Art Review: Richard Wilson

Richard Wilson is one of my favourite artists, his work is always so ambitious and has an air of magic and wonderment. 20:50 is set up as a permanent exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery and is quite an extraordinary illusion. Viewed from a platform, looming over the top of the balcony to catch a glimpse of my own reflection, at first it appears to be a highly polished floor or a room of mirrors but soon the overwhelmingly strong smell reveals that the room is in fact flooded with oil. I was so surprised that I shouted out in alarm ‘oh its oil’ which was met with smiles and laughter from other viewers. Visitors are invited to walk along the walk way that is embedded within the oil and it places you waist deep. Although unbelievably tempting to touch, the only way of demonstrating it’s real is to blow very gently onto the surface. Art is about the artists own discoveries and imagination, 20:50 is a very simplistic concept but this doesn’t stop it from being an outstanding and beautiful piece of art. The oil reflects the architectural structure of the room making it appear as if the room is double in size and the horizon line gives the impression of that endlessness you get when looking out to sea, an image that can be seen as a peaceful sanctuary as well as a frightening image of the unknown. 20:50 is an effortlessly beautiful piece of art which is surprising for work that is made entirely of a sticky, thick and ugly substance such as oil. The reflections create a pure, rich and deep colour, one that would not be easily portrayed in a painting. Wilson is renowned for his site-specific art but 20:50 is the kind of piece that would be different in any space because it would reflect a completely different surrounding. It is difficult to replicate your own interpretations of such an individual and simplistically stunning piece of art such as this one but 20:50 gives the idea that art can be made of an ugly material but still be stunning and beautiful, the kind of art you love to look at but wouldn’t want to touch.

Another inspirational piece of art by Richard Wilson is a large scale installation situated in Liverpool called Turning the Place Over. This, to date, is one of Wilson’s most daring pieces of public art. Wilson quite literally turned a building inside out by cutting a spherical hole in the side of an architectural structure in Liverpool and connecting a motor to it so it appeared that this section of the wall was effortlessly balance and turning on its axis. Turning the Place Over is a genius piece of contemporary art that appears to portray a small scale version of the world being turned upside down. It takes you out of your comfort zone to place you in a surreal environment. I am hugely inspired by this type of art, the kind of art that is not secure behind glass or hidden in a building, this, to me, is the kind of art that makes itself accessible to a wider audience than just people that are interested in art. I like art to not be too pretentious but be the kind of work that you would perhaps see hidden in the backstreets, the kind of work that makes you stop and smile whilst you walk to work, accessible art to make everyone excited by creativity.