Who's Lacking. Bridget Bæker at Joao Ferreira.
Friday, October 05, 2007
The Baedeker is an pre-war travel guide with a distinctive red cover, guiding itinerant traveller's through the wonders of Europe. Cryptic was my first response to Bridget Baker's new show Bridget Bæker. The imagery was lush, beautiful and exceedingly professionally produced and presented. Having recently seen a whole bunch of shows with a messy aesthetic, this was really refreshing. But my reaction was a good measure of confusion.
The show consisted of three elements, the first being a triptych of her iconic character The Blue-Collar Girl, this time in the Swiss Alps, leaving a footprint in the ice reading 'Only you can©'. This was was my first point of perplexity, as everyone else seemed to know what this meant. Having not seen too many shows by Bridget Baker, nor followed the Blue-Collar Girl's travels (for indeed this is a series of photographs which take place in locations across the world: India, Mozambique, Durban...), I did not. Reading on the Joao Ferreira website, one finds the following quote: Currently the 'sensible woman' is my subject. I entice her into leading a double-life of invisibility. You may say that this type of life is characteristic of a "sensible woman" anyway ... but wait, those invisible tasks she undertakes could make her invincible." This helps. The Blue-Collar Girl is dressed in an outfit of Chroma Key Blue, the colour that is used in film special effects to mask out areas. This makes the woman both potentially invisible, but also potentially universal, as anyone could be imposed into the blue void. She is engaged in seemingly impossible tasks, climbing an alp in this instance. And then leaving a record of her presence/absence by implanting a logo, 'Only you can©', which could of course mean anyone.
The second element was an enormous print called La fille transparente à Kippel / Das transparente Mdchen in Kippel, a picture of a Swiss lass carving herself a wooden leg, after her own is broken. In the corner of the hut she is in hangs the Blue-Collar Girl's coat, as well as an image of the same movie star which appears in the first panel of the triptych. I imagine understanding who this mysterious woman is could have helped. Or perhaps not... another sensible woman?
The third part was a film entitled The Pilot. The footage was amazing, shot on black and white film and transferred to DVD, showing a pilot, leg broken and splinted, stranded in the snow. Then she is hoisted up the enormous facade of an Art Deco building. An odd mixture, and I think I must have missed the metaphor.
Which is what worried me about this show. I had a continual feeling of lack, I wanted to have a interpration, but felt lacking in information, or even an understanding of the basic imagery. And I can't tell if this is my flaw or the artist's.
Labels: bridget baker, joao ferreira
posted by Robert Sloon at 2:30 PM
10 Comments:
Well said, Sloon. Maiden Over.
Obviously your critical facilities are lacking.
Perhaps, you don’t get out of Cape Town too much, hence your ignorance of what happens globally. For globally read anything that happens outside of Cape Town. But wait…shit…hold on…Can anything happen outside of CT? I know it’s quite a notion for your brain to compute, and it’ll take you some time, but it’s true…
Sorry to break it to you, Sloon.
But you’re an inchoate asshole. Maybe you should descend into another brandy and coke?
Failing that, perhaps regurgitating what your friends are mumbling about should work. It has in the past.
Bridget Baker, you make work that thrills.
what's with the personal attack on Bob Sloon? you seem scared. has he offended you with his honest opinion? why react like that?
and what has "globally" got to do with anything? if it happens overseas why should it be any better or seem correct in any way?
like baker's logic (in her work, this is not a personal attack), your argument is flawed.
I have an honours in English, and still don't know what the fuck this means:
"Currently the 'sensible woman' is my subject. I entice her into leading a double-life of invisibility. You may say that this type of life is characteristic of a "sensible woman" anyway ... but wait, those invisible tasks she undertakes could make her invincible."
I am delighted to stand corrected, but someone please explain:)
Sloon
Need "meaning" babyfed to you?
its your flaw, sloon
Wow, the wolves are howling at the moon, and hating Robert Sloon.
My sentiments exactly, Robert. I think work can stray too far into random guessing games and inarticulateness, and this is that kind. It helps if you are familiar with the Blue Collar series, but I'm still not convinced that much meaning exists behind all the mystery.
Off the subject, but was relooking throught the Sunday Times this morning, and noticed the pic of Linda Givon kissing Mbeki's wife's hand.
What is SA's only serious gallerist up to?
Maybe Ms. Mbeki is funding Linda's proposed gallery in Soweto?
My god, people. Whether you do or do not like Bridgets show is relative. Robert cannot telepathically connect with the whole of Cape Town and write a review that will please everyone. He writes, as all critics do, in acordance with his interpretation. Agree or disagree with him, but hold back on the personal attacks. I liked Bridgets show. This doesn't mean I have to verbally attack everyone who disagrees with me. What the fuck is wrong with the people who write on this blog?
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