Sunday, 22 September 2013

Saloua Raouda Choucair

Saw her show at Tate Modern recently:


(Not a 100% keen on this video: the introductory bit from the person from the Tate conservation department rather jars with me simply because I have difficulty with the practice of art restoration and the way in which, in my view, it inherently destroys the integrity of the artwork being subjected to restoration [to be discussed at another time perhaps] but I do think the video illustrates her work rather nicely and gives a nice insight into who she is as a person and an artist, her self-containedness in particular):

Really enjoyed the exhibition, particularly her sculpture work.
She's a most interesting woman. Clearly very self-contained, with a great belief 'in the potential of an idea', which she explores relentlessly and deeply.
Two concepts that have lingered with me are the way she explores 'the trajectory of the line', and her modular towers being changeable structures, to be stacked in different configurations, and each module either standing alone or stacked with others.

And, another link, about her retrospective in Beirut, set in a more authentic atmosphere, more alive (and better displayed? 360 degree view of sculptures; not always the case at the Tate, frustratingly):
Beirut retrospective