Review of Christina Mitrentse: MAKE – METALIBRARY at the Women’s Art Library, Goldsmiths, University of London

04/09/13

Christina Mitrentse: MAKE – METALIBRARY / An Interactive Exhibition

Women’s Art Library, Special Collections, Rutherford Building, Goldsmiths, University of London

2 – 23 September 2013 (extended)

It is unusual to walk into a library and find the books laid out across the floor. It is even more unusual to do so in a Special Collections Archive, where the books and magazines in question are normally only available upon special request. But precisely this has happened in the Women’s Art Library, located in the Goldsmiths College Library Special Collections department, courtesy of Greek-born artist Christina Mitrentse (born 1977). 

Originally established as the Women Artists Slide Library in the late 1970s, this artists' initiative developed into a fully-fledged organisation and research resource, becoming part of Goldsmiths College Library Special Collections in 2004. Its holdings include a significant number of early feminist art journals, such as Feminist Artists Newsletter (UK), Heresies (USA) and Matriart (Canada), alongside, of course, the complete nine-year, 92-issue run of what came to be known as MAKE, the library’s own publication of and for women's art, focusing on historical and contemporary women's art practice and highlighting both emerging and established international artists through previews, interviews, and feature pieces. 

To read the rest of this review, please go to: http://www.divamag.co.uk/category/arts-entertainment/art-review-christina-mitrentse.aspx

Review of Michael Landy: Saints Alive at the National Gallery

31/05/13

Michael Landy: Saints Alive

National Gallery, Sunley Room

23 May – 24 November 2013

“Before we go any further, can I just make sure that you actually know who I am and that you know what I do?” This was the question with which Michael Landy (born 1963) announced himself upon arrival at the National Gallery having been invited for consideration for the Rootstein Hopkins Foundation Associate Artist scheme. A Goldsmiths graduate (1985-1988), a YBA, and a participating artist in the notorious Freeze exhibition (1988), Landy is probably best known for his 2001 installation, Break Down, for which he took over an empty department store building on Oxford Street and systematically catalogued and destroyed everything he ever owned. One might, therefore, understand his uncertainty. Nevertheless, he was appointed as the gallery’s eighth Associate Artist and accordingly given a studio for two years. 

To read the rest of this review, please go to: http://www.studiointernational.com/index.php/michael-landy-saints-alive