123 - Ugo Rondinone - the rainbow body

When I was in London last week (travelling through), I also went to the show at Sadie Coles HQ. Vividissimo.

I had to wear these blue shoe covers. Which is a shame, as my shoes were a perfect match with the exhibits.

There were a lot of anatomically correct, wax models, posing langourously around a theatrical set of neon colours. Seconds into a contemporary dance performance, paused in time, in the hold before the out breath.

It was something of a heady colour cocktail. I was aware of the gallerist guiding a couple of guys through the show, but I didn't register what she was saying. 

I was at the bottom of a deep swimming pool. I had the sense that we would all bob to the surface in a moment.

I have been drawing posing figures drenched in colour for the past few months, so it was strange to suddenly walk into a room full of posing figures drenched in colour. I've also made a rainbow plasticine piece in the past. The connection scrambled my brain a bit. I think this is one that I need to let my mind process for a while and come back to.

I wonder how the funding works for something like this? I mean how does the artist pay for it all? A patron? Or did they just build up to sell more and more expensive work until they could afford to make anything they wanted?

Here is Ugo speaking about another neon colour work - this time in stones in the desert.

I love his gentle, articulate expression. This work feels weirdly serendipitous as well: only a couple of weeks ago I visited Stone Henge for the first time. It's a 20 minute drive from my house. Estelle told me the stones were white when they were first built - the surface of each, honed with stone age tools.