Cathy's Art Diary

Interesting iteration of this annual show at the National Theatre for this prize for stage design. I always enjoy this show with its little models of stage designs, costumes and sketches. I was interested to see how many of those on show were speculative designs. It showed how designers have to work, submitting ideas which might never be realised. I loved this costume by Kathy Udaondo for a play called “The Inseparables” which ties two   characters together in a clever way. I also liked this set design but I failed to note what it was or who it was by. It was interesting to read a biography of Lady Anya Sainsbury who instigated the award back in 1987. Closes June 2026

Disappointing installation at St Mary Le Strand by Louise Giovanelli. I probably didn’t see this work at its best. I went during the day and I gather it is illuminated at night and probably looks very different, however in the day it just looked like covered scaffolding. I like the idea of the print on the cover looking like a sequined curtain but in the light I saw it in it looked like concrete. I understood it was meant to alter the look and shape of the church but I think it might have worked better if it had been on both sides. Closed 18 January 2026 Review Evening Standard https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/exhibitions/decades-louise-giovanelli-st-marylestrand-church-b1259005.html

Enlightening online lecture from ARTscapades with the curator of the Kerry James Marshall exhibition at the Royal Academy. I had seen the show and loved it but knew I hadn’t understood all the nuances of it so it was useful and fascinating to hear Mark Godfrey talk about the works and his curating choices. He talked about how he met the artist back in 2012 and had been discussing putting on a show of his work for the last five years. He talked about how they worked together on it. He then led us around the rooms explaining the titles and theme of each room and introducing the main works. As someone asked in the Q&A “Can you appreciate the work without knowing the references?”. I was shouting yes as I had but knowing more about the work certainly added another layer.

Disappointing exhibition at the Barbican Music Library of photographs of the group Blondie from 1978. Blondie was a big part of my youth, so I was pleased that this show was still on when I went to the Barbican however it was shown in a cramped space and was badly lit with reflective glass on the exhibits. The narrative was poorly explained. It was billed as the photographs taken by Martyn Goddard but seemed to include work by other people and archive material. The images were fascinating and deserved a better presentation. I found it hard to engage with what they were and how they fitted together. Closed 21 February 2026

Second in a series of exhibitions at a new space in the Barbican showing work of contemporary artists alongside some by Alberto Giacometti. I missed the first show but was excited to see this as I like Giacometti's work but I found it quite confusing. All the explanation of the work was in a rather cumbersome leaflet which was too big to use while walking around with a lot to read. The sculpture on show was fighting a bright sun in just the wrong position when I went and a rather exciting view of the Barbican Centre. The contemporary artist featured this time was Mona Hatoum who, according to the blurb, investigates the impact of political instability on individuals and groups. I'm not sure I would have understood that from looking at the work. It did have a certain resonance with hindsight going on the day that Trump bombed Venezuela however the work itself didn't move me.   Closed 11 January 2026 Reviews Guardian Evening Standard  

Surprisingly good exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery examining how contemporary fashion designers have been influenced by dirt and decay. I thought this would be a weird and wacky but went along on the principle I try to go to everything! I was pleasantly surprised to find a well explained narrative and some beautiful clothes. I liked the small booklet they gave you rather than having long labels but found it quite hard to use in the show partly because I was so busy taking photos. The show started on the upper level, setting out the main themes, from mud, through staining, clothes made to look like they had decayed and those that really had and ideas of combating waste in the industry. Downstairs was set up more like open installations of work by specific designers and had a catwalk feel. Some of the pieces looked more like contemporary art than fashion. Closed 25 January 2026 Reviews Guardian Evening Standard