Sunday 24 August 2014

Cut and Paste-Ivan Chermayeff-but is it art?

I took a trip to the nearby town of Bexhill......to the De La Warr Pavilion.....one of the South East's most iconic modernist buildings......built in the 1930s.
My friend Steph had been to an exhibition there......'Ivan Chermayeff-Cut and Paste'.....she thought I would love it......she was right.
Ivan is actually the son of Serge Chermayeff.....the architect of the building.....so it seemed a very apt place for his first major exhibition in the UK.
Born in London Ivan has spent most of his life in the USA.......and is responsible for dozens of the world's most iconic logos and posters.....but apparently he is most at home surrounded by junk and bits of paper "I really like cutting and slicing and tearing" he says [sound familiar anyone??].....and produces the most amazing paper collages.

I wanted to document my visit......and what better way than with a bit of cutting and pasting
So no photos at all.....I picked up 2 of the free exhibition booklets.......a postcard of the Pavilion.....and set about 'cutting and pasting'
 I stuck the exhibition advertisement on the back of the layout.
The title.....but is it art?.....came from a comment Steph's husband made about the prestigious Jerwood Gallery in Hastings "they probably wouldn't have this exhibition,they wouldn't regard it as art"......which begs the question.....what is art?
The Oxford English dictionary defines art as 'works produced by human creative skills and imagination'.......so I think they'd class this as art.....I certainly do....what do you think? 
You can find out more about his work at Artsy

13 comments:

Kathyk said...

Looks like a FAB day out and (as a lover of all things art deco styleeeee I LOVE the building - on my must visit list now!

Happy Sunday

Kathyk

Sian said...

Cutting and sticking. Oh yes, please.

Funny, thinking about it I would say yes, this is definitely art. Anything creative is art. And yet, I wouldn't call what I do art at all. It's just cutting and sticking!

Jimjams said...

Brilliant page to record a great visit - and art? definitely! Art that I'd pay for? Possibly not! I think people sometimes confuse those two - and IF people pay big bucks, it becomes "art" ... rather than cutting & sticking or painting & misting or doodling & drawing!

Sandra said...

Sounds like an amazing exhibition. Art is truly in the eye, as although some Art I just don't get, but each to their own I say

Lynne in NI said...

Your LO is absolutely perfect for your day out!

Karen said...

What a great post! I'd love to see this exhibit. My father was a music professor who also loved art, and he frequently took me to exhibits in NYC. I can remember having that conversation with him at a POP Art exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art---but is is art? I questioned it then, but am now convinced it is indeed art. Your layout is art as well!

Beverly said...

'works produced by human creative skills and imagination' so yes, indeed this is art and what we do though we drop our eyes. lower our voices and blush to say so is art.

Alison said...

I agree that this is most definately Art...but don't think of myself as at all artistic!
Alison xx

Abi said...

This looks fantastic. I recently went to see the Matisse exhibition in London. A similar sort of style, cut and pasted images from coloured paper.

Stephanie Gau t said...

Philosopher said that the Jerwood wouldn't regard this as 'Art' because it was produced by someone who they would regard primarily as a commercial designer. He said that that would be the Jerwood's own shortsightedness and nothing to do with the creativity on show at the De La Warr.

♥ Mary Janes TEAROOM said...

Ivan's images look wonderful in your layout Jacky...you've captured the event perfectly!... x
Susan x

Sheena said...

Great Lo, really reflects your visit well.

Jennifer Grace said...

Yes I would call it art, but maybe not 'fine art' which is the term I'd apply to paintings with lots of brushwork techniques. Any kind of creativity is art I think!

Your layout is a great tribute to the exhibition! x