29.9.09

Anish Kapoor @ The Royal Academy.

Yesterday, in my lunch break, I speed-walked up Saville Row (Whilst smoking a fag) to the Royal Academy of Arts to see the new Anish Kapoor exhibition. Luckily I didn't have to spend 12 quid to get in, as my mate Nicky got me in for free! (Cheers Nick!) In the Annenberg Courtyard is the 'Tall tree and the eye', a major new sculpture, a cluster of giant mirrored stainless-steel balls reflecting and distorting its surroundings.



I really went to see the monumental work 'Svayambh', the title of which comes from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘self-generated’. Svayambh is a monstrous and sinister piece which moves slowly through the galleries across the entire breadth of Burlington House. Because of its size and colour, It made me think of a train heading to Auschwitz or death train full of people compacted together to form a large block of moving flesh, squeezing its way through the galleries large ornate doorways on its way to hell. This all might sound a bit dark, but it is actually quite beautiful.

I also wanted to see 'Shooting in the corner', which consists of a gas powered cannon firing (every 20 mins) large amounts of burgundy coloured 'gunk' through a gallery archway that will build up against the walls and floor over next 3 months.






Other pieces include, a number of new and previously unseen works, a select group of Kapoor’s early pigment sculptures, beguiling mirror-polished stainless-steel sculptures and cement sculptures on display for the first time.



The Anish Kapoor exhibition is at the Royal Academy of Arts until 11th December 2009.


Anish Kapoor


The Royal Academy