Art? What art? I'm here for the free booze...

Nosher correspondent pleasantly surprised by Private View.

Wednesday 14th July 2010

There was no question about it - I was there for the drink. I'd stopped by, almost accidentally. I had no insight into what could lay in store for me beyond the entrance to the small, unprepossessing building on Upper St. Giles. I'd had no knowledge of the Studio Art Gallery, but I'd seen the open bottles on a table through the window. These, along with the multi-coloured balloons adorning the otherwise unexceptional doorway, could mean only one thing.

I lurched across the threshold, bright hopes of a true and unexpected shindig burning hard upon my breast. I had dreams of a Tuesday night scuffle, of spontaneous combustion. I found art, instead.

In all fairness, I immediately received beer from a stocky Russian. I'd expected that. I had not, however, prepared to wander into the beginnings of a three-week Private View, headed by Gena Ivanov, alongside Eloise O'Hare. I'd been on my way to the pub.

Ivanov, of Vladimir and the Klyazma river, is a talented artist specialising in bold oil nudes, studies of the male form and picture-postcard scenes of local Norfolk/Norwich. Eloise O'Hare is an extra-ordinary mixed-media artist with a fine selection of hand-made puppets.

Together, they spearhead the Norwich Dandies, an arts team of painters, poets and performers.

"It's all deeply personal", said Ivanov, thrusting another beer into my hand.

I couldn't help but agree - much of the work on display is sexually orientated. Another piece depicts a stuffed 'everywoman' character, crucified and stapled with flecks of yellowed paper, type-written with slogans of despair, personal destruction and torment. Cheery stuff.

I stared for a long time at an Ivanov - a half-depiction of a naked woman entitled 'Blue Women'. I decided it resembled an owl.

I perused the other works, I drank some more free beer, and, as the small room filled with art lovers, I made an attempt to appear discerning. Through every movement, I made a hash of this, but appearances aside, I eventually came away impressed. I had witnessed art that I knew was good. With plenty of time still to run, the Norwich Dandies exhibition, I decided, is well worth a visit. They gave me cake, too.

Further Reading:

http://www.matthewkleinman.com/genart/ - Gena Ivanov

http://eloiseohare.blogspot.com/ - Eloise O'Hare

http://cart.norwichpub.co.uk/ - Norwich Studio Art Gallery

norwichdandies - Norwich Dandies