Francs Bacon

Retrospective exhibition at Tate Britain of the work of Francis Bacon.

When you first went in you immediately felt like you were being bludgeoned round the head but it was good to see so many Bacon’s in one place. In other galleries I find I have a tendency to say “Oh it’s a Bacon and move on” but here you couldn’t so you concentrated and learnt what he was about. Basically he paints the psychological state of himself and others.

I particularly like the room dedicated to the archive which is now held in Dublin. I remember seeing the mock up of the studio there a few years ago and being so struck by the layers of creativity and inspiration in the room. This could in other words be called mess!

Hard to pick a favourite in an exhibition which was not necessarily relaxing to look at but I’d pick the small portrait of his lover George Dyer which was distorted but showed wonderful detail in the hair. I also have a weakness for screaming popes!

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