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New Blood at The Saatchi Gallery 2002 London's old county hall southbank
Reviews

From: Jane Scott
Category: Exhibitions
Date: 31 March 2004

Review

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/current/current.htm I liked the people whose work and lives I know a bit (ie my taste is nepotistic): James Jessop and Stella Vine; Vine's paintings look free and fresh, they caused a newspaper fuss controversy, (compare them to the more polished Von Hellerman, where is she?) especially next to the rather stale room of Peter Doig paintings which I had previously liked. Jessop's painting hangs high at a diagonal on a red wall in the book and ticketing entrance, and could be missed, with all it's awkward power it is unsettling and I still can't make up my mind whether I like it. Jonathan Meese, never met him before, also stood out with his zillions of paintings which were all quite good. Mauro Bonacina, no relation, had done some pleasing stuff with glass or enamel, thought they could just be vacant pretty. In general I found the rooms crammed full of stuff, and paintings looking ugly against the wood panelling, not enough cleverness goes into the hang, and the contemporary art isn't strong enough most often to hold your attention amidst all the hubbub. There is confusion in new blood, great to see lots of paintings, pity not much greatness to see, what is all this art, what does it mean, will it ocntinue forever, new stuff replacing old stuff, is there coherence which we are missing, our blind eye looking through the wrong end of the microscope. We hope.

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