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| | | Bob Marley One Love Experience review – corporate exhibition can't satisfy the soul | | by David Katz Feb 3, 2022 | | Saatchi Gallery, London
There are poignant objects and portraits in this ultimately worthwhile tour of the reggae icon’s life – but also ersatz recreations and shallow commerciality A frayed sheet of A4 paper bearing the lyrics to Turn Your Lights Down Low, with scribbled corrections; a pair of old football boots still with mud in the cleats; the surface of a battered acoustic guitar, deteriorated through overuse. Such poignant relics are few and far between in the first touring exhibition devoted to Bob Marley, which relies largely on portraiture, framed gold discs and staged recreations to tell its tale. Promising an immersive experience illustrating the philosophy, vision and drive that made Marley one of the most famous singers on the planet, the Bob Marley One Love Experience unfolds across six rooms, over two floors of the Saatchi Gallery, London. And the giant red, green and gold replica of the multiplatinum Legend compilation album that takes centre stage in the opening One Love Music Room sets the tone. Aside from his date and place of birth displayed on a banner on the wall, there is precious little information about the man himself, though many may already be familiar with the tale. There’s the award to mark his 1994 induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and some backstage tour passes, but the most striking thing in the room is a wall-length portrait by Mr Brainwash that cleverly incorporates all of the Island Records album covers, displayed opposite replicas of the albums themselves. Continue reading... | | | | | On Consolation by Michael Ignatieff review – timely meditations on comfort | | by Fiona Sturges Feb 3, 2022 | | From Cicero to El Greco, Marx to Mahler, a study of solace through the ages offers lessons from the broken When the world is in crisis, where should we look for comfort? Given humanity’s dwindling religious beliefs, we are less likely than previous generations to see our lives as part of a grand cosmic plan, or believe that paradise awaits in the great beyond. All of which can make consolation – the idea that there is a point to existence, and therefore to our tragedy and suffering – that much harder to find. In his new book of essays, the Booker prize-winning novelist, academic and erstwhile politician Michael Ignatieff examines the concept of solace over the centuries and how we might find it in our more secular age. “The challenge of consolation in our times,” he explains, “is to endure tragedy, even when we cannot hope to find a meaning for it, and to continue living in hope.” This is not a tract on how to improve your mental health or a guide to self-care. Rather, it’s a meditation on the nature of comfort, explored via a series of portraits of artists, writers and thinkers who have stood on the precipice of despair and sought consolation in difficult times. Continue reading... | | | | | |
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