Archive: The Trials and Tribulations of an Arttart 12 Nov 04

Before we get down to Arttart business, did I mention my music highlight a couple of weeks back? No, how could this have surpassed my fingers, well it was The Bees at The Electric Ballroom that's what. The scuz may still be apparent in the gutter of NW3 but the isle of wighters overcame the gloom of London town and cheered a couple hundred of us lucky so & sos and warmed our hearts with their melodic tunes. Obviously Arttart got down on the dance floor at the after party to some oldies but goldies, request of the week has to be, bring back the Hammond! Well last week definitely took an animal stance. Haunch of Venison has to be top of the list being appreciated not only in the culinary sense (For the little black book that every Arttart should hold, Baltic in Southwark do a great H of V with baked pears!) but also visually. Reaming with art appreciators Keith Tyson wooed us with a new of batch playful colour explorations. New space Kemistry on Charlotte Road are surely going to give neighbouring galls a run for their money. With the electrifying mixture of wears on offer that must be snapped up sharpish means the boys behind Kemistry can only go from strength to strength. After trekking it through dim lit housing estates SE16 way for the London exchange of From Nowhere to Somewhere Without Return, the Coleman Project Space charmed me with its shed installations and water pissing pipe that had quite a few of us in question, was it art or just a bad plumbing job? Not to miss is John Stezaker at The Approach, what with the new gleaming extension housing perfectly framed collages by the 70's illusionist, its worth a quick see before you grab a pint of Guinness and make yourself at home in front of the roaring fire in anticipation of the ever nearing winter. Then last night we had a real treat not only did we get to saunter around Freud's house in Frognal supping on beer or for the new healthy fad drinker in all of us, a fruit smoothie, we also got to hear from the facial hair setter sporting the must have hamster sideburn, Will Self. To accompany Nick Cunard's photographs ofpsychotherapeutic environments , Self delved into his analysed past and gave us many anecdotes of his experiences in the therapist's chair. My, what a chuckle we had! So tonight we have the opening of Death and Magic at Keith Talent. Then next week the ever flowing river of openings offers up some Hauser and Wirth, Riflemaker, Alison Jacques, the former gagosian girl, Laura Bartlett Gallery and ooh many more. Air kisses to all you avid Arttarters xxxxx