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| Lana Okiro |
I really enjoyed my visit to Parallax Art Fair 2017. There are so many stands so I decided to focus only on the art that instantly grabbed my attention- sorry ceramics and jewellery- it wasn't your day!
First up, a totally thrilling and novel concept- 'The Sinking World of Andreas Franke.' Andreas' pictures were haunting and mystical, carefully photographed before being submerged in the depth of the ocean once attached to the designated shipwreck via their special magnetic frames. These paintings were left in-situ for a few months allowing crustaceans to form and add some natural elements to the artwork. The photographs have a romantic or tantalising beauty about them and are of a timeless nature which blends beautifully with the ocean's natural signature, giving life to the nostalgic theme. Each exhibition consists of twelve pictures and the originals, worth thousands, are not on display;instead we viewed carefully prepared copies. The results of this process are stunning and have been viewed by many scuba divers before being removed from their nautical galleries- the Vandenberg, Stavronikita and Mohawk Projects in or off the coasts of Key West, Barbados and Fort Myers respectively. Andreas's work is of huge artistic significance and has graced the walls of castles and galleries worldwide.
Yelizavyeta is from Berlin and I would describe her as an energy artist. She produces realistic portraits enhanced with abstract art in bold rainbow colours to create her personal style of pop art. This collection of strong women emanates their power and sensuality. These are Queens of the modern world, lively characters who embrace their individuality whilst maintaining a very slight edge of vulnerability. They have a magnetism about them and I would love one in my living room!
When it comes to emotions Sue Haskel, who has her practice in London, displays an exciting insight into the human mind depicting it with clever use of paper and card butterflies/dragonflies or even fragments of photographs. Sue's collages are intricate and thought provoking, using colours, patterns and layers to project her intellectual life concepts. Sue's work attracted many questions and she acquired a commission whilst I was studying her work. Sue works with clients to create pictures that reflect their desires and I would love to write a poem and have her express it in the medium of her choice.
Walking towards the end of an isle my eyes were drawn to a totally stunning self portrait by Melody Amber. Her portrait was an interpretation of inspiration received from the book L'Ecume Des Jours, by popular French author Boris Vian. Melody connected deeply with the story and produced a series of photographs as part of this project. Without knowing the story I deduced from the touch of the mirror and the fact that Melody was in profile, a sense of conflict and desire to discover her true self which appears painful and slightly beyond her grasp. I have now read a precis of the story which is quite complex, based on love and physical/emotional decline however, from a personal perspective I believe this image can be re-interpreted and see the woman as representative of life's 'givers' who realize at some point that they have been so busy meeting the desires of others that they have neglected to expand themselves. There's a great deal to be said for artistic license and interpretation!
Giuseppe Vaccarella - whose work was positioned next to Melody Amber's, had a small display area and you can see here, a huge smile! I would categorise Giuseppe's work as, 'challenging contemporary.' His four paintings excited my mind. I mentally joined the dots between them, discovering a direct interpretation of and connection with Giuseppe's intentions. I discovered a definitive take on society from dawn to dusk, challenging man's development and future prospects. Using humanoids as androgynous representations of our population, we are thrown into both the firey atmosphere of the city and somewhat disturbing countryside that are both distinctly uncomfortable and where the future of mankind is ultimately a gamble!
My final choice of artist is Maggie Davies from the UK, whose 'Adventures in the City' are currently experiencing a rise in attention and popularity- particularly in the USA. Maggie conveys the power of our city both dramatically and in the cold dawning of a new day, following on beautifully from Giuseppe's work, providing an 'in-your-face' statement of the times. Maggie's intentions are fierce and she depicts the Docklands, quite correctly, as a work of art. Her paintings are a true representation of the architects vision, emphasizing lines and angles with the precision of an artists eye; reflecting the attention to detail required in today's somewhat mercenary commercial world. At the same time I have discovered a stillness in her work and true to life, there is a 'spiderweb' featured in one of her pictures that re-iterates the intricacy and highlights the cracks within our very structure. I believe that Maggie's work and use of colour has truly captured the essence of modern London.
Jaz McKenzie~ The Word Magician Contact: itsbraap@live.co.uk
PS: I had to add the pink flamingoes- childhood flights of fancy!
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