Barbara Walker : Vanishing Point

Thoughtful exhibition at the Cristea Roberts Gallery of new work by Barbara Walker.

All the pieces confronts and readdresses the under-representation of Black figures in Western art history in exquisite drawings of old Master Works leaving t confronts and readdresses the under-representation black figures in Western art history the white figures that usually hold the attention and thereby emphasising the black. Some included the backgrounds but others isolated the figures.

Many of the works are familiar ones but all these pieces were just called Vanishing Point with a number and the earlier artist in brackets. I did find myself looking up a few of the works I didn’t know. I loved a lone Magi and his attendant and a Dutch family group picture with the family now blank and only the servant visible.

I thought this was a subtle and interesting way to make a point and worked well because the drawings were so beautiful. The most moving ones where those which so obviously felt like a portrait rather than a genre figure but their names and lives are forgotten.

Closed 23 April 2022

Review

Guardian


 

 

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