Art inquiry in Liverpool

On March 11th level 4 took a day tripper to see some art in Liverpool; first stop, Albert Dock where we viewed Keywords at the Tate, then on to Lady Lever to the original 'soap paintings'.

It was a beautiful sunny day and the turquoise Mersey looked quite picturesque against the red brick mass of the dock buildings ( by Leeds architect Jesse Hartley). Keywords took its starting point from RaymondWilliams book (ref 306 WIL in college library) showing works from 1976-1996, leaving the audience to build connections from the following words; structural, private, folk, violence, criticism, liberation, formalist, myth, anthropology, nature, materialism, unconscious & theory.

A topical piece that caught the eye was Visceral Canker1990; by Ronald Rodney, with proximity to 12 yrs a Slave, the Slavery Museum (that a few students wandered to) and the word 'violence' pointing to the start of slavery in the UK colonies. It was interesting that the tube systems weren't connected (between John Hawkins & Queen Elizabeth I). This piece was adjacent to 'folk' with Peter Kennard’s Haywain with Cruise Missiles 1980.

At the Lady Lever, after a warm introduction by Carol (education officer) we stood around Millet's Bubbles (depicting the artists grandson), listening to how Lever was a social reformer bringing art to the people via advertising. At a time when art was for the elite (through the new printing technologies) Lever provided access to art, as the masses saved their vouchers from Sunlight soap to get their copy of a contemporary art piece. Lever’s self-enlightened approach has some similarities to  the 'new' principles underpinning advertising by Nike, using new media to enhance people’s lives. 

Despite delays on the M62, a successful day had by all. Students are now invited to reply to this post with their responses to art objects they encounter that sunny day in March...