Collecting Modernism: Pablo Picasso to Winifred Nicholson

Wonderful exhibition at Charleston in Lewes of Modernist paintings from the Radev Collection.

The collection was started by the music critic Eddy Sackville-West before being passed to the artist and art dealer Eardley Knollys and finally to Mattei Radev after whom it is now named. Each collector added to it reflecting their personal tastes. It is now owned by Radev’s civil partner Norman Coates.

The show was arranged roughly chronologically and contained some stunning works including a number by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell with whom Sackville-West was friends. I discovered lots of artists who were new to me too and have lots of names to Google.

The show also looked at Radev’s journey as an immigrant from persecution in Bulgaria to becoming a picture framer and finding a new family in queer artistic circles.

Closes 2 March 2025


Review

Guardian


 

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