Gallery Date with Jina Han

Jina Han is based in London. Here she talks about the exhibitions she saw recently.

Can you talk about the most recent exhibition(s) you went to? 

I recently went to two design exhibitions in London - No. 43 by Atelier LK and 50 Vyner Street, which was curated by Béton Brut London and Modern Art Hire. They were both very inspirational shows that showcased a mix of art, furniture, craft, and decorative objects. No. 43 was curated inside the late artist Ron Hitchins' home, and therefore had a more intimate and comfortable atmosphere, while 50 Vyner Street was more pristine and structured in a white-cube space. I thoroughly enjoyed both shows, as they demonstrated how objects, especially furniture, can give off such a different energy depending on the surrounding environment. For example, the Charlotte Perriand daybed shown at No. 43 looked so inviting and comfortable when removed from a white-cube setting and placed within the context of a home. It felt like a great opportunity to witness and experience design objects up close, and reminded me of their functionality that we often forget about when it comes to pieces that we only see in museums. 

It was also very thoughtful that the two head designers, Lisa and Ruby, decided to stay true to the nature of Hitchin's original home, and circulated the show around the late artist's works and living environment. All the original patterned wallpaper was left on the walls, and his signature ceramic tiles and sculptures were well integrated into the space, always reminding me of the life that existed there before this show.

As for the 50 Vyner Street exhibition, I was very inspired by the unique selection of the pieces, as well as the gallery space itself, which was located in Bethnal Green. I appreciated the tall ceilings, skylight and delicate atmosphere inside, including the small detail of the candle that was burning inside the gallery. I love when smell is integrated into a show, especially when it's about interior design, as it puts you at ease, and lessens the harshness of a white-cube space. When I think of Béton Brut, I imagine white furniture, steel, stone, and wood, which was pretty much what I saw in their large new space. Despite the simplicity, the balance between all of the works was impeccable, making the entire picture of the gallery sit very easy on the eye. I was also lucky enough to sit on the spectacular 1970s Cubo sofa by Jorge Zalzupin, which was extremely comfortable as it was beautiful. It's not every day when a gallery lets you sit on the items being exhibited, so I left feeling very content with my experience.

At 50 Vyner Street, nothing seemed out of place or "too much," which is very difficult to achieve. In conclusion, I left with many new items added to my wishlist, and a determination to work harder to be able to afford such things.

Photos: Jina 

What exhibition(s) have stayed with you/are memorable so far? 

I have several memorable exhibitions in mind that will always be with me. The first is the 2011 Alexander Mcqueen Savage Beauty exhibition put on by the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. I was twelve years old at the time, but it still left a huge impression on me and helped spark my interest in pursuing fashion during high school. I still remember the dramatic gowns and iconic iridescent scaled heels, and how I was swept away by the incredible suspense of the exhibition. To this day, I think it was the best fashion exhibition I've ever been to, as the clothes really came alive off the mannequins and fueled the imagination. 

Another exhibition I thoroughly enjoyed was the Charlotte Perriand retrospective at the Fundación Louis Vuitton in Paris that took place in November 2019 right before Covid-19. I was taking a course on Le Corbusier during university, and we all went to Paris together on a field trip to see his architectural works in person. Luckily, we were able to catch the Perriand exhibition, which actually included many works by Le Corbusier, as they often worked together on his projects. It was very exciting being able to see all the works in person, as I had so much background information about these designers fresh on my mind from the course. I think there is something very special about seeing things in person, after only reading about them or seeing pictures online. The scale of the exhibition was enormous and so comprehensive, including all of Perriand's works, inspirations, and partners' works as well. There was a very thorough mix of paintings, tapestries, furniture, lamps, and photographs on multiple floors -- almost to the point where it was a little bit overwhelming. The rooftop was therefore a perfect break from all the art, where you could have a coffee looking out over Paris, and also appreciate Frank Ghery's design of the building. All in all, I think this show was just one of the best retrospectives I've seen for a single artist, and would have loved to have seen it a second time to take a closer look.

 

What exhibitions are you planning to see next?

I'm planning to go see the Isamu Noguchi show opening at the Barbican Centre later this week. I've been to the Noguchi Museum in New York, his old studio in Takamatsu, Japan, and have seen his recent retrospective at M+ Museum in Hong Kong so I'm excited to see what the Barbican has to bring to the table in his narrative. My partner who used to work as an art handler helped set up the show in Hong Kong, so I'm aware how complicated the technical aspects are in terms of installing his work, and for me, that makes the final outcome all the more mesmerising. His stone sculptures can weigh several tons, but in the end, they somehow look so effortless, as if they just slowly descended down from space. One of my favourite pieces of his is Magritte's Stone, which is a long, vertical sculpture made of hot-dipped galvanised steel, which I hope is a part of the show! I'd love to see it again, as it's such a magical sculpture. I admire Noguchi's philosophy and appreciate how his body of work expands into so many fields. I also think it's great that he has some affordable mass-produced pieces on sale in the shop, which makes his art more accessible to people nowadays. I myself bought a small orange Akari lamp when I was in Japan, and it's one of my favourite design pieces in my home. 

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