Cathy's Art Diary

Lovely summer iteration at Woolwich Works of this contemporary print fair. This was a sparser show than the winter version however it was all the better for that. There was some gallery representation but in the whole the more open stalls were for individual artists or collectives and in many cases there were local artists. It was also nice that the artists were there and up for a chat as it was quiet. Shout outs go to Melanie Bellis’s urban landscapes, Lucille Clerc’s botanical works and Maxine Gregson’s vintage collages. My favourite was this print of a train by Rebecca Choi. I felt you would always see new things in it. C losed 29 June 2025

Interesting online lecture from ARTscapades introducing an exhibition at the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne on Modernism in Sussex. Hope Wolf, from the University of Sussex and also the author of a book with the same title as the talk and exhibition, outlined how the show came about. The idea had started with a previous exhibition at Two Temple Place in 2017 which I had been to, and had developed from the research she did for that show. She explored how the ideal of Modernism seem to be at odds with rural life in Sussex but how a number of artists settled in the area. She also looked at the idea of “New Regionalism” introduced by Clive Bell at the opening of the Miller Gallery in Lewes. Wolf introduced us to   a number of artists I hadn’t come across despite knowing the area well however I felt there were almost too many ideas to be encompassed in one show. Sadly I didn’t get to the exhibition to know how well it worked in its display and narrative.

Charming online lecture from ARTscapades looking at the life of Isabella D’Este, the Renaissance patron of the arts. Sarah Dunant, introduced her new novel on Isabella, based on her extensive research in the archives in Mantua which holdover 30,000 of her letters. She took us thorough Isabella’s life with readings from her book. Given her audience, Dunant, concentrated on Isabella’s art collecting and building projects including her studiolo. She explained how she liked a bargain and would look further afield that Rome to buy ancient artefacts. Since listening to the talk I have read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d been looking for a good biography of Isabella for a while and this format felt accurate and a novel format made it more approachable to read. I loved the way she gave Isabella a voice, both from using the real text of her letters and making her a ghostly voice in the archive. This gave Dunant the chance to also look at changing approaches to history and to Isa...

Intriguing online lecture from the London Art History Society focusing on a specific chapel in Avignon Cathedral. Geoff Nuttall led us through this chapel and specifically the fresco outside it from around 1430. He told us about the family to whom it was dedicated and specifically about the father, Carlo Spiafame who had come to the city in 1385 from Lucca as part of a banking family, to service the papal court which was based there at the time. He talked about how the court brought Italian artists to the city but he thought the fresco was by a French artist who was influenced by them, possibly Jacques Iverny. He also speculated that they may have seen the Belles Heures de Duc du Berry as the Baptism scene is very similar and the Spiafame family had been involved in valuing his possessions on his death. He discussed the strange iconography of including donors in a scene of the Baptism of Christ and said this was the only example of that that he knew. He also pointed out that don...

Enlightening online discussion from the National Gallery around Nicola Moorby’s book on Turner and Constable. Matthew Morgan interviewed the author examining her argument that the two landscape artists were not the rivals they have been made out to be. She argues that there were very different characters who would not have been friends but that the perceived competition between them actually encouraged them to become better artists. She chose a series of pairs of paintings to compare the two artists and to examine their different approaches. There was a lively Q&A session at the end covering their relative fame at the time, their approach to the slave trade and why Constable did full scale sketches for his 6ft paintings.

Interesting online lecture from the Royal Collection introducing an exhibition on James VI of Scotland and I of England at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Kate Anderson, from the National Galleries of Scotland, talked us through the narrative of the show and highlighted some key exhibits with an emphasis on items lent by the Royal Collection. The show divides into the king’s time in Scotland and England and his influence in Europe and the world. She talked about his regency, as he came to the throne of Scotland aged just 13 months when his mother was forced to abdicate, and there were some touching exhibits from his childhood such as a letter from him aged about 6 to the Countess of Mar. I was most excited to see that the portraits of his children, Prince Henry, Charles I and Princess Elizabeth, later Queen of Bohemia, by Robert Peake have been reunited and that seems to be just one of many reasons to try to get to the show.

Delightful lecture at the National Gallery on Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting. This was the first of a series of member talks based on a new set of books on individual paintings in the gallery to mark its 200th anniversary. In this event Aliki Braine interviewed the art critic Martin Gayford about his work on this painting. The started by asking why he chose this work and he described how, when writing a book on Van Gogh and the Yellow House, he had come to the gallery and sat with the paintings from that period including this one. They discussed how Van Gogh had journeyed south to find new light to paint and how sunflowers may have symbolised this to him. They also talked about how this series of paintings were received by Gaugin for whom they’d been painted for his arrival at the Yellow House and what the hang of them might have looked like. Finally they looked at how the work has been viewed since and why it has come to symbolise the artist to many viewers. This was my f...

Eclectic exhibition at various venues around the city of Liverpool of contemporary art taking inspiration from the bedrock of the city. OK I admit I am slightly cheating on this one! I was in the city for a Springsteen concert and left on the day before the show opened however I saw a couple of previews and some of the works which had already gone up in the streets so I am allowing myself to blog it! My first find was a sculpture by Anna Gonzalez-Noguchi outside the Open Eye Gallery referencing exotic plants which were imported into the city. I loved their tactile element with pieces which turned and dangled. At the Walker Art Gallery I loved Isabel Nolan's wall carpets in bright colours but my favourite pieces were Cevdet Erek's models of football stadium shown like picture frames. As I'd been at Anfield the night before and am fascinated by frames this pushed my buttons. I also liked Leasho Johnson's dense colourful paintings. Thanks to a chat to a gallery as...

Fun exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery looking at the work of fashion designer Vivienne Westwood. There were just two display cases but they featured a good cross section from her collections over the years including a suit worn by Holly Johnson. As they were at the end of the design gallery the display was quite cramped and it was hard to step back and look at the outfits or to read the labels. Closes 17 October 2025

Strange but beautiful exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery marking Graham Crowley winning the John Moores Painting Prize in 2023. Crowley had entered the prize 16 times over the years and had been shortlisted twice as well as being a juror. He won in 2023 and part of the prize was to have this display which was focused on his painting "Light Industry" which the gallery bought in 2021. All the works were in cadmium yellow and grey and yet they were amazingly detailed. They all showed his workshops, studios and gardens, all areas of creativity for him. They were slightly dazzling en mass but I loved the effect. He is in essence painting the light and shadow of the place. Closed 13 July 2025

Interesting exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery bringing together ceramics by the comedian Johnny Vegas and ceramicist Emma Rodgers. Vegas did a degree in art and ceramics and has returned to the studio three decades after he graduated. Having met Rodgers at the gallery their joint show explores ideas of mental and physical metamorphosis. I loved Vegas's piece "Broken Angel" in which an angel cradles her broken wing. I would like to know more about his method as this appeared to be a 3D print. I'm not sure why I feel differently about this than say a bronze which is also a reproduction of another piece. Rodgers work shows more of the hand of the maker. Closed 27 June 2025

Touching exhibition at the Museum of Liverpool marking the closing of Goodison Park, the Everton football stadium. The club are moving to a new ground on the banks of the Mersey at the start of the new season and the museum marked this with a display of photographs of match day rituals and activities in the surrounding streets. I loved this one of a man eating his regular chips on a wall. I hope he finds a new wall soon. Closes 21 September 2025    

Excellent online lecture from Geoff Nuttall looking in detail at the “Tres Riches Heures” of the Duc du Berry. The talk marked an exhibition at the Musee Conde in Chantilly which will only be the second time the pages have been displayed since being rediscovered in the 1850s. The manuscript was a large book of hours by the Limbourg brothers (Herman, Paul and Jean) and was left unfinished at the death of the patron in 1416. The first half of the morning looked at the Duc du Berry, focusing on his role as a patron. We looked in detail at the palaces, chapels and fortresses he built on his lands which are shown in the wonderful illustrations of the labours of the month in the manuscript. The second then looked at the work of the brothers highlighting other work done by them, a bible for Philip the Bold and a smaller book of hours for Berry. He placed them within the art of the period both in France and Italy before looking at the specific style of this work and where some of the ide...

Moving exhibition at Tate Modern looking at the work of Do Ho Suh. Walk the House is a South Korean saying which Suh takes to describe how we carry multiple places with us across space and time. This show examines art works he has made from and about his homes in South Korea, London and New York. I found the idea of us carrying the places we have lived deeply moving and the way he represents them delicate and touching. From the rubbing he made of his childhood home I was hooked. The show made you slow down and reflect. At the heart of the exhibition was a tunnel of spaces from his houses and flats made of diaphanous material. From the installation photographs I had assumed they were neon but they are much subtler than I expected. I loved the light effect within them but also the attention to detail like this electric plug. Reading the blurb I discovered he has measured all the spaces he has lived in in order to carry them with him and reproduce them. I loved the blend of imagi...

Disorientating exhibition at Tate Modern looking at the pioneers of electronic art. It was too much for me as I suspected it would be. Too many flashing lights and playing with perception.   The labels were quite convoluted plus hard to read with the flashing and I just couldn’t engage. I did like Jesus Rafael Soto’s “Cardinal” which hung rods in front of lines to appear 2D from the front, although 3D in reality, and Lilliane Lijn’s “Bride” however I just couldn’t stay very long in any of the installation style rooms. Oh well I tried! Closed 1 June 2025 Reviews Times Guardian Telegraph Evening Standard  

Welcome return of Louise Bourgeois’s giant spider sculpture to Tate Modern to mark 25 years since it was the first art work to greet visitors to the then newly opened gallery. I don’t remember seeing the work at the time so this was a lovely opportunity to fill that gap. It suits the space on the bridge of the Turbine Hall beautifully. This is a lovely way to mark the anniversary. Entitled “Maman” I hadn’t realised the sculpture includes a sack of eggs which seems to give it an infinite future. Closes 25 August 2025

Useful lecture from ARTscapades introducing the Hiroshige exhibition at the British Museum. I am fond of Japanese prints but don’t know a lot about them so this was a much-needed talk before visiting the exhibition which I have yet to do. Hiroshige was working in the early 19th century so was one of the artists influencing artists like Van Gogh and Whistler. Alfred Haft explained how the show had come about following a gift of 35 prints from the collection of Alan Medaugh which has been enhanced by a further loan of 82 prints from his collection. He talked us through the five sections of the show with illustrations from each of them. He took us through the artists landscape, urban scenes, designs for fans and images of the natural world. I now feel ready for the show.

Magical discussion at Charleston Farmhouse as part of the Charleston Festival looking at the life and work of William Blake. Philip Hoare, author of a new biography of Blake was interviewed by the writer Michael Bracewell and led us through the artists life and work with excellent illustrations. Most magical was readings of Blake’s letters and poems by actor Jack Farthing which added an extra layer to the event.

Interesting discussion at Charleston Farmhouse as part of the Charleston Festival looking at the life and art of Paul Gauguin. It brought together the author of a recent biography, Sue Prideaux, with Mette Gauguin, the artist’s great granddaughter chaired by Michael Prodger, associate editor of the New Statesman. Both had sought to place Gauguin as a man of his time rather than judging him by contemporary standards. They talked us through his life and I learnt that he gone to the Americas to help build the Panama Canal but it went bust before he got there!

Fascinating interview at Charleston Farmhouse as part of Charleston Festival with fashion collector and muse Daphne Guinness. Interviewed by fashion writer NJ Stevenson, Guinness discussed visiting courtier houses in Paris and her fascination with going to the see the cutters and embroiders called Les Petites Mains. She talked about her fashion collection and had examples from it on stage with her. She was wearing the most amazing platform shoes with no heels which puzzled many of the audience. For the Charleston audience it was equally exciting to realise that she is the granddaughter of a Mitford.  

Feisty discussion   at Charleston Farmhouse as part of the Charleston Festival pairing contemporary artists Maggi Hambling and Sarah Lucas. At first this seemed an unlikely pairing but it turns out they are great friends, living close to each other in Suffolk. The discussion flowed freely ably chaired by art critic, Louisa Buck. They compared their studio practice and an exhibition in Hastings which had just been announced where they are to choose work by each other they admire. Hambling revealed that she has recently lost the little finger on her right hand so is increasingly working with her left hand in her daily practice of drawing. As ever her eye rolling said so much. Review Times Guardian    

Fun exhibition at the Tithe Barn in Lenham of work by artists in the Pilgrims' Way Artists group. We went along as a friend was showing there, the sculpture Eve Shepherd, and it was good to see her work in a different setting. Alongside her were some lovely painters including Claire Sparkes with delicate figurative work and Heidi Laughton's landscapes. It was also worth the trip to see the venue, an original medieval barn, and there was a nice welcome not least from a lovely black Labrador. Closed 26 May 2025  

Fun interview at Charleston Farmhouse as part of the Charleston Festival with Grayson Perry around his current exhibition at the Wallace Collection. This was a lively discussion wrangled by journalist and broadcaster Miranda Sawyer who led Perry into why he did the show and how he found himself reacting to a collection whose art he found he didn't like. As ever with Perry I found myself noting down quotes and soundbites to think about later such as "narrative is the most potent form of art", "I'm becoming a militant traditionalist", of AI "It's like a pedantic 14 year old" and of his studio set up "I have Colin who does the photocopying". Review Guardian  

Interesting discussion at Charleston Farmhouse as part of the Charleston Festival examining the work of Vanessa Bell. The talk brought together Wendy Hitchmaugh, who had recently released a new biography of Bell focusing on her art as well as her life, and Kate Hessel, author of the successful "The Story of Art Without Men". The event was well chaired by Jon King, research fellow who also has a book on Bell due out in a couple of months. The all highlighted how radical Bell's art was and how she created spaces for people to gather and work together from the house whose garden we were sitting in to important art groups. They also looked at the barriers she faced to working and selling her paintings. Needless to say, if you know me, I bought the biography and got it signed.  

Fascinating discussion at Charleston Farmhouse as part of the Charleston Festival with two members of the activist group Led by Donkeys. Guardian columnist Zoe Williams interviewed James Sadri and Oliver Knowles, two of the founders of the group. Before the talk I hadn't thought I knew their work but as they spoke I realised I had come across it but more from the press than galleries etc. In fact in the introduction they admitted they didn't think of their work as art but more as political statement. However I think it is a type of art so here I am blogging it. There was an excellent rolling display of their projects from the Covid Memorial Wall, through Tweets from politicians turned into billboards and a very moving installation of children's clothes on Bournemouth beach representing children killed in Gaza. They explained their work in a humorous but inspirational way. Just let’s say I've done a lot of Googling since and have followed them online wherever I ca...

Fantastic rehang of the National Gallery Collection. I roughly followed the chronological narrative which had been created around the gallery although, when I went on members day, a few rooms weren't open yet so I had to pop back on the Monday to get the whole picture. I am so happy they have kept that approach and particularly liked the rooms devoted to one artist where they have a lot of works by one person. I also liked the few themed rooms almost not noticing the wide period they cover as the narrative links the works seamlessly and each work seems to grow from the previous one. I was pleased I'd been to the introductory lecture on the rehang so I looked out for some of the nuisances like the lovely wall of small outdoor sketches and the wonderful dark blue colour of the High Renaissance rooms. Being a big art geek I also appreciated the opportunity had been taken to reframe a number of works such as Antonello da Messina's "St Jerome in his Study" whe...

Super opportunity at the National Gallery to see the two new Coronation portraits of the King and Queen on display. It was exciting to see these two works alongside other full-length portraits in the collection and place them in the Grand Manner tradition before they move to the throne room in Buckingham Palace.   I had seen the coverage in the press of their unveiling and felt the picture of Queen Camila was the better work but in the flesh the King Charles was a more painterly work and a better picture if not such a good likeness. I would like to know why they chose different artists. Both work well for their sitters but they might have worked better as a pair if they had used the same artist. Closed 5 June 2025 Reviews Times Telegraph

Fascinating  lecture at the National Gallery introducing the complete rehang of the collection. Chaired by Christine Riding, Director of Collections and Research, who had masterminded the project with four of the curators who were involved who each outlined their areas. They explained how they have kept a chronological approach but also introduced theme rooms eg one on still life, and rooms on individual artists where the collection is particularly strong. They also talked about the problems of hanging monumental and small works in the same space. At this point I had only seen the Sainsbury Wing rehang but I immediately understood some of the questions I had had in my mind. The most interesting thing I learnt is that to mark the rehang they will not be lending any works for two years so this is an amazing chance to see everything. It will be interesting to see how the rehang then reactions to those loans and how flexible it is.

A wonderful new acquisition at the National Gallery of an altarpiece dated around 1510. I’d seen this featured in the papers in the week and was so excited to see it and it didn’t disappoint. The figures in it are monumental and so realistic. I think I may be in love with the Saint Louis, surely he was a portrait.   The iconography is strange and innovative from the quirky dragon at the feet of Saint Margaret to the angel playing the Jews’ harp. The gallery have placed it in the Flemish room alongside Gossaert, Memling and Gerard David and I feel that is the right world for it although some press reports are hedging their bets by saying Flemish/French. I can’t wait to hear more about it and to the years of research work to be done. The instinct is try to attribute it to a known artist but it’s just a likely to be someone we’ve never heard of before and may never be able to name. My only moan is the highly reflective glass on it which didn’t work where it was placed opposit...

Fabulous reopening of the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery after a two year closure. I think this has long been my favourite bit of the gallery and it’s felt horrible having it closed for so long. It’s also made the rest of the gallery feel cramped. However it’s been well worth the wait. The foyer has been opened up with sections taken out of the floor above to create curved, double storey views and to let it light. More light is also coming from having taken the darkened glass out of the huge windows which run up the stairs. In the foyer is an upmarket coffee bar, which was coping well on members’ day when I went but it might struggle when the crowds arrive as it’s the first coffee stop they’ll see. However the £4.80 price of a coffee might put them off. On the first floor is a posh new restaurant and the book shop which I was worried had disappeared. It’s almost purely about books and has a great selection of old and new titles. I then popped up the picture galleries...

Useful online lecture from ARTScapades describing the exhibition of drawings by Victor Hugo at the Royal Academy. I had visited this excellent exhibition a few days before so it was less of an introduction for me and more of a rediscovery. Sarah Lea guided us through the show’s layout highlighting some key works. I must admit didn’t get a lot from the talk which I hadn’t got from the show which was clearly narrated. I would like to have heard a bit more about how the show was put together and what she had learnt from doing it.

M oving installation on the South Bank to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. I came across this lovely work, sponsored by Ancestry, while walking along the river. It consisted of a long table, laid with vintage China, to resemble a street party. At each of 80 place settings was a plate with the picture and name of a veteran or someone who had helped on the Home Front and above was a short description of what they had done. From listening to assistants on duty I gather in the morning descendants of the people featured had been invited along. I have idea how long the piece was due to be there as I can find nothing online about it but I was so pleased I found it.

Interesting exhibition at White Cube Masons’ Yard of lead works by Antony Gormley. In just a few sculptures the show charts the artist’s experimentations with lead between the 1970s and 1990s. I had seen some of the pieces before over the years. Upstairs were the smaller works but the more striking pieces were the full sized body works shown in the basement which looked impressive in the large white space. I loved that you could walk among them but it was a shame this wonderful standing figure with a girder for a head had to be guarded by four attendants. Closed 8 June 2025 Review Guardian

Surprising exhibition at the Royal Academy of drawings by the author Victor Hugo. I’d gone along on the basis I try to see everything but wasn’t expecting a lot, however I was blown away. There was an odd mix of works of amazing draftsmanship and surprisingly experimental and abstract work. It made me think of William Blake. I think my favourites were the detailed, accurate works including this amazing chain. I also liked the atmospheric castles. I loved that the first work was this cartoon called “The Art Lover” and here we ask were. Closed 29 June 2025 Reviews Times Telegraph Evening Standard