Out of Chaos

Interesting exhibition in the King’s College, Inigo Rooms, at Somerset House celebrating the centenary of the Ben Uri Gallery and Museum looking at their collection and plans for the future.

There were some stunning pictures from artists I knew and some new finds. Of course I fell for the Modernism room with works by Gertler, Bomberg and Rosenberg. I also liked a work by Clare Winsten, a female member of that group who I’d not come across before. It was also fantastic to see Gertler’s Roundabout in a different context. It had been owned by the gallery but they had to sell it to the Tate to raise money.

Another find in the earlier room were two sets of brother and sister artists firstly Simeon Solomon, a Pre-Raphaelite who was prosecuted for being gay and his sister Rebecca and secondly Solomon Joseph Solomon who was a pioneer of camouflage techniques in the First World War and his sister Lily who was an artist and suffragette.

There was also a room on new acquisitions since 2001 although I did mistake someone’s shoes and bag for an art work as she’d left them in the middle of the floor while she looked round! I thought they were a statement on migration and displacement! Oh well!

The museum is hoping to expand and become a museum of art, identity and migration and I look forward to visiting and seeing what they achieve.

Review
Guardian


 

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