Flash back: Aug 2004, NYC. Amanda pulls out a Post-It note and writes down something. Sam: "Some habits die hard".
I guess, since I carry them around in my handbag like gum.
Flash forward: Present day, LON.
It was Sunday. It was cold outside, I didn't want to go out, but had spent too much time eMule-ing 21 Jump Street. Oh Johnny!
I checked TimeOut art listing for something interesting and the new "Post Notes: works made on Post-It notes by dozens of artists including Jim Lambie and Toby Ziegler." caught my eye. I thought, this could be good! Plus, the place was open till 19.00.
I arrived to be greeted by what seemed to be the entire Indian population of London waiting to go into a film. I paid my £1 to see the Post-It's which were in the foyer, bar and corridor of the ICA.
With the exception of a few very creative pieces of yellow paper, I was very disappointed. Not for the fact that I didn't like the pieces, I just couldn't see them! You'd think a place like the London ICA would know how to display non-convential art.
Let me explain: You know how when you stick a Post-It on a surface, it curls upwards? Well combine this 'phenomenon' with having them stuck 9ft high up on the wall's. GREAT!!
OK some pieces were just crap. I have better pieces of 'art' on my computer monitor at work. And there were pieces on *their* computer monitor at front desk which I couldn't tell if they were supposed to be art or just the reminders for Phil to get milk.
So I was "<--- this close to whipping out my own Post-It.
It would have said: "What's stopping me from slapping this on the wall and calling it art?"
What did stop me? Well, mum and dad, I was thrown out and banned from ever going back to the ICA. Just kidding! I respected the creators of the one's I did enjoy so I decided against.
I checked out the shop and bought SpecialTen a dvd magazine, and "The Communist Manifesto" for some light reading. Proletarian's unite!
Decided against buying £30 dvd's which I've seen elsewhere for £7.99.
General Rating: **
Repeat Visit: *** (Curious to know what else goes on at the ICA, it can't get worse right?!)