Backdrop Exhibition

A few weeks ago I went to see the Backdrop exhibition which was run in tandem with the Dan Flavin Retrospective at the Hayward Gallery, London.
The first piece that greets you is a hanging ball of neon light which casts red light onto the street, inviting and warming but also a bit seedy. As you walk in through the glass doors and share the space with the light, it turns off, which is weird, funny, a bit humiliating and makes you wonder what the lights prerogative is. Jeppe Hein is the designer, and like alot of his work this direct reaction draws you into a conversation with the object. I've written some more on Hein on my website which can be found in the interaction section.

Jeppe Hein, No Presence (Red), 2005

Other works of interest included column by Leo Villareal. An array of 51 luminous tubes hung in groups of three which turned on and off and changed colour in a dazzling light show. The shifting hues transformed the mood of the space.

Leo Villareal, Column, 2004

In a large atrium space further into the gallery a glowing mass of coloured bottles is hung from the ceiling. The deep saturated colours combined with the scale of the work is stunning.

David Batchelor, Candelabra 3, 2005