Folkestone Triennial!
Today we went to Folkestone and had a private tour around most of their second Triennial (the first being three years ago). The whole day was such an interesting experience, and I really had an amazing time.
I guess I'll set you all up by telling you this: Folkestone has no real museum or large gallery/exhibition space, and so there is no way that the works featured in the Triennial can all be in one place. The town is a relatively small seaside town (where on a clear day you can see France across the Channel). Three years ago there were many works from artists all around the world, and nine of these works have been left behind as permanent artistic additions to the town.
The works from the previous triennial we actually took the time to look at were the following:
Mark Wallinger (UK) "Folk Stones" -- A piece comprised of 19,240 individually numbered stones to represent the exact number of British soldiers killed on July 1st, 1916, the first day of The Battle of the Somme.
Tracey Emin (UK) "Baby Things" -- A piece comprised of several small bronze sculptures of baby clothes and toys spread around the town. I saw the teddy bear, a hat, and a little shoe. The work is supposed to be a commentary on the high rate of teenage pregnancy in Folkestone. I will also mention that Emin does a lot of work about sex and her own personal life in bed.
Richard Wentworth (Samoa) "Racinated" -- The piece is a 10-part sign piece spread across the town. The text is a "fusion of poetry and botany" highlighting the non-native trees in this area. According to the pamphlet, it can also be read as a metaphor for the many migrants who have made Folkestone their new home.
This year's triennial is entitled "A Million Miles From Home." It ends on 25 September, so if you're planning on being in England before then, try and make a day trip out to Folkestone to see the works. The map is very well organized and has great explanations of the pieces. You are supposed to view the experience like a treasure hunt, but instead of treasure you get art.
I saw many works from this new triennial, but I cannot write about all of them here. I have posted pictures of almost all of the works I saw on my facebook, which you can look at here. I have made an effort there to explain most of the pieces in a bit of depth and description so you are not just aimlessly looking at contemporary art (YES ALL OF THE PIECES ARE CONTEMPORARY).
The works I want to write about here are:
Hew Locke (UK) "For Those in Peril On The Sea"
The Ship piece was really moving to me. I am not often moved in places of worship, as I do not worship, but there have been a few artworks or stained glass windows in churches that I have found very beautiful and moving. This church, however, is not just any church. This church is the oldest building in Folkestone, and it is quite interesting. You enter the church after walking through a very overgrown graveyard (where the tombstones have barely legible carvings), and there you see 100 model ships sailing above you. The idea and the execution are absolutely fantastically beautiful. Some of the ships were collected from places around the world, others were made by the artist and heavily decorated, but they were all sailing above, and it was just so beautiful. Did I mention it was beautiful?
And
Paloma Varga Weisz (Germany) "Rug People"
I have a very large place in my heart for abandoned railroad tracks. My whole life I've lived next to a set of abandoned railroad tracks, and I've spent good times and bad times there. There is something so beautiful about leaving something manmade to be taken over by nature, and then to put this incredible installation in the space is just exquisite. The sculpture consists of the heads of five figures who are all wrapped (individually in what look like blankets). The sculpture is sitting on a persian-style carpet which lays over both tracks. Even though the piece is made out of bronze (not the carpet), the figures look like they were carved into clay.
And
Cristina Iglesias (Spain) "Towards the Sound of Wilderness"
There are no words, this piece was absolutely beautiful and magnificent.
All in all, a fabulous day. I had my first and only fish and chips meal for lunch, it was very good but extremely filling, so I was only able to eat half of the meal. The journey home was long, but simple, so that wasn't too bad.
Tomorrow we are doing oral presentations (I am working with my new friend Susie) and then the two of us are going to High Tea!
xoxoxo
Be sure to check out those facebook photos!
PS. I discovered some new delicious and amazing cookies!
