The Gallery of Modern Art- Edinburgh

Being from Newcastle, instead of instinctively going down to London to see the art galleries and museums we generally instead decide to head upwards and see what Edinburgh has to offer. I have been to the majority of Edinburgh's galleries and think it's an amazing city for art and culture.They have great classic galleries such as the Portrait Gallery and The National Gallery of Scotland, which hold that very proper and grand feeling as you walk around and observe mainly renaissance art and onto the late ninteenth century. The paintings are generally oil and watercolour of landscapes and people. I like going and wandering around this type of gallery, there is something very British about it all.

However, my favourite gallery to visit in Edinburgh is the Gallery of Modern Art. It's a little further out then the other galleries but it is sat in it's own grounds and as soon as you enter you are surrounded by art visually. The way the gardens are sculptured all appears very modern (designed and resculptured by Charles Jencks in 2002) in contrast with the grand old building. There are sculptures and art pieces even on the grass, capturing your attention straight away.

The first floor of the Gallery of Modern Art is generally used for special Exhibitions, one artist will have a full display and payment will be taken. Although this is a small area, there has been alot of great names to have exhibitions with it. The second floor is the more permanent area, having pieces come in and out on loan but generally keeping the same theme and feel. They have French and Russian early twentieth century art, expressionist modern art including paintings from Picasso and Matisse.

With something for everyones taste the gallery also has post war work. Including pieces from Francis Bacon (who i saw a full exhibition of on the downstairs area one year), Andy Warhol, Lucian Freud and many more. They extend to even more modern work by having pieces from artists such as Damien Hurst and Tracey Emin- Who is currently having a full exhibition there. With such a huge range of artists and styles within the gallery you just never get bored, walking round from one room to the next there is always something new to catch your eye, no piece looks like the last one did and as is the way with alot of modern art you can stand pondering over the meaning behind what can often be some stranges pieces of work for a long while.

I think its great to visit a gallery that stands out and you remember it piece by piece rather then everything as a whole. It's definitely the gallery i would always go back to in Edinburgh.

The Baltic

Mariko Mori

Yoshitomo Nara + Graf

The Baltic is a contempory visual art gallery on Gatesheads Quayside. I really love going to The Baltic because it's alot different to other art galleries. Instead of concentrating on how one piece or painting looks they have alot of artists who design a whole room or area around their pieces too. The art is everywhere, even whilst you are going up the stairs you will be greeted with a series of artwork that is matching to that area.

They have alot of installation art within the gallery which i love. Seeing how each piece is developed in parts or recorded and shown interests me alot and i think often can be alot more stimulating to people then just staring at a piece of paper. Also, The Baltic has no permanent exhibition so everytime that you go in something new is beaming back at you, every one of them unique and often quite puzzling. They have big artists and not so well known ones, they choose their displays on talent rather than fame.

The two pictures above are examples of what is on at The Baltic now. Mariko Mori is a Japanese artist who in her exhibition is showing her opinion of an invisible world and our consciousness within it. Yoshitomo Nara and Graf (a design company) have designed the second exhibition which is a series of characters displayed on everyday objects and situations, showing in a very bold way how art can fit into everyday life.

Beamish

I was trying to think of museums i had or was planning to go to that would inspire me enough to write about them, that i would know alot about and how i could easily research more...then it clicked. I better write about the one i LIVE in.

Yes, i live in a museum. Well sort of. I live in the grounds of Beamish Museum, a built up town that has everything from the dentist to the sweet shop all set in the early 1900's. It's spread across quite a large amount of land. There is a town centre, the mines, the old station and garages where old cars are being repaired...It even has a merry go round. The tram or an old fashioned bus takes you from place to place and quite honestly...it's a good day out.

Beamish has always been popular with the surrounding schools for school trips. Dressing the kids up as victorians with flat caps and mop hats and sending them off to see how their ancestors survived without washing machines and television. It boasts cafes such as 'The Canny Cuppa' and what i must say is the best sweet shop around.

It's nice to see a museum that's abit different, clearly i am bias as my family decided to live in the surrounding grounds to it, but i think it's great to see somewhere trying to educate whilst having fun, it's a perfectly designed place for kids and adults and has had people travelling from really quite far away to come and visit.

The Laing

The Laing is a art gallery in Newcastles city centre. I have been going in and out of The Laing for as long i can remember, popping in when i am in Newcastle to see a new exhibition or display that is up at that time. They have paintings that come and go, and others that stay on a permanant basis. I have always found it a great place to go and walk around in peace, collect your thoughts and gain inspiration for whatever project you have in your head at that time.

It is a great building visually on the outside as well as in inside, one of the buildings that you are proud to have standing in your home town. The gallerys permanant collection consists mainly of early 20th century artists who have done oil paintings or watercolour paintings. Although some people may find this type of art quite boring, i think it's nice to always know that The Laing contains this art sort of as it's structure and then adds to it by bringing in new artists and ideas to keep the place fresh.

Currently, there seems to be a Chinese theme within the gallery, there are Chinese ink paintings and also installations mainly to do with water by Chinese artists. It's great to know that such an adaptable gallery is on the doorstep.

The Tate- Liverpool.

Recently i visited 'The Tate'. A large museum well situated on the outskirts of Liverpools city centre.

When first entering The Tate you are hit with Rodin's 'The Kiss'. Just in the lobby way, as a lovely taster before actually going into the main exhibition area. From the 30th of May to the 31st of August the main exhibition is 'Gustav Klimt- painting, design & modern life in Vienna 1900'. The exhibition displays dozens upon dozens of Klimts pieces, by no means scamming you into coming along to see a few copies and early pencil sketches; quite the opposite infact. The exhibition has nine days left, so if you are in and around Liverpool-go!

Klimt was a very influencial artist and designer in the 1900's. He was part of a group of artists called 'The Viennese Secession' Who pushed for art to be moved forward and dare to use materials that werent just pencils and paints. Klimt used a wide range of materials within his pieces including gold leaf and jewels which make every piece he does so mind boggling complicated that you could stare at it for days.

Klimt also liked to show the difference of people and different forces and circumstances that put people into certain roles. A great example of this is 'The Beethoven Frieze' That was situated in the centre of the first room of the exhibition. It shows figures representing sickness, maddness and death merging into figures that represent compassion and ambition. (It is the first picture above.)

The next example of Klimts work showing how people differ with time and experience is his area of work named 'The world in Female Form' This piece shows how women go through the young, prime and old. Having a rather depressing look on old age...(Second picture above).

I believe Klimts work is very influencial within art and design because without him and his group of believers bizarre outlook on life and art itself the chances of design being moved forward smoothly and successfully as it was in this time period probably would not have happened so successfully. The Tate in Liverpool is a great building and this exhibition too. It's situated on the first and fourth floor (a lovely treck when you're scared of lifts).