Mike Nelson: Extinction Beckons

22 Feb –⁠ 7 May 2023 Hayward Gallery

British Pavilion – Venice Art Biennale – 2011

I first saw Mike Nelson work in the 2011 Venice Biennale where he was occupying the British Pavilion, I quite enjoyed his set-up and particularly the dark room lit with red safety light.

Triple Buff Canyon , the woodshed (2004)

I must say to my shame that his name did not ring a bell when I saw the add for the exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in London’s Southbank. But the picture of one of the artworks ( the one bove) was compelling enough to motivate me going.

Inside view of Triple Buff Canyon , the woodshed (2004)

Remnants of the Dark room were to be found both in a first piece looking like the artist storage room as the chandelier below.

But also in a recreation of the dark room itself, behind the dune of Tripple Buff Canyon

The main piece I think is maze of about 20 rooms, build with salvaged items, quite a bit of quite a bit of queue to get in as the space inside is quite narrow to get in.

The gallery upstairs contains a few pieces like the below part of the Asset Strippers group, you can read more here : https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/mike-nelson

The Assets Strippers

The main room of the gallery, which is often the entrance of exhibition if today the last room to be visited. It offers a very striking piece with a 3D metal mesh holding concrete heads Studio Apparatus for Kunst Halle Munster.

Studio Apparatus for Kunst Halle Munster (2014)

A couple more interesting items can be found on the way out including a recreation of the artist studio in the early 2000’s (what a mess 🙂 )

The Amnesiacs (1996-today)

Exhibition is closing on month 7th of March sadly, otherwise I would highly recommend it. I don’t know how long this link will be good bu tyou can check : https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/art-exhibitions/mike-nelson-extinction-beckons?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyP2zldDE_QIVEO7tCh2pGgtiEAAYASAAEgLW0PD_BwE

(All shots Leica M262+ Summicron 50mmV2, except Triple Buff Canyon shot with 35mmF3.5 ltm summaron, 2011 shot was Nikon D700+Nikkor 50mm1.8D)

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London on Film

I spent a week in London recently with my family and brought the usual travel kit (Leica M, M262 and the Summicrons 28mm Asp, 35 Asph v2 and 50mmv5), I brought a nice set of films but in the end I did not shoot much, only a roll of TriX and half a roll of Portra  400. And on digital as we are here I took a mere 300 shots.

Looking at the TriX shots I am quite pleased; as usually they have been dropped for processing at Ruby photo in Singapore and scanned at home ; but when I was there I was a bit puzzled about what or who to shoot.

On one hand I am so used to travel in Asia that I am a bit lost in European cities, I am not sure about people reactions to the camera (I like candid shots), but also I think the whole way the big city works need so getting used to. So a bit of frustration. Maybe also my expectations were a bit too high, who knows.

London as changed a lot since I was last there 14 years ago. The south bank area is so lively now, also packed with tourists and street performers.

Asian tourists selfy-ing themselves are everywhere, but that’s the same all over the planet. Here at the Borough Market, a place that I never saw before, this is definitely a good area to shoot.

There are many food stalls there.

Some attractions on South Bank are using old lorries that are worth a shot imo. I only realized today that the London eye was reflecting on the bonnet of the lorry, I would have framed it better if I have known.

A morning stroll in SOHO, is also a nice opportunity for people shooting.

Or just window shopping.

In the places I never visited before was Ealing Broadway, home of the Ealing Studios who produce(s/d) cinema and television shows.

Finally another happy discovery was Old Spitalfields Market that I visited the day of the vintage records market.

A couple more Portra shots below:

 

Wayang (Chinese street opera) – Hong San See Temple – Singapore

The artists from this Chinese Street Opera (Wayang) troup preparing for the show at Hong San See Temple Mohamed Sultan road Singapore

You can read more on the Wayang .

All shots done with :

Camera:Nikon D700
Lens:Nikkor 85mmF1.8D