MY PICKS FROM COLLECT 2011

It’s the seventh time I go to COLLECT. And third time at the Saatchi Gallery. Every year I look forward to it, I enjoy it and I am amazed by the quality, the variety and the high standard of the works exhibited. But at the same time, I find myself fighting against a certain indolent indifference in front of some displays. Could it be because I have already seen some works many times? Or because I make a mental link between what I see and some other pieces using the same idea, technique or concept? A “been there done that” feeling…

This year, to avoid that feeling, I have tried two different strategies: the first was to really take time to look at each object I liked and ask questions to the galleries or artists. It required a lot of time and several visits but allowed me to better make sense of what I saw. The second one was to ask my husband, who is not so familiar with applied art objects, to show me the works he liked and tell me why he liked them. This allowed me to have a fresh and different look at the objects he chose.

Here are the objects I really loved this year at COLLECT 2011:

I love minimalist objects that are both very poetic and effective at the same time:

Mirei Takeuchi. Galerie Rosemarie Jager. Photos Isabelle Busnel

Maya Selway. Bishopsland Educational Trust. Photos Isabelle Busnel

I love objects whose function has been subverted or undermined:

Kjell Rylander. Photo Annci Gustafsson from styleofdesign.com

Kjell Rylander. Gallery Kunst1. Photo Isabelle Busnel

Caroline Slotte. Galleria Norsu. Photos Isabelle Busnel

Ja-Kyung Shin. Galerie Rosemarie Jager. Photos Isabelle Busnel

Ja-Kyung Shin. Photo Art Aurea

Hilde de Decker. Galerie Marzee. Photo Isabelle Busnel

I love originality and creativity in the materials used:

Axel Russmeyer. Electrum Gallery. Photo Isabelle Busnel

Hanne Friis. Galleri Format. Photo Isabelle Busnel

I love when materials are used in experimenting ways, creating striking and beautiful works:

Sue Hawker. Glass Artists Gallery. Photos Isabelle Busnel

Anne Marie Laureys. WCC-BF Gallery. Photos Isabelle Busnel

Deirdre Hawthorne. Galerie Besson. Photo Isabelle Busnel

I love organic, underwater coral and reef inspired works:

Eva Zethraeus. Blas&knada. Photos Isabelle Busnel

Ruudt Peters. Galerie Rob Koudijs. Photo Isabelle Busnel

Evert Nijland. Galerie Rob Koudijs. Photo Isabelle Busnel

Sidsel Hanum. Gallery Kunst 1. Photo Isabelle Busnel

Therese Lebrun. WCC-BF Gallery. Photos Isabelle Busnel

I don’t know anything about woodturning but I love those pieces where the artist must possess impressive skills to transform a log into those amazing wood objects:

Marc Ricourt. Sarah Myerscough Fine Art. Photos Isabelle Busnel

Christian Burchard. Sarah Myerscough Fine Art. Photos Isabelle Busnel

Alain Mailland. Collection Ateliers d’Art de France. Photo Isabelle Busnel

And finally, I love series and repetition of simple forms and shapes:

Natasha Daintry.  Clare Beck at Adrian Sassoon. Photos Isabelle Busnel