Saturday, June 7, 2014

Azure and Creative (This week's Photo Hunt themes)


After I booked the flights and hotels for my recent Japan holiday, I got to realizing that I'd be missing this year's edition of Art Basel (formerly known -- more appropriately to my mind -- as Art HK) as well as spending FA Cup Final day (the first one Arsenal had been involved in since 2005) in the Land of the Rising Sun.  

I have to be honest and admit that the latter realization stung much more than the former --this not least because my Japan trip plans included a visit to places where I expected my culture vulture appetite would be satisfied.  And so it proved, particularly at Kanazawa's 21st Century Museum of Art, where I was treated to an exhibition of the creative works of Leandro Erlich that included the famous The Swimming Pool installation that's actually on permanent display at the museum.

Although my blog post on the 21st Century Museum of Art did not show it, this wonderful museological establishment does indeed feature works by Japanese artists as well as creative types from other parts of the world, with the often polka-dotted works of the inimitable of Yayoi Kusama also being on display there.

As with Kusuma's works, I first came across the art of her countryman, Takashi Murakami, in Hong Kong (though in his case, it was at a special exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art rather than Art HK/Basel).  Interestingly, while looking at photos of their works which I had come across at the annual Hong Kong art fair, I noticed that they both have made use of azure colors in their works.  

Still, for a combination of azure and creative (Sandi's and Gattina's chosen Photo Hunt themes for this week), it's hard to beat Leandro Erlich's The Swimming Pool -- especially when viewed from underneath its water component.  To better see what I mean, go here to see an enlarged version of one of my photos of the creative installation)! ;b

14 comments:

Trekcapri said...

Hi YTSL, wow I think the swimming pool is so cool and very creative. I love the colorful artwork too.

Have a wonderful weekend.

eastcoastlife said...

The art pieces are very attractive. Love the colours! Wonder if they had held an exhibition in Singapore.

magiceye said...

Beautiful takes!!

YTSL said...

Hi Trekcapri --

Glad you like The Swimming Pool. Hope you checked out my other pics of it over on another blog post. :)

Hi EastCoastLife --

Wouldn't put it past there being exhibitions of the art of Murakami and Kusama in Singpore. You should keep a look out for them!

Hi magiceye --

I think so too!

Gattina said...

Very nice combination for both themes ! I wish you nice holidays !

Susan Demeter said...

I love the happy flowers they make me want to smile :)

YTSL said...

Hi Gattina --

Thanks but I'm back from my holidays. Unlike some Photo Hunters, I don't blog when on vacation!

Hi Sue --

That's my reaction to Takashi Murakami's flowers too. :)

Carver said...

I like the creative artwork and the way you caught the reflection in the pool is lovely. Your posts are always so interesting.

YTSL said...

Hi Carver --

Thanks much for still visiting despite your no longer taking part in Photo Hunt.

BTW, should there be any doubt/misconception, the figures in the foreground are actually not reflections... ;)

JANU said...

Lovely...I like the blue 'eye.'

YTSL said...

Hi Janu --

You should check out more of Yayoi Kusama's works then. :)

Soumyaa Verma said...

At the first glance, I thought they were reflection, Then later realised the better. Amazing creativity here :)

Anne said...

The swimming pool is AMAZING!! What a cool exhibit. Great choice for azure!

YTSL said...

Hi Soumyaa Verma --

I'm glad you correctly figured out what you were seeing in the picture of The Swimming Pool and was impressed! :)

Hi Anne --

It is an amazing exhibit indeed -- and the rest of the Leandro Erlich exhibition at the museum was pretty impresive too! :b