Geta Brãtescu at Tate Liverpool
I recently visited the Liverpool Tate and had a lovely day out with my mum and my Guide Dog! For context, we regularly go out to exhibitions together so that my Guide Dog can assist me around the exhibition space for a good sense of mobility and my mum can provide audio feedback, if a venue isn't as accessible as it can be, for a good sense of accessibility. This allows me to have the same experience as a sighted visitor. I trust her descriptions, judgements and directions enough to forms opinions from them and take photos on my iPad (with permission!) so that I can zoom in as much as possible to gain a clearer understanding of the piece being presented.
The first thing I noticed was the location, at Albert Dock, and how the gallery was a big part of the infrastructure surrounded by shops and cafes. As it had been quite a long drive, my mum and I went for something to eat first at a fish and chips restaurant on the dock which had a friendly atmosphere and the chips and peas were delicious! As well as the fish and chips restaurant, there was a coffee shop, a gift shop selling crystals and stones and a thrift shop selling unique and affordable jewellery pieces, scarves and gloves. It was like stepping back in time to the 1950s or 60s and I really enjoyed having that added dimension to my visit!
The first thing I noticed was the location, at Albert Dock, and how the gallery was a big part of the infrastructure surrounded by shops and cafes. As it had been quite a long drive, my mum and I went for something to eat first at a fish and chips restaurant on the dock which had a friendly atmosphere and the chips and peas were delicious! As well as the fish and chips restaurant, there was a coffee shop, a gift shop selling crystals and stones and a thrift shop selling unique and affordable jewellery pieces, scarves and gloves. It was like stepping back in time to the 1950s or 60s and I really enjoyed having that added dimension to my visit!
The gallery space inside Tate Liverpool was open and generous in space and capacity - meaning no one would be walking into me or my dog. Hurrah! I enjoy spaces where there are no obstacles of people or objects allowing me enough room to feel comfortable, get my bearings and allow myself to be seen with my service dog for minimal distraction and interruption. The Geta Brãtescu exhibition really appealed to me in the sheer volume of processes and techniques used throughout her career - from collage to performance, installations to paintings to textiles. She has a very experimental approach to her practice, looking beyond perfection and representation, focusing on the process and the skills learned. This appeals to me as a creative wanting to break away from accuracy and detail (which I trained myself to do so I wouldn't be seen as a 'crap' artist!) and instead adopt a more loose and playful approach to spotlight my individual and personal lens.
The piece that particularly stood out to me was Women (2007, tempera on paper) which comprised of a multitude of small drawings executed by the artist with her eyes closed, repeating the same form of woman's body recalled from memory. As someone with a severe visual impairment, a sighted artist drawing with their eyes closed appeals to me greatly - relying on the 'mind's eye' and past experience rather than factual perception from reference. She is 'interested in the tension between chance and the memory of forms that exists when drawing with the eyes closed, suggesting that without the 'freedom of the eye' the hand can better explore the 'freedom of the muscles' instead. The process of iteration and repetition interests me greatly and synthesises a lot with what I have discovered this year on my degree course. That constant repetition allows for variables and visual interest as well as deeper understanding of movement.
The piece that particularly stood out to me was Women (2007, tempera on paper) which comprised of a multitude of small drawings executed by the artist with her eyes closed, repeating the same form of woman's body recalled from memory. As someone with a severe visual impairment, a sighted artist drawing with their eyes closed appeals to me greatly - relying on the 'mind's eye' and past experience rather than factual perception from reference. She is 'interested in the tension between chance and the memory of forms that exists when drawing with the eyes closed, suggesting that without the 'freedom of the eye' the hand can better explore the 'freedom of the muscles' instead. The process of iteration and repetition interests me greatly and synthesises a lot with what I have discovered this year on my degree course. That constant repetition allows for variables and visual interest as well as deeper understanding of movement.
I was very impressed with the accessibility at Tate Liverpool, providing a Braille booklet and large print upon request, with the staff allowing me to take a photograph for my personal blog to better understand in my own time. I would most certainly visit again to see the next featured exhibition and have another fun day out with my family.
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