The London Art Fair 2012 (in short)

While racking my brains & the internet for the artist responsible for a treasured print of a fictional Italian cityscape that hangs on my bedroom wall I came across this print, which not only caught my eye for its graphic content but also reminded me of a particularly uncomfortable scene in an award winning Asian film I watched not too long ago, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, involving a fable whereby a princess is seduced by a catfish.

This print is called Hokusai rivisited by Rubens Cantuni.

The image it is based on an Hokusai erotic woodcut known as both ‘Octopus and Shell Diver’ or ‘The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife’, first produced in 1814.

Although Rubens Cantuni was not on show at the London Art Fair his print would not have looked out of place amongst the over use of obtuse and unambiguous erotic themes in some of the artists work. I see something more shocking in the original Hokusai image and although Cantuni’s is obvious he has held back somewhat and it gives his image an immaturity that carries little or no eroticism at all. Similarly, this is what I found disappointing in a handful of works at the Art Fair.

Conversation(s) With Other Women

“Found You. You’re the last two people.”

“What? On earth!”

This film turned up unexpectedly as I don’t pay enough attention to my #LoveFilm rental list, so I sat down to it with pretty much no expectations. First thoughts, however, were that I was unsure about the split screen, and that I couldn’t get over how beautiful Helena Bonham Carter is throughout; at once womanly wise and girlishly demure.

Despite the obvious attraction of Aaron Eckhart’s physical-goldenness and his characters’ charm I couldn’t take my eyes off of the ‘woman’, with all her sadness, self assurance, and longing. Both play out all the believable awkwardness of a real-world relationship that, once you get invested, makes unsettling viewing as events take place and their consequences unravel.

Usually I have a pretty good nose for movie plots but the ambiguous dialogue, uncertainty of the split screen, and my general ignorance of the film meant I was kept guessing as to the extent of this couples connection, and thus was drawn right into their story.

I could watch this film over and over again, and wish it was based on a novel or to get my hands on the screenplay because the dialogue is impeccable; sharp, witty, humour laden and bittersweet. It’s a clever and intriguing snapshot of an evening where planned and unplanned events take place both expectedly and unexpectedly. I feel like it was a lesson in life to come, or an example of the inevitability of decisions made despite good intentions. A film of unlikely pairing but a totally believable relationship and I would highly recommend it.

Little girl lost, little girl found.