Cathy's Art Diary

Witty exhibition in the sales gallery of the Photographers’ Gallery of new work by Alma Haser. Haser explores the quirks of German idioms, their origins and often unexpected English translations by creating literal sculptures and collages of the words. These create fun works often with sausage-based translations which do make you think about words. Closed 22 June 2025  

Engaging exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery showcasing the work of documentary photographer, Peter Mitchell. The work focuses on the transformation of Northern England and was shown here to reflect several series of work. I found the work drew me in and I’d liken it to the work of Martin Parr for its wry look at people and life. I loved a series recording a ghost-ride which visited Leeds every year and a clever set “A New Refutation of the Viking 4 Space Mission” from 1979 comparing urban landscape to the exploration of Mars. I think my favourites were a poignant set recording the demolition of the Quarry Hill Flats in Sheffield. Closed 15 June 2025 Review Guardian    

Intriguing exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery using AI to interrogate archive photographs. It takes the archive of Cecil Rhodes, the miner and Imperialist, held at the University of Oxford and shows how applying AI learning to them to create single shot films enhances the original prejudices as AI replies on the data it finds in the original source. Planetary Portals (Casper Laing Ebbensgaard, Kerry Holden, Michael Salu & Kathryn Yusoff) is a research group that delves into imperial archives to produce critical cartographies. It made me think more generally about how AI works and how it can distort information rather than clarifying it. Closed 15 June 2025    

Interesting exhibition at the Photographers’ Gallery showcasing the four finalists in this year’s Deutsche Borse Photography Foundation Prize. I always try to get to this show and this year it felt more connected to photography than some years. On the upper floor there was an installation featuring photographs by Cristina De Middel chronicling a journey along the Central American migrant route. They were interesting images and I love this one of a church but I’d have liked to know more about the people and places. Also upstairs was Rahim Fortune nominated for his photo book “Hardtack” looking at the conflicts and nuances associated with the post-emancipation America. These were lovely black and white images of everyday life. On the floor below was Tarrah Krajnak and I was impressed that, although she is mainly a performance artist, she records her work using photography and prints all her images herself. I particularly liked a series where she photographed her hands holding a ...

Beautiful exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery of late 19th century portraits by Stanisław Wyspiański better known as a playwright, poet and the originator of modern Polish theatre. I loved the expressive nature of these works which were an interesting comparison to the Munch exhibition which was on in the gallery at the same time. I had a real sense of seeing and getting to know Wyspianski’s friends and family and seeing a cross section of intellectual Polish life at the time. Closes 13 July 2025 Review Times

Intriguing small exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery looking at a photographers’ studio in London run by women and specialising in photographing women. The studio was set up at the end of the 19th century by Lallie Charles and run with her sisters Rita and Isabella Martin until Rita set up her own studio.   Charles specialised in photographing society ladies for the magazines which were becoming popular. The show featured the photographs alongside the features they were used in. Martin concentrated on stars of the stage and screen and there was a delightful selection of her work. Needless to say my favourite was a picture of the actress Gertie Miller with her dog Chum. As well as showcasing the work of these photographers the show also reflected the changing role of women in the early 20th century. Closes 19 October 2025  

Impressive iteration of this annual exhibition at Somerset House showcasing images from the last year. I try to get the this show every year and was impressed that this year they changed the layout slightly, setting a defined route through what can be a confusing space. The themes were a lot clearer too. Overall the professional submissions with a series of images were in the rooms and the open, one off images, along the corridor. My favourite section was the Surfaces one, which highlighted pictures of the built and natural environment often devoid of people. There were some striking images such as    Yu Ting Lei’s image of an old building surrounded by urban development work and Márton Mogyorósy image of a church from above. As ever the show was full of interesting and moving stories from Japanese toilets to Belfast street kids. However I think my favourite picture was this one by Michael Dunn of two Bolivian ladies playing golf which just made me smile. Last year’s ...

Charming exhibition at Charleston in Lewes of newly commissioned work by San Francisco artist Koak. This was a mix of paintings, sculpture and installations which cleverly mirrored the themes in the Vanessa Bell show downstairs. I could see echoes of Bloomsbury art in it. I think my favourite was the large sleeping woman which looked so bold in the space but I also liked the take on a pond.    Closes 21 September 2025

Lovely exhibition at Charleston in Lewes focusing on Vanessa Bell. As you know I’m a big Bloomsbury fan so I was so excited to see this show, which I’d not managed to get to when it was is Milton Keynes, and it didn’t disappoint. I loved that a lot of space was given to Bell’s earlier, groundbreaking work and that a big section looked at her design work. Most of the show was arranged by place, reflecting the importance of place to Bell, plus giving it a rough chronological structure. I liked the mixing of portraits and landscapes as places as are as much about the people in them as the space itself. I found lots of old friends but there was also a great selection of works from private collections and regional galleries. Closes 21 September 2025  

Interesting exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands looking at mudlarking and the objects uncovered. The first section looked at how the found objects can tell the story of London and its people. The items were grouped together into themed displays. At first, I thought these would be chronological but they then became more subject orientated. They were all set into a model of the foreshore. The gave glimpses of past lives. They were shown with contemporary art inspired by mudlarked finds. The second section looked at the practice of mudlarking, how people find objects, identify them and catalogue them.   I liked the works shown in a display resembling museum storage. There was a slightly random but interesting section on an area of the Thames around London Bridge renowned for its Roman finds. The exhibition then ended with an installation of the Moon by Luke Jerram and soundscape by Felix Taylor to represent the tides. I’d seen the Jerram piece before but it made quite ...

Fun public sculpture trail around London of decorated eggs to mark the Easter holidays. The trail was organised by Elephant Family to raise money for their conservation work and had a total of 147 eggs scattered around the city. It was accompanied by a good app on which you could log your egg sightings and learn more about the designers and sponsors. The map was a bit difficult to read at times particularly in locations on various levels but that adds to the sense of it being a hunt. The eggs seem quite delicate as quite a few had been taken away for repair. I collected 46 mainly over four sites Covent Garden, Marylebone, Battersea Power Station and Canary Wharf. I’d hoped to do Sloane Street which seemed to be packed with them but I ran out of time. It was a good excuse to have a wander round these areas and some of them took you into strange locations like pharmacies and hotels. I think my favourite was this shell egg in Covent Garden by interior design company Campbell-Rey ...

Effective new public sculpture at Canary Wharf made by artist/architect duo Jason Klimoski & Lesley Chang (StudioKCA). The work is a large leaping whale made from plastics from the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean sourced by the Hawaiian Wildlife Fund. It looks very effective in emerging from Wood Wharf and dominating the space. I love the fact the concert base is made from old coffee grounds from cafes around Canary Wharf but I would question the environmental impact of bringing the waste plastic from across the Atlantic. The gesture might have been more meaningful if more local waste plastic had been used, maybe from the nearby Thames? Permanent but new

Comprehensive online lecture from the National Gallery looking at the life and work of Velazquez. Jo Walton led us clearly through the subject with excellent illustrations and an emphasis on works owned by the gallery itself. She started with his early street work which I love and talked about the symbolism in it as well as emphasising the delightful still-lives he included. We then talked about how he went to Madrid and became the court painter and we looked in detail at the work he did for them. Alongside this we looked at his mythical and historic works as well, of course, looking in more detail at the Rokeby Venus and Las Meninas.

Interesting online lecture from the Victorian and Albert Museum introducing their exhibition on the jeweller, Cartier. Helen Molesworth, Senior Jewellery Curator and Rachel Garrahan, a project curator and writer for Vogue, did a fun double act to guide us around the themes of the show and to point out key pieces. They outlined the early history of the firm and how it was developed by the grandsons of the founder outlining the roles each of them took. Then looked at the design choices of company was well as how they worked with clients to develop new pieces. They finished by showing us some of the 18 tiaras which close the show. I haven’t manage to go to the show yet but its definitely on the list and I can’t wait!

Charming exhibition at the national Gallery highlighting two cartoons for frescos by the Carracci Brothers. These two preparatory cartoons by Anibale and Agostino Carracci were used in the decoration of the Palazzo Farnese is Rome and had been owned by Joshua Reynolds before being acquired for the National Gallery. The show displayed them at eye level although the frescos were for a ceiling and accompanied them with good explanations of the art of fresco explaining how they were cut into sections for use but have been stuck back together. They were delicate drawings and I particularly liked a dog in one which seemed quizzical about what was happening to his pack leader. Closes 6 July 2025    

Fascinating online lecture from the London Art History Society looking in detail at a 14th century psalter. Michelle Brown from the British Library introduced us to his amazing work commissioned by Sir Geoffrey Luttrell which includes unique illustrations in the margins reflecting the life and issues of the time. She took us through what a psalter was and how it would have been used by a family before taking us briefly though the history of the Luttrell’s and Geoffrey’s place in the events leading to the Wars of the Roses. We then looked in detail at the illustrations, what they meant and how they reflected the family. She concluded that the work shows a world in flux in troubled times.

Disappointing exhibition at the Wallace Collection of new work by Grayson Perry to mark his 65th birthday. I loved the art works in the show but found the narrative of it over engineered. As well as responding to the collection Perry had invented an artist called Shirley Smith who herself as an   alter ego – the Honourable Millicent Wallace, rightful heir to Hertford House, where the Wallace Collection is housed. Add in a strange introductory section on two outsider artists and I for one was a bit confused. The pieces would have worked well without this added layer just as responses got the collection. My favourite was a tapestry bringing together images from the collection in bright colours. Sadly there was no place you could stand and photograph the whole but have this section from it instead. As ever there were some interesting ceramics with fascinating commentary from Perry on the ideas behind them. I loved the big bold carpet in the last room and his take on a medieval ew...

Clever exhibition at the Francis Crick Institute looking at how the human and animal brain works. The show explained complex information relatively simply in a series of booths with a mix of pictures and av material. Each section also had QR codes to link to more detailed research going on at the Institute itself. I particularly interested in the section on sleep and how it is a time for your brain to repair and build memories. Closed 20 June 2025

Fun outdoor exhibition in Granary Square of pictures highlighting the lives of ordinary women by artist Hanna Benihoud. The 16 works were mounted on benches around the square and each featured a picture of a woman juggling life with a caption. The pictures are based on conversations the artist had with various women and many of them make you smile with the truth of them. I’d love it if you could get cards of them to send to friends. My only moan is that because they are on benches and it was a lovely sunny day there, there were often people sitting on them so it was hard to see the image. Maybe the picture could be a bit higher. Closed 20 April 2025    

Disappointingly small exhibition at Queer Britain on the singer Jimmy Somerville and his role as an activist while in Bronski Beat. The show was well done and made good use of archive material and loans and gifts from Somerville. I only say disappointing as I’d have liked more and possibly to see the show move into the Communard years. It was however a good excuse to go to this newish   museum looking at the history of LBGT+ lives and activism. Great to see one of Duncan Grant’s erotic drawings included. I knew the space when it was previously the House of Illustration and it would be nice to see this museum expand into the large gallery beyond the shop in the future which might give more scope for exhibitions. Closed 25 May 2025

Interesting small exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery of works on paper by Austrian and German 20th century artists. The show explained these works and the links between artists well and went into some detail on the techniques. There was also a section on the cultural anxiety of around the changing role of women. I think my favourite work was a portrait of Reinhard Piper by Peter Trumm which mimicked the effect of wood grain. I was also interesting to see a printing block made by Kandinsky. Closed 22 June 2025  

Lovely exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery of works from the Oskar Reinhart Collection. This Swiss collection has a similar collecting policy to the Courtauld and Reinhart and Courtauld met in London in 1949. There was just a selection of work here with an emphasis on the Impressionists and Post- Impressionists but it included a beautiful earlier Goya of salmon steaks. I loved a picture of a wave by Courbet from 1870 which drew you into the pattern of the water as well as a Sisley of barges. My favourite though was a Manet of a café which had originally been part of a larger canvas which he reworked as two pictures the other being a well-known painting of a waitress now in The Met. Closed 25 May 2025 Reviews Times Guardian Telegraph Evening Standard  

Delightful exhibition at the National Gallery showcasing Mexican artist Jose Maria Velasco. I hadn’t come across this 19th century artist before but having done a number of courses on landscape recently he fitted stylistically to a post Turner/Constable period and reminded me of Hudson River School work. I particularly liked his wide vistas which often combined new industry with the natural landscape. The show explained how he took a scientific interest in the world around him devising “Flora of the Valley of Mexico” , a short-lived publication for which he made precise illustrations and became a draftsman for the Museo Nacional in 1880 recording archaeological sites and geology. Closes 19 August 2025 Review Guardian

Excellent two week online course from ARTscapades looking at the Sienese artists of the early 14th century. Art historian Richard Stemp led us through the main four artists featured in the recent National Gallery exhibition, Duccio, Simoni Martini and Pietro and Ambrogio Lorenzetti. In each case he guided us through their work both items in the show and ones which couldn’t travel. This was particularly useful as he could include frescos which added another dimension to the work. As ever Stemp brought a knowledgeable but wry eye to the subject bringing out the humanity of the images and yet placing them in the context of their time. This was a lovely way to revisit the exhibition which I had enjoyed and it led me to going again before it closed.

Interesting exhibition at the National Maritime Museum showing shortlisted entries in this annual award for astronomical photographs. I had been to a couple of previous iterations of the show and the reviews for them could count for this show too. The works were beautifully displayed on light boxes with commentaries on the subject and technique by the artists. My favourite section was that on earth and space which features work with a sense of the earth and people including a wonderful array of pictures of auroras as I found them more relatable. The sections on our solar system and deep space tended to produce works which look more abstract and the explanations were impenetrable. Closes 11 August 2025  

Wide-ranging exhibition at the National Maritime Museum looking at pirates. The show started by looking at the myth of pirates and how they have been portrayed in books, on stage, in film and in children's toys. As someone who used to sing in amateur Gilbert and Sullivan shows it was fun to see "The Pirates of Penzance" well represented. I also loved a cabinet on Captain Pugwash. The show then went on to look at real pirates starting with the height of the trade in the 17th and 18th centuries then moving on to piracy linked to colonialism in the 19th century. I would have liked to see more original material actually linked to pirates, there was a heavy reliance of showing generic weapons of the period. The show ended with a small section on modern day piracy. Closes 4 January 2025 Review Times  

Delightful exhibition at the Design Museum highlighting the work of Bethan Laura Wood. This exhibition is first in an annual series showcasing contemporary design practice. I loved Wood's maximalist approach and the range of projects which were featured. It also highlighted her own collections and how her work draws on these. I loved her cups and saucers treated to stain as they are used inspired by her own stained tea mug. Each one’s pattern will develop in a slightly different way. It was also good to see work she had done during her year at the museum as a designer in residence. My favourite piece was this cabinet which started with a project to design handles for furniture which she describes as "the jewellery of furniture". Closes 25 January 2025

Interesting exhibition at the Design Museum looking at how the fashion industry can reduce its environmental impact. The show was divided into three sections looking at innovations in fabrics, design and how new tools such as AI are being used by designers and how our relationship with clothes is changing with an emphasis on repair and recycling. Each section highlighted a handful of innovative projects from fibres made from bulrushes in Manchester through the use of computer programs to reduce the need for prototypes and a shirt made in modular sections which can be remodelled. Closes August 2025    

Disappointing exhibition at the Design Museum on the creative process behind Tim Burton's movies. I am not a Burton fan so I don't think I was the intended audience for this show. It did include some lovely costumes and puppets but it was quite heavy on drawings which didn't mean a lot if you didn't know the film. I also found the layout a bit confusing and I sometimes struggled to match the information board to the artefacts. I really disliked a section on creative ideas which was set in a corridor with mirrors, lights and a floor painted in an illusionary floor. I found it very hard to concentrate on the art works in such an over sensory environment.   I’ve been told since that it referenced his Alice in Wonderland film. It was definitely a show for the geek and for once I wasn't one of them. Closed 26 May 2025 Reviews Times Guardian Telegraph Evening Standard