Art at Liverpool Biennial

Liverpool Biennial was great - even though I didn't get to see The New Contemporaries - as that finished on Saturday- I had a great time and saw so much art that was refreshing and inspiring. 

 Touched, is the theme for this year's international exhibition, that takes place in five art galleries, A Foundation, FACT, the Bluecoat, Open Eye Gallery, Tate Liverpool and several non gallery sites as well- Renshaw Street being a particularly prominent one.

Touched presents art with emotional impact, art that can touch those who are willing to be vulnerable and susceptible to it.

First stop was FACT Gallery on Wood Street...

This is a piece by Kaarina Kaikkonen 'Hanging On to Each Other' 2010.
She uses old clothing collected from local donors and creates installations. These pieces of clothing carry other people's traces, touch and memories.  This piece focuses on the act of doing the laundry as a symbol of domestic life - a mother caring for her family, unconditional love, where the touch of a mother's hand is present in the work.

One of my favourite pieces was Tehching Hsieh's 'One Year Performance' 1980-81
For a wole year he punched a worker's time clock in his studio, on the hour, every hour. He then took a self portrait of every time he did this, and had a witness to authenticate the work.
He did however miss a few - most where because he was sleeping, but pretty impressive dedication.

This was a lovely young lady we came across at FACT gallery, Julieann O'Malley, who is an artist in her own right, and will be showing at the Bluecoat in February! Check out some of her work on VIMEO.

Yves Netzhammer 'Dialogical Abrasion', 2010.

At the Bluecoat Gallery...

Carol Rama, 'The Cabinet of Carol Rama'

This work is unconventional and darkly erotic, collectively the different works presented by Rama present themes of sexual identity and female sensuality.

Nicholas Hlobo, Ndize, 2010

He creates sculptural installations, that reflect his Xhosa heritage. In this piece he uses recycled material and objects to investigate past and present. Stching, sewing, knotting the different materials all revolves around craft and touch.

He creates a sort of labyrinth in the upstairs gallery, where the audience interacts and plays in the game Ndize - hide and seek- getting lost and feeling vulnerable in the maze of ribbons. 

52 Renshaw Street...

Lee Mingwei, 'The Mending Project' 2009

Visitors are asked to bring items of clothing that need to be repaired  and either Lee or other menders (such as this cheerful chap) will repair it with brightly coloured ribbons and thread. 

NS Harsha 'Sky Gazers', 2010 

Rosa Barbra, 'Free Post Mersey Tunnels' 2010

Giving voice to the part of the city we can't normally hear.