gentle

8 comments:

David Weeks said...

I think Wikipedia got it just about right. Forget the high blown rhetoric and just enjoy the experience, I say. I have often thought that if an artist wanted to describe their output then the 'work' doesn't - work. By using media, other than words, as a means of expression is fine but you really don't need the artist, or anyone else to describe an installation piece in words. The pictures are the next best thing to actually being 'in it'. I enjoyed very much.

Suzanne said...

Fantastic! It looks as though it ought to be a set for C.S. Lewis' "Out of the silent planet"...

Steven Hartley said...

That sounds very interesting to visit!

SharonM said...

What a shame I was just too late to go with you! Certainly looks like a worthwhile experience.

And if you happen to be there and notice you've got a ladder in your tights/stockings...

Arts and Crafts said...

This "art" remind me one of those sets of 60`s Star Trek.

Brian Sibley said...

David – Well said! My own response to installation art is always along those lines. 'How' (rather than 'what') does it make me feel. Of course, there were extensive notes by the artist in the accompanying booklet, but after a couple of sentences, I decided not to read any more - in case I stopped enjoying the experience of being there!

Suzanne – Well, I did see several people there who might have been hrossa who mistakenly thought they were back on Malacandra...

Steven – Yes, it was. I love exhibitions that stretch my responses to things and this stretched them –– along with a lot of nylon netting!

SharonM – Funny you should say that because there was an emergency exit at one point as we made our way through the tunnels and it had a dangling end of thread that if pulled would have unravelled like the worst run in a pair of tights -– in order to provide immediate escape!

Eudora – The only difference was that these weren't meant to look realistic! :)

Unknown said...

lovely day... I will never look at tights in the same way again...

Brian Sibley said...

It was! Thanks for sharing in it. Just thought of an alternative title for this posting: Tight Spot!