Rhythm & Reaction: The Age of Jazz in Britain

Lovely exhibition at Two Temple Place looking at the popularity of jazz in Britain in the early 20th century and it’s influence on art and society.

This show was nicely curating, pulling objects from all over the UK and taking a broad view of the subject. The downstairs room focused on the music with features on “In Dahomey” the first all-black show on Broadway which transferred to London in 1903 and the popularity of banjo playing, I loved the advert for the banjo teacher juggling said instrument!

On the landing there were interesting information boards looking at the main artists and how a ban on American bands coming to Britain in the mid-1930s influenced the music.

The upstairs room then looked at the social and artistic impact of the music. I loved the section on dancing and the lovely display of shoes along with the ceramics and textiles influenced by the music.

There was a good use of paintings throughout the show including two by William Roberts with wonderful angular figures and a Jacob Kramer portrait of Louis Armstrong.

Closes on 22 April 2018

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