Yayoi Kusama at Victoria Miro, London

Installation is one of my favourite art forms. Depending on the work it can embody the space, enhance it and inevitably change it in some way. Thinking about the natural world versus the built environment led me to follow up Victoria Miro’s press release on Yayoi Kusama’s three giant pumpkins that will be on view for about a month this summer. The new giant dotted pumpkins will be installed in Victoria Miro's canal side garden to mark the 80th birthday of Japan's most revered contemporary artist.

Yayoi Kusama - whose legendary career spans six decades - celebrates her 80th birthday this year. To mark the occasion, for the first time in London, three new pumpkin works will be on display. Situated in the gallery's canal side garden the sculptures will be presented alongside her permanently installed iconic piece Narcissus Garden (1966-).

Kusama's acclaimed presentation in the Japanese pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1993, which consisted of a mirrored room filled with tiny pumpkin sculptures in which she sat in colour coordinated magician's attire - marked the beginning of the artist's preoccupation with the pumpkin motif. Following the Biennale she went on to produce a huge, yellow pumpkin sculpture covered with an optical pattern of black dots. This pumpkin came to represent for her a kind of alter ego or self-portrait and remains one of her signature series of works.

Kusama is a fascinating artist; the fact that her career has lasted over 60 years is a testament to the longevity of her work. I am amazed that in Novemvber 2008, Christies New York auctioned her a piece of her for $5,100,000. The hightest sum ever paid for a living female artist’s work!

Another fabulous Japanese artist is Yoshitomo Nara. His last work in the UK was at BALTIC, A-Z project.

Yayoi Kusama: Outdoor Sculptures runs at Victoria Miro from 23 June until 25 July. Opening hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 6pm.

Image credit (c)Yayoi Kusama courtesy of Victoria Miro

The First City of Film: Congratulations Bradford!

Beating Los Angeles, Cannes and Venice on 12 June Bradford became the first ever UNESCO City of Film.

Revealing pride for his home-town, Slumdog Millionaire screenwriter, Simon Beaufoy said of the award: “This is superb news for Bradford and is testimony to the City’s dedication to the film and media industry. Not only has Bradford played a crucial role in the story of cinema and helped shape its history, it has inspirational plans to enhance its future relationship with film, which will benefit both the local community and the industry at large.”

The UNESCO award (United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) means that Bradford is now part of the Creative Cities Network.

The only other two UK cities awarded UNESCO status, are Edinburgh City of Literature and Glasgow City of Music. Designed to promote the social, economic and cultural development of cities in both the developed and developing world, this important award promotes the shared interest of Bradford and UNESCO in the mission towards cultural diversity.


One crucial component to Bradford’s success is the city’s film festivals. These encompass the length of breadth of film making, with Bite the Mango, Bradford International Film Festival and Bradford Animation Festival showcasing shorts, feature-films, documentaries and animation from every corner of the globe.

Aesthetica was present at Bradford International Film Festival 2009, where we chatted with festival director Tony Earnshaw about his personal highlights of the festival and the importance of festivals to independent film. For a further overview of film festivals on a global scale, take a look at the Aesthetica ‘Film Festival’s at a Glance’ feature, which covers the best of contemporary and classic film from Munich to Cambodia

Bradford’s City of Film bid was chaired by Bradford-born Steve Abbot, producer of films such as “A Fish Called Wanda” and “Brassed Off”. If you want to emulate Abbot’s success, why not try your own hand at filmmaking? The current issue of Aesthetica has a step-by-step DIY guide penned by leading industry insiders Shooting People and Branchange Festival Programmer Philip Ilson. Here at Aesthetica, we are committed to supporting independent film making, and host a new short film every month on our homepage – courtesy of Shooting People.

If part one of our DIY Film Guide has sparked your creativity, our August-September issue is set to be essential reading. We’ll be bringing you the second part of our how to’ guide – with tips on how to promote, distribute and just get your film seen!

Image Top: Awayday

Middle: Steve Abbott producer and chair of the Bradford City of Film Board and Simon Beaufoy Oscar winning screenwriter

Marcus Coates Wins the Daiwa Foundation Art Prize

You might remember the cheeky image that was on the cover of the Feb/March issue this year? A man in super cool shades, a hare jumping out of his retro Adidas jacket and a badger on his head? Well, that was Marcus Coates who was one of the artists involved with Nicolas Bourriaud’s exhibition as part of the Tate Triennial“AlterModern” which finished on 26 April at Tate Britain.

Bourriaud argues that post-modernism is over and that it’s a term which is no longer relevant in today’s world. Coates’ film, installation and performance art focuses on the relationship between humans and other species. His work has received international acclaim.

Being one of the featured artists in this high profile exhibition really sets the stage for Coates’ contributions to the debates in contemporary visual culture. He was selected from an impressive shortlist. The Daiwa Foundation Art Prize was launched this year to introduce British artists to the Japanese visual arts scene. As well as receiving £5,000, Coates will be going on to Japan for his solo exhibition at Tomio Koyama Gallery in Tokyo.

Jonathan Watkins on behalf on the judging panel: ‘Coates has emerged as an artist with a distinct an extraordinary vision. He is making work now which is better than ever.’

The prize has been a resounding success, with nearly 900 applicants from across the UK. The prize, as well as providing a unique opportunity for artists wanting to establish themselves overseas, helps to further consolidate Anglo-Japanese relations in the arts. The shortlisted artists include Adam Dant and Bedwyr Williams; will be exhibiting their work at the Daiwa Foundation Japan House Gallery in London until 17th July.

Coates is an exciting artist making real contributions to contemporary art, introducing new concepts and themes while at the same time encouraging us to re-think our standard views.

Members of The Judging Panel were:

Jonathan Watkins (Chair): Director of Ikon Gallery, Birmingham.

Mami Kataoka: International curator who works with both The Hayward Gallery, London and Mori Art Museum, Tokyo.

Tomio Koyama: Owner of Tomio Koyama Gallery and collector of major Japanese and international artists.

Joanna Pitman: Art Critic for The Times and former Times correspondent in Japan.

Edmund de Waal: Artist potter, curator, writer and Professor of Ceramics at the University of Westminster.

Daiwa Foundation Art Prize Exhibitions London runs from 15 June – 17 July 2009 (Mon-Fri 9:30am -5:00pm. Daiwa Foundation Japan House Gallery,The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation13/14 Cornwall Terrace, London NW1 4QP. In Tokyo from 7 – 21 November 2009 Tomio Koyama Gallery

Image credit top: Galapagos Fashion (c) Marcus Coates
Image credit middle: The Plovers Wing (c) Marcus Coates