Be Italian! Rob Marshall's new film Nine

Take Daniel Day-Lewis and sprinkle him with a smouldering Italian accent, inherited of course from his mother Sophia Loren. Then marry him to Marion Cotillard and bed him with Penelope Cruz. Let Judi Dench take his hand and Nicole Kidman his kiss. Add a seductive Kate Hudson and a buxom Fergie and you will be served up a cinematic feast in Rob Marshall’s new film Nine.

Based on Federico Fellini’s original film 8 ½ (1963), the musical Nine brings together a star cast. The result is impressive and there is no denying that the film is a spectacle, enlivened by a dramatic Italian setting.

Nine’s plot picks up on key episodes and themes of Fellini’s original film. Pulling on the heart strings of the belle donne is the prolific film director Guido Contini, played by Daniel Day-Lewis. Like Fellini’s original character, Guido is battling with a creative crisis as he struggles to produce a new film that meets the public’s expectations. The women play a powerful force in his creative mission; each one reflects a different and more confused side to the protagonist.

If anything lets the cast down, it is the poor selection of songs that are all too similar and not memorable enough to make it a really powerful musical. If you want to get the best out of Nine, it is worth doing your homework and watching Fellini’s 8½ first. Then you can really understand the essence of what it means to be Italian.

Nine is now showing at cinemas nationwide

The V&A's new Medieval and Renaissance Galleries

In early December, the brand new Medieval and Renaissance Galleries were unveiled at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the extended exhibition space is quite outstanding. Funded in part by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Galleries dominate the east wing and display artefacts dating from 300 up to 1600, relaying the history of Europe from the final days of the Roman Empire right up to the end of the Renaissance.


Arranged over three floors and connected by a glass lift, the Galleries have been designed to be incredibly user-friendly, and allow visitors to interactively engage with the displays; children can try on imitation robes or make a brass rubbing, while budding artists can attempt their own perspective drawings on special paper provided.

The space is airy and free; a far cry from the former stuffy atmosphere. Although some areas seemed unfinished at present, these unique Galleries have transformed the Victoria and Albert Museum and are sure to put it once more amongst the city's top attractions.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/periods_styles/medieval/new_med_ren_galleries/

Avatar: worth the hype?

Amanda Magill checks out James Cameron's new film that has been in the making since 1994

Avatar has been heralded as one of the best films of the decade and I have to say I was not disappointed. I find the concept of avatars, the ability for your mind to be transported into another empty body for you to control, intriguing in itself; but place this concept in an incredible futuristic world and the effect is mind blowing.

The effects and 3D graphics were breathtaking, with the futuristic world of Pandora perfect in every way with complete ecosystems and fantastical creatures. The storyline was very predictable – greedy corporation tries to take land from the indigenous people, who are closely connected to nature and prepared to protect it, in order to make profit –, and in some places closely mimicked the issues from The Last of the Mohicans, but was still very enjoyable.

To be honest who needs an original, intricate plot when you have the visual feast that this film serves up? Hurry to cinemas now to see this one, as although probably enjoyable on DVD, nothing will compare to seeing it on the big screen.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Currently showing at the Natural History Museum is the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition, sponsored by Veolia Environnement. This year, a staggering 43,000 photographs were entered into the competition from 94 different countries, with the runners-up and winners on display in a new exhibition space at the Museum. The low lighting and spacious area allows for contemplation of each individual image.



The winning photograph, taken by the Spanish photographer José Luis Rodríguez, is seen above and appropriately captioned 'The Storybook Wolf' as the animal leaps a gate, on the hunt for cattle in the Castilla y León region of northern Spain.

Other outstanding images could be seen in the Young Photographer categories, and the One Earth Award, where photos representing the human impact on the natural world are encouraged. Left is Robert Friel's image called 'Footprints' showing a penguin chick fascinated by human footprints trespassing into its natural environment.

Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year is on at the Natural History Museum until 11 April 2010

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/

To Have, To Hold: things to chill, disturb, delight and desire

A display of bizarre fetish items created by the sculptor, or as some would say, the 'jeweller' Mark Woods is currently showing at The Wapping Project in east London. A leather clad construction dominates the back room of the old hydraulic power station, which once generated the energy needed to lift Tower Bridge.

One can enter inside the construction, but around the outside there are peepholes at different heights, and a collection of mostly unrecognisable objects awaits the viewer's eye, illuminated by bold light which contrasts with the dark, cold atmosphere of the whole room. Eerie music by Billy Cowie echoes around and adds to the truly eccentric nature of this entire exhibition.

It could be said that the building itself and beautiful rooftop view were more memorable; curator Jules Wright who set up The Wapping Project has created a unique environment combining a restaurant, bookshop in a greenhouse and an exhibition space reminiscent of 10 Corso Como in Milan, where she has also been involved in recent projects.

To Have, To Hold is on until 4th January 2010
The Wapping Project, Wapping Hydraulic Power Station

http://www.thewappingproject.com/

http://www.10corsocomo.com/

Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Courts

The V&A's current exhibition on the maharajas of India is the first of its kind, devoted solely to the extraodinary culture of the country's ruling class over the past four centuries. It explores the concept of the 'maharaja', an ancient Sanskrit word meaning 'king above kings', and the royal court culture centred around these individuals. Showcasing an extensive variety of exhibits, from textile coverings for elephants involved in the grand public processions to early examples of western imports made especially popular in the 20th century, the exhibition justly illustrates the richness of its subject.

Progressing chronologically, the visitor initially experiences the extent of the maharaja's importance through incredibly intricate paintings of processions and a life-size model elephant fully prepped as if to carry a ruler. In accordance with the concept of darshan, the act of seeing and being seen by a superior being, god or king, maharajas regularly undertook such public parades in all their splendour. The detail of one painting reveals a girl dancing on an elephant's tusk: although created with some artistic licence, the piece exemplifies just how impressive these processions would have been.

While darshan remained a central concept, it did not stand alone: a maharaja had to be well-versed in rajadhama, the duties and behaviour appropriate to a king, such as the protection of subjects, and administration of justice and punishment.

The charitable role of the maharaja is beautifully illustrated in pictorial representations including paintings and later, photographs, of the ceremony of the ruler being weighed in gold (seen right).

The jewels on display are astounding. While beautiful emeralds and other stones adorned a maharaja's exterior, jewellery also had a more private aspect, seen most clearly in the decoration on the reverse of a belt, designed solely for the wearer to see and enjoy. The shift of power and the political change affecting India during the late 18th and early 19th century is also illustrated by the changing styles of dress and, as is seen later on, the distinctive clothes marked out by their western buttons and braiding demonstrates just how dominant the 'British model of modernity' was.

The history of the presence of the British in India is well-charted in terms of exhibits, although I felt that the history of the East India Company needed slightly more explanation. As the British became the ruling force, the maharajas began to be viewed as exotic beings, yet, educated by English tutors and living a very British lifestyle, they slowly adapted accordingly. A striking photograph was of a maharaja and his wife in front of the House of Commons in the early 20th century; looking every inch the English couple, the wife wears white gloves with her sari to conform to the 'look' of the time.

The final room of the exhibition is outstanding for several reasons, not least the huge Rolls Royce dominating the centre. The car illustrates the scale of the patronage given by the maharajas to then fledgling western companies- Maharaja Bhupal Singh's order of a fleet of Phantoms was one of the early successes of the firm. Cecil Beaton and Man Ray's photographs of the beautiful wives of the maharajas, such as Sita Devi, demonstrate to what extent fashion too was influenced / an influence on the ruling class of India. The exhibition closes with a final comment on the role of the maharajas today, where they remain symbols of regional identity; a great change from their crucial leadership roles in the ancient court culture of the country.

Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Courts is on at the V&A until 17 January 2010

http://www.vam.ac.uk/microsites/maharaja/

Pop Life: Art in a Material World

Despite seeing Pop Life a while ago, I have struggled to compose a review on the exhibition. I came away from Tate Modern puzzled: as much as everyone likes to throw about the question ‘what is art?’, in this instance it was more applicable than ever. The ‘art’ displayed included several over-18’s rooms, and in one was Andrea Fraser’s sixty-minute video of herself having sex in a hotel room with a stranger who paid her $20,000 for the privilege. In another, huge images from Jeff Koons’ Made in Heaven series, graphically demonstrated exactly what Koons got up to with his then wife, the Italian pornography star and subsequent politician La Cicciolina. And all this without yet mentioning the headline-grabbing story that resulted when police entered the gallery to forcibly remove Richard Prince’s Spiritual America IV, a.k.a. that picture of a naked and heavily made-up ten-year-old Brooke Shields standing provocatively in a bathtub.

But perhaps, by starting with the controversy, I have already fallen into the first trap and failed to understand what questions and points this exhibition is making. Pop Life first explores Andy Warhol’s contribution to the culture of art, the Warhol brand itself in his shameless self-portraiture and self-promotion. Indeed, it is a perfect place to start and when the exhibition closes with examples of the Japanese artist Takashi Murakami’s work, it becomes evident that we have almost come full circle from Warhol’s Factory to Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki Co, a similar factory concept where cheap art is mass produced and sold.

One of the main themes of Pop Life concerns the commercial value of art, and one of the most obvious portrayal of this is in Keith Haring’s Pop Shop where, in the middle of the exhibition, visitors are able to purchase Haring’s garishly coloured t-shirts and other merchandise. As the music pumped on and on, I was forced to wonder if indeed this was merely a comment on art as a product or whether the gallery was implicating itself in the trade, imitating the very concept behind the shop. Damien Hirst’s formaldehyde animals demonstrated again the culture of modern art, the idea of mass production and monetary exchange for commissions, rather than art dreamt up by the artist.

All in all, it is a strange exhibition that does not shy away from those seedier aspects of modern art which, even if they have become more mainstream. I would not recommend it entirely, however it is by far the most challenging show I have seen in recent years at the Tate Modern and forces on the visitor ideas that require much afterthought.

Pop Life: Art in a Material World is on at the Tate Modern until 17 January 2010
http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/poplife/

Fantasies, Follies and Disasters: The Prints of Francisco de Goya

The name of the Spanish artist Goya conjures up a plethora of different images, but the most disturbing remain those relaying the havoc wreaked on his home country during the Peninsular War of 1808-1814. The frighteningly memorable crimes committed by the French in Napoleon’s desperate bid to control the Iberian peninsular were forever immortalised in Goya’s black and white etchings entitled Los Desastres della Guerra (The Disasters of War) and serve as a terrible warning as to what happens when all reason is lost and all human qualities in men vanish.

In a current exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery, etchings from this series are displayed alongside some from the deeply satirical Los Caprichos (The Fantasies) and Los Disparates (The Follies).
Thirty prints from the three series are also accompanied by Jake and Dinos Chapman’s 3D models of The Disasters of War, and, although in miniature, I found that Goya’s haunting images and message were reworked in this new medium to great effect.

Above left: The Sleep of Reason produces Monsters from Los Caprichos

Below: Tragala Perro (Swallow it, Dog), 1799, Francisco de Goya

Fantasies, Follies and Disasters: The Prints of Francisco de Goya runs at the Manchester Art Gallery until 31st January 2010 http://www.manchestergalleries.org/whatson/exhibitions/index.php?itemID=61

The American Scene: Prints from Hopper to Pollock

Manchester's Whitworth Art Gallery is currently hosting the final leg of the touring exhibition The American Scene which began back at the start of the year in the British Museum. Outstanding examples of 20th century American lithographs and screenprints are arranged chronologically through twelve rooms, portraying a wide range of influences and events in recent American history.

Edward Hopper's etching entitled Night on El Train (1918) is demonstrative of the so-called 'American Scene', a term given to urban and rural subject matter during the 1920's and 30's. The later Night in the Park (1921) shows Hopper's increasing use of an oblique viewpoint to achieve a mysterious and dramatic piece, with the viewer left somewhat perplexed due to the lack of instruction and guidance from the artist.

Personal favourites for me included Reginald Marsh's interpretation of a dole queue in Breadline- No one has starved (1932), with the figures at the edge of the print cropped to give the impression of an endless line of people. Equally memorable were the colour screenprints of Robert Gwathmey. Share Croppers (1944) illustrates the rural poverty of the mid 20th century and is shown below.

The rise of Fascism and the outbreak of World War Two is actively engaged with by Hugo Gellert, particularly in his striking image of the American flag with a rat chewing through the rope; a take on the worrying threat of Nazi sympathisers, believed to be attempting to infiltrate the country.

The American Scene: Prints from Hopper to Pollock runs at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester until 13th December 2009

http://www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/whatson/exhibitions/theamericanscene/

The Informant!

Amanda Magill struggles to be convinced by Matt Damon's latest role

I like Matt Damon. I really do. I think he’s an intelligent, sophisticated actor who can turn his hand to different, varied projects and nearly always succeed. Unfortunately this strong opinion didn’t stop me from hating his new film ‘The Informant!’. Damon plays a high profile whistleblower who works for the FBI, reporting on his company’s price fixing of lycerine (corn sugar). At first you think that Damon is the good guy but after a while you realise that he isn’t as squeaky clean as he makes himself out to be. For me the plot was slow and didn’t really go anywhere.

Some could say that the way in which Damon’s character kept on lying provided certain plot twists, but unfortunately these were too obvious for me. I predicted that he would be lying and he was. Move over Mystic Meg there’s a new fortune teller in town (I wish!). Labelled as a comedy I was also expecting to laugh and I did. But only once. The comedy came from people’s shock that Damon was lying but also his internal monologue of random facts when he was bored. At first it was entertaining to hear him ponder why polar bears know to cover their noses when fishing but after a while that random facts became annoying and random. So in conclusion sorry Matt I still love you but this latest offering fell short for me in every respect.

http://theinformantmovie.warnerbros.com/

Peter Marlow at The Wapping Project \ Bankside

Gallerist Jules Wright’s latest venture, The Wapping Project, Bankside, is currently hosting its second ever show: a collection of Peter Marlow’s vintage photography from his 1980’s London at Night project. Set around the areas of Limehouse and the Isle of Dogs, Marlow captures the very essence of a city long forgotten and as far as can be from its present day modern and developed image.

Living around the Docklands district at the time, Marlow photographed various scenes at night using long exposures; a technique pioneered by Bill Brandt in his London by Moonlight series taken during the Blitz. Marlow’s images comprise everyday scenes and some fairly ugly modern architecture, yet the silvery tinge of the photographs is an artistic testimony to sights now demolished and changed irrevocably.

Peter Marlow at The Wapping Project \ Bankside is on until 9th January 2010

http://www.thewappingprojectbankside.com/