Girls, if you want to spend a Sunday afternoon observing groups of gorgeous men in twos and threes (you know the sort - tall, well turned-out, bearded/stubble, probably designers) observing eleven mannequins dressed as prostitutes in a faux red-light district, then head to Trafalgar Square. I can only think that they're reliving a stag do. I'd like to think they're curious about the Amsterdam red-light district on which the installation is based, having never visited. In reality it could be a mixture of the two. And who am I to point a finger as I myself have wandered through said district out of curiosity many moons ago on a weekend trip to Amsterdam with friends.
The Hoerengracht (Whore's Canal in Dutch) took American husband and wife artists Ed and Nancy Kienholz five years to complete in the eighties.The National Gallery's curator has compared the installation with the Old Masters which surround it.
There's something surreal about ambling down the narrow, dimly lit brick alleys suffused with red and neon lights from dusty doorways and cracked windows, knowing priceless Caravaggios and Titians are only a room away. The abundant attention to detail from tatty red wallpaper with small white hearts to a discarded condom in a bin, creates a seedy, realistic atmosphere. As my friend noted, the scantily clad mannequins (cast from real women) look like they're just about to turn round or look up to catch your eye.
I think this installation is a brave move for a traditional gallery. Especially if it encourages people to visit who might otherwise have headed to Tate Modern or somewhere else they consider less stuffy.
The Hoerengracht runs at the National Gallery until Sunday 21st February.
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