One of the star attractions of the night was this Tattooed Pig...
Arts and Culture
From Shakespeare to The Smiths, Wittgenstein to Warhol
Take a look at some pictures I took at the Frieze Art Fair Preview last night in Regents Park, including Grayson Perry's 'Head Of A Fallen Giant', Norma Jeane's Performance 'The Straight Story', Argentinian Gallery Appetite's Booth and many more....
In reply to Andrea G:
Andrea G, I wish I could have made it last night, sadly too much work.
I was told there was a fight outside of the SIRCUS exhibit, do you know was this part of the installation or a real punch up?
I found out that it WAS A REAL PUNCH UP! A friend of mine who was working at a nearby Gallery booth (Sommer) said that one of the men had had too much to drink and was picking fights with quite a few guests!....
Heres some background information on what SIRKUS is and how it was created-
Low cost airline Iceland Express is sponsoring Icelandic art collective Kling og Bang to recreate the iconic Reykjavik bar Sirkus and send it to London for the Frieze Art Fair in October.
Sirkus was a small run-down shack of a bar in the middle of Reykjavik. Cramped, often smelly, and kitted out with the strangest collection of fittings and furnishings since Great Aunt Myrtle passed away and left her antique cement cats and brass umbrellas.
The building was adorned by two huge puffins and the name ‘Sirkus’ spelled out in light bulbs – most of which never worked.
Despite its supposed flaws, Sirkus was also far-and-away the favourite watering hole of almost everyone who makes Reykjavik life so vibrant, fun and creative. Bjork even shot one of her videos there.
Even as the building’s demolition date draws ever closer, hardcore fans still hope for a miracle reopening. There is, unfortunately, no way that’s ever going to happen. But Kling og Bang is trying to do the next-best-thing.
Kling og Bang, an artists’ collective from Iceland, will commemorate Sirkus, the Reykjavik bar, landmark, and hub of the alternative arts scene, by saving its facade and interior and re-erecting it at the Frieze Art Fair – “like a circus moving to another town”, the event’s website says. “A zany nomadic act reflecting the drive of Icelandic art, producing a situation of one circus within another for artists to respond to.”
The Sirkus project is not a cheap one and Iceland Express have offered to support the cause by donating 90,000 kroner worth of free flights.
In reply to Andrea G:
You're lucky to have been able to check out the replica Sirkus, I was working (Back in Iceland) and couldn't make it unfortunately. Did you take more pictures, I'd be interested to see.
Like most people here I've had lots of good times here. I did a the last ever shoot inside Sirkus with Singapore Sling- big regulars of Sirkus, and we were shooting and drinking there while the last of the bar was being taken away for the show, quite an emotional night, but with a good vibe to it. Are you an artist?
I found this picture of Sirkus that came out in January with an article that announced it was being torn down