As part of the environmental art project I am part of I recently had the privilege of visiting London's Lisson Gallery and seeing Richard Long's and Ai WeiWei's exhibition. At the Richard Long exhibition we were given a talk by the curator about Long's working methods and concepts. It was wonderful to see a large range of of his work (slate sculpture, writing, painting and photography), I personally think that seeing Richard Long's more challenging work in context of the photos and writings give a more complete understanding of his aims and concepts.
My favourite pieces of Richard Long's environmental art are is his mud paintings. One can see the influences of abstract expressionists such as Jackson Pollock when they look at the loosely swirled and dripped mud. I love the seemingly untamed patterns the movement his hands creates in contrast to the distinct line that he is working within on the canvas.
In contrast, Ai WeiWei's sculpture and photography makes Richard Long's most "tame" work look expressive and not uniformed.
The shear brilliance and geometry of the bicycles and the accuracy of his marble sculptures immediately captivated me. Ai WeiWei's art concentrates on mass production and government corruption, this concept is clearly evident in this exhibition of his work. He uses materials such as marble, plastic, jade, wood and metal to create sculptures based on forms and designs we see in our daily lives.
Photos by Sophie Lawrence // www.instagram.com/sophfeegee
