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Showing posts from December, 2009

Kienholz: The Hoerengracht

Wonderful modern installation at the National Gallery to complement the current Sacred made Real exhibition. The work of Ed and Nancy Kienholz it represents a street in the red light district of Amsterdam and consists of casts of women in windows and doorways with boxes over their faces to show the idea that they can cut themselves off from what they are doing. Although very different to Sacred made Real it has the same idea of figures which exist in the same space as us. I loved the detail in the rooms with dodgy U-bends and pictures on the walls. The exhibition also includes a few Dutch 17th century pictures showing the same subject. Reviews Times Daily Telegraph Independent

The Making of a Spanish Polychrome Sculpture

Small exhibition at the National Gallery to complement the wonderful “Sacred made Real” exhibition. It looks at how the statues in the larger exhibition were made and features three more the main one being St John of the Cross carved by Francisco Antonio Gijon and painted by Domingo Majias. It looked at how there were made and then the processes that they went through to be painted. Finally it looked at how these statues may have influenced more modern art such as Degas’s Little Dancer and Picasso’s Weeping Woman.

Turner Prize

Annual exhibition for the Turner Prize at Tate Britain . This year it featured just four artists and thank goodness none of them were video installations. My favorite was the first one Lucy Staer. I loved her whale skeleton in a small space which you looked into via slits. From some angles you got wonderful abstract views and looked at the texture more than the reality. The winner Richard Wright had done a lovely wall of gold painting like flock wallpaper! Enrico David did not move me and the only highlight was the works title Absuction Cardigan! Finally there was David Hiorns with at atomised jet engine which looked like sand. This not only raised the question why but also how! Reviews Times Guardian Daily Telegraph Independent Evening Standard

Turner and the Masters

Exhibition at Tate Britain examining the influence on Turner of the Old Masters and his contemporaries. Often Turner is trying to outdo the other artists and prove his place in art history. The exhibition also shed light on the workings of the art world around 1800 looking at the markets and the importance of the Royal Academy exhibitions. I found it a very intellectual exhibition which was I admit a bit hard going at times. I did however like that fact that in most cases the works which had actually influenced Turner were hung alongside his own works. My favorite pictures were the ones of Venice. I loved the one of St Marks Square in which Turner had included Canelletto painting the same scene. Next to it was a wonderful late picture of Bellini’s being delivered to a church. The exhibition did get the prize for the worst picture I’ve seen this year! A picture of Jessica from the Merchant of Venice by Turner. Thank goodness he mainly stuck to landscapes! Reviews Times Guardian Daily T

Maharaja: The Splendor of India’s Royal Courts

Sumptuous exhibition at the V&A spanning the period from the beginning of the 18th century to the mid-20th century and examining the changing role of the maharajas within a social and historical context and concentrating on their artistic patronage. The exhibition began with an overview of the role of the maharajas and an examination of their culture and traditions. It was a truly magical moment to turn the first corner of the exhibition to find a life sized model of an elephant and a horse in full ceremonial regalia. I loved the section on the Raj although I was sorry there was not more on the Mutiny. I loved the silliness of the huge painting (20 ft long at least) of Lord Lytton accepting the oath of allegiance from the Indian princes. I noted that it is owned by the Queen and one can only speculate as to where she might keep it. The final room on the early 20th century was my favourite with sari’s made by western couture houses and a section on the resetting of precious stones

Spanish Baroque Sculpture: A Contemporary View

Stunning talk at the National Gallery to compliment the current Sacred Made Real exhibition. This evening was an interview with sculptor Anna Maria Pacheco who had been artist in residence at the National Gallery in 1999-2000 and who specialized in painted works in wood. She talked about her work and influences and about her thoughts and reactions to the exhibition. The interviewer Colin Wiggins, Head of Education at the Gallery asked very pertinent and leading questions and it was a fascinating evening.

Changing tastes : colour in Greek and Roman sculpture

Lecture at the National Galley given by Jan Stubbe Ostergaard from the NY Carlesbergy Glyploteh gallery in Copenhagen. This was part of a series of lectures to compliment the “ Sacred made real ” exhibition. This one looked at the evidence for use of colour in Greek and Roman statues and was fascinating. It was really interesting to see the surface of sculptures magnified 40 times and showing signs of the original colour. It talked about how ingrained in later Western art is the ideal of the white classical sculpture and how wrong that image is.