The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureArt

Burning, Cutting, Nailing at Skarstedt Gallery

Burning, Cutting, Nailing at Skarstedt Gallery | Exhibition review
14 June 2015
Emily D'Silva
Avatar
Emily D'Silva
14 June 2015

Exhibition and art

Emily D'Silva

Burning, Cutting, Nailing at Skarstedt

★★★★★

Dates

11th June 2015 - 31st July 2015

Entry

Free

Links & directions

WebsiteMap

Burning, Cutting, Nailing is exactly as the title describes. Skarstedt Gallery opens its Mayfair space to this collection of works by Yves Klein, Lucio Fontana and Günther Uecker. SKA_110615_ 013Typically exhibiting contemporary European and American artists, each part of the title is exploited by one of the featured artists: “burning” by Klein from France, “cutting” by Fontana from Italy and “nailing” by Uecker from Germany. The process of production and creation of art from the destruction of materials aims to create a new beginning in life that is reflected in the artwork, as a response to society after World War II.

Fontana displays rectangular plates of copper and aluminium with holes, cuts and lacerations that are placed within large white frames. In addition, there are two canvases, one red, one white, which again are victims to angry slashes slicing right through them. The simplicity and cleanliness of the destructive marks creates an unusual conflict of interests. Klein’s work hangs among these pieces and similarly frames ruined materials, namely cardboard that has been burnt. The careful application of flames has created soothing patterns that have a kind of three-dimensionality to them. The largest piece, Peinteure de feu sans titre, is stunningly eye-catching for these reasons, with a flowing transition between light and shadow that evokes the characteristics of fire itself.

Uecker’s unique compositions of nails on canvas and wood are strange and alluring. As visitors alter their angle of viewing these pieces, the look of the composition is altered too due to the interchanging of light through the nails that protrude the surface. The freestanding New York Dancer IV is also exhibited here, consisting of nails extruding through cloth. With the sharp pointed end of the nails sticking out, this piece is extremely aggressive and unnerving.

The large white and spacious rooms of the gallery allow the viewer to examine the art without any clutter of the mind. The works in this collection are collectively earthy and neutral, allowing the viewer to focus solely on the sense of movement created by light, shadow and formation.

★★★★★

Emily D’Silva

Burning, Cutting, Nailing is at Skarstedt Gallery until 31st July 2015, for further information visit here.

Related Itemsburning cutting nailingskarstedt

More in Art

Decentralise at Somerset House Online

★★★★★
James White
Read More

No Holds Barred: The Life and Art of Matthew Lanyon

James White
Read More

Shai Baitel announced as inaugural artistic director of Modern Art Museum Shanghai

The editorial unit
Read More

The National Gallery online: Lockdown’s top 20 most viewed paintings

The editorial unit
Read More

Art 2021: London’s best virtual exhibitions from home

Catherine Sedgwick
Read More

Ten artistic depictions of the Christmas story through the ages

James White
Read More

Five gifts for art lovers this Christmas

Emma-Jane Betts
Read More

Five alternative art exhibitions for Christmas 2020

Catherine Sedgwick
Read More

Sensing the Unseen: Step into Gossaert’s Adoration at the National Gallery

★★★★★
Anna Souter
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Exhibition and art

Emily D'Silva

Burning, Cutting, Nailing at Skarstedt

★★★★★

Dates

11th June 2015 - 31st July 2015

Entry

Free

Links & directions

WebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Cruise – Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • London’s Michelin-starred restaurants open al fresco right now – and all those re-opening in May
    Food & Drinks
  • Syml – Dim EP
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Birdy at Wilton’s Music Hall Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Steelers: The World’s First Gay and Inclusive Rugby Club
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Arlo the Alligator Boy
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Digital signage: A new trend in communication
    Tech & Sport
  • London’s Michelin-starred restaurants open al fresco right now – and all those re-opening in May
    Food & Drinks
  • Ride or Die
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!
    ★★★★★
    netflix
  • Arlo the Alligator Boy
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • London’s Michelin-starred restaurants open al fresco right now – and all those re-opening in May
    Food & Drinks
  • Live from the Barbican: Moses Boyd
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Secret Connection – Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • London Grammar – Californian Soil
    ★★★★★
    Album review
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Entourage | Movie review
Henry Moore at Osborne Samuel | Exhibition review