As a pioneer of British conceptual art, John Latham (1921-2006) has exerted a powerful and lasting influence, not only on his peers but on generations of younger artists. In spring 2017, the Serpentine hosted an exhibition that encompassed all strands of Latham’s extraordinary practice, including sculpture, installation, painting, film, land art, engineering, found-object assemblage, performance and the artist’s theoretical writings.
Whilst none of the work really moved me some of the ideas did. I also really liked the way his notes were all exhibited and the suspended sculptures made from parts of books that you could see though as illustrated above. His social conscience and sense of fun also shone through in his work especially his painted tennis ball experiment. Latham was also a great thinker and conceptual artist making art from what was around him. He was a multi-disciplne artist who also made a foray into film-making which was interesting if not my cup of tea and too experimental and lacking in focus and direction in my opinion.
The breadth and depth of his wok was astonishing and it is something I need to do more in my own work. I have stuck too rigidly to film as it IS my practice but what i have to realise is that it does not have to be my ONLY practice. I have a great eye for photography, like making things and love printmaking. If I only take one thing from the great exhibition let it be to extend my practice more.
http://www.serpentinegalleries.org/exhibitions-events/world-view-john-latham
http://www.serpentinegalleries.org/exhibitions-events/speak-tania-bruguera-douglas-gordon-laure-prouvost-and-cally-spooner
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