Fiona Banner selects from the V-A-C Collection: Stamp Out Photographie

Annoying exhibition/installation at the Whitechapel Gallery of works chosen by British artist Fiona Banner from the V-A-C Collection from Moscow. This is one in a series of shows spotlighting rarely seen collections from around the world.

The blurb says the show was exploring the blurred lines between photography and painting but I must admit I didn’t get that when I was at the show. The show used an interesting light effect with the room changing colour and changing from dark to light however in the dark phase and some of the colours you could see the pictures properly! I have a particular gripe that a Monet (which I guess is rarely seen as it’s in this collection) was hung high up and was impossible to see in the strange light.

Another gripe is that, as with the last show I saw in this series, the commentary is in very small print, quite low down, in a door way! In fact in this show there was a work in the next room so it was a doorway that was being used. When this is the only place you can find out what the pictures are it was very inconvenient. I also found myself having to go back to it as in this context you wanted to see a picture then find out what it was not read about it and then go hunting. I’m sure I suggested it last time but how about a cheap handout for this type of show?

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