Cathy's Art Diary

Intriguing lecture at the National Portrait Gallery using works from the gallery to talk about sex in the Victorian era. Catherine Philips of The University of Bristol introduced us to a number of radical Victorian thinkers both campaigning for rights of sex workers of the time or introducing laws to limit sexual freedoms starting with Charles 'Boatswain' Smith, a Baptist minister in Stepney who established a refuge for sex workers, educating them to be domestic servants and finding them jobs with families moving out to the colonies. She moved on to Josephine Butler and Dadodhal Naoroji who fought to overturn the Contagious Diseases Acts and Annie Besant who republished a pamphlet of sexual education for which she was charged under the Obscene Publications Act. She then looked at Henry Labouchere who introduced the law to criminalise all male homosexual activity in the UK and Sir Richard Francis Burton who wrote about sexual practices he came across when travelling and t...

Intriguing exhibition at the British Museum examining the history of the Samurai. It was a beautifully designed show and covered from their origins in medieval Japan's civil wars through to the 19th century when they had become the elite, cultured ruling class. It also looked at their myths and l egacy. My only moan is, that as ever at the British Museum, the labels were quite long and wordy creating log jams partly because they were set low so if anyone leaned over to look at an object they blocked them. Add to that the fact that quite often they were a distance from the item they were discussing so you had to play a game to match the object to the label. There were some beautiful objects and plentiful use of intricate painted scrolls and prints. I think my favourite object was this charming small dish dated 1700-50 which I felt could be a contemporary shop. I also loved a book described as an I-Spy book for processions to enable people to identify the different clans as th...

Fascinating small exhibition at the British Museum highlighting a medieval ewer and its journey to Africa and back. Made in England between 1340 and 1405, the ewer later travelled to West Africa. In the 1880s it was photographed in a courtyard of the royal palace of the Asantehene, king of the Asante people, in Kumasi (in present-day Ghana). During the Anglo-Asante War of 1896 it was looted by British forces and later purchased by the British Museum. A second ewer, also taken in 1896 and shown in the same photograph, was presented to the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire) Regiment. This display reunites the two. It was amazing how one object could tell a little-known story of medieval trade, how English objects had been treated as sacred items in Africa and Victorian colonialism.   Closed 7 June 2026

Interesting exhibition at the Royal Academy focusing on the 17th century artist, Michaelina Wautier. The modern galleries at Academy had been decorated in dark colours to give an atmosphere contemporary to the art. It began by explaining how Wautier worked with her brother so sometimes their work is indistinguishable from each other and over the years some of her work has been attributed to him. The first room looked at the pairs' portraits with some lovely examples from each of them. It then moved on to religious and mythical work in rich Baroque colours before focusing on her major work "The Triumph of Bacchus" and other allegorical pieces. It was lovely to see another female artist being brought into the spotlight as I had done a lecture on the roots of feminist art history in the week however this show also got me thinking about how many artists generally have been forgotten or marginalised in favour of the well-known Old Masters as I had not only not heard of Mi...

Surprising exhibition at the Royal Academy on the art of Rose Wylie. From the pictures I'd seen in the press I'd assumed the work would look quite flat and cartoon like but in the flesh it was quite textured and the explanations made me realise it was a lot more nuanced that I'd assumed. I was also surprised at how huge a lot of the pictures were. The show was arranged in themes from her work influenced by being a child in the Second World War through to that which has been inspired by newspapers and current cultural themes. I admit the audience were all of a certain age (mine!) and mainly female and from conversations around me I realised they were engaging with the work and getting a lot from it. I am going to hear Wylie speak in a few weeks and I am looking forward to hearing more from her. Closed 18 April 2026 Reviews Times Guardian Telegraph

Clever online lecture from the National Gallery looking at horses in art. Chiedza Mhondoro, assistant curator at Tate Britain, discussed the idea that how horses are shown in art reflects our relationship with them and the different roles they play. The talk was a little repetitive to begin with as she laid out those roles but came together when she returned to them with examples of three or four works of art and examples of each. It might have been better to combine the discussion of the roles and the examples from the start for clarity. The roles she covered ranged from agricultural use, transport, role in conflict, mythology, literature, recreation and sport and their place in the human imagination. She used a good range of examples from Stubbs to contemporary art.  

Interesting online lecture from the National Gallery looking at the life and work of the 17th century artist Anthony Van Dyck. Jo Walton led us through the topic over two session taking us in detail through a selection of images from his early days in Antwerp, through working in various cities in Italy to working for the English court. We looked in detail at his work for Charles I, its symbolism and how Charles used the work to build an image of himself. We also looked at his work for other members of the court as well as he self-portraits. Finally we discussed how later artists have looked back to his work and his influence since his death.

Interesting exhibition at the Goodwood Art Foundation of work by three artists who use the removal of material to create art. According to the blurb the work also reflects environmental consciousness and cultural memory but I'm not sure I got that. Lais Amaral presented paintings which reminded me of maps created by scraping off layers of paint with tweezers and combs. I loved the effect and the colours in them. Solange Pessoa, a sculptor, showed stone in which she had carved symbols. They had a tactile quality and were shown on the ground both inside and outside a gallery. In the Piggott Gallery in the landscape Dana Awartani showed a video installation including a floor made of dyed sand in a traditional tile design. In the video she washes away a similar floor in a Middle Eastern style room. It was quite mesmeric. This was the first time I'd been to the Goodwood Art Foundation and I'll definitely be going back. As well as the lovely gallery spaces it presents ...

Lovely small exhibition at Chichester Cathedral looking at their tapestries by John Piper. The show put the tapestries in the context of Piper's wider work for churches and how this reflected his religious beliefs. It also talked about the influences on these projects including the colours of stained glass. It then went on to discuss the commissioning of this work and others for the cathedral and took us though the iconography of the work. I must admit I love the work but never really looked at it properly. There was some fascinating archive material including a postcard with a preliminary sketch of ideas. It was a nice touch to include a chasuble designed for the cathedral by Piper which provided a nice focal point for the show. Closes 15 November 2026

Thoughtful exhibition at Chichester Cathedral of seven oil paintings by Alice Carter. The works were a meditation on key moments in the Easter story from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost. I loved how they reflected the mood of each moment from the gloom of the first event to the joy of the last. The works were shown in a line in the South Transept and looked jewel like in the space. Closed 24 May 2026

Glamorous exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum on the life of Elsa Schiaparelli and her fashion house. I loved this show! It was so well set out and full of beautiful clothes both from the original house and its reboot in this century under Daniel Roseberry. I liked the way it set out the ethos of Schiaparelli's designs then built on that to look at her clients and accessories. It used Roseberry's pieces sparingly through the early rooms before introducing a dedicated display at the end including Ariana Grande's Oscar dress complete with ruby slipper on the back. I think my favourite room was the semi-circle of jackets displayed like art works and at eye level so you could study the details. That was the only place where I experienced a bottle neck partly caused by the dramatic changing lighting which meant people were pausing to get the best light for a photograph and yes, I admit I was one of the guilty parties. I loved the room examining her collaboration ...

Useful online lecture from the Victoria and Albert Museum introducing their exhibition on the designer Elsa Schiaparelli. I went to the show the next day and this was a very useful introduction to it. I was so overwhelmed by the beautiful clothes it was good to have a narrative in my head already rather than having to piece it together via the labels. The was both enhanced by but also suffered from having four speakers, Sonnet Stanfill, Lydia Caston, Rosalind McKever and Simon Sladen. All of them were good but it made the talk a bit fragmented. They outlined the four themes of the show and talked us through the highlights.

Moving exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library looking at the history of the Archbishops of Canterbury. I say moving as I was there as Sarah Mullally was being enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral. As I was out and about I wasn't able to watch but spotted this show was on when I was in the area. I looked round the show then sat in the corner and watched the news reports coming through on BBC News live. The show highlighted some of the more intriguing figures mainly with a facsimile of archive material. It would have been nice to see more original pieces but given it was an unmonitored show I can see why this wasn't possible. A side room had display cases of objects a lot of which seem to have been donated/left behind by Archbishop Davidson. My favourite piece was the order of service for the enthronement of William Temple in 1942 signed by dignitaries who attended given the day. Closed 4 May 2026

Wonderful exhibition at the Garden Museum of Melissa Scott-Miller's paintings of London Gardens. I had come across Scott-Miller's work before in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and loved it so it was fantastic to see it en masse. She pulls you in to look at the detail and to spot people, dogs and cats dominated by the foliage. Most moving was to see paintings of the museum's own gardens alongside as some aspects of the London great parks I didn’t know so I need to do more wandering. Closed 29 March 2026

Delightful exhibition at the Garden Museum exploring a botanical collaboration in the 18th century to collect seeds and botanical specimens from China. John Bradby Blake travelled to China as a supercargo (my fact of the day), a commercial agent overseeing cargo and trade employed by the British East India Company. While living there he worked with Chinese experts to documents 138 plants native to China, Whang at Tong, an expert on plants and Mak Sau, am artist. The show included lots of Mak Sau's beautiful detailed botanical studies often done over a number of months so he could record the full cycle of a plant. These were shown with extensive archive material from Blake's archive which was brought back to England by Whang at Tong on his death. I loved two portraits of Whang at Tong by Reynolds from his time in England and his presence dominated the show. Closed 10 May 2026

Quirky exhibition at the Newport Street Gallery featuring work by Damian Hirst, Shepard Fairley and Invader. Fairley and Invader are both street artists and I'll admit I'm not very knowledgeable on street art so I didn't know their work, however this exhibition shows their work alongside collaborations between both of them and Hirst. At times it felt like an amusing mickey take of each other such as this work by Hirst and Invader using the latter's iconic symbol. Works included butterfly pictures and different takes on Hirst's spot pictures.   I would have liked a bit more explanation, but I gather this comes in an interview with the artists in the accompanying catalogue but I'd afraid I wasn't up for a big purchase. Evidently there was an extract in a free exhibition newspaper but as I went in the last week there was no sign of these. Closed 29 March 2026 Review Guardian

Intriguing exhibition at the Royal Academy of work by ten 2nd year students at the RA Schools. Sadly I missed the first of this series of shows this year. Thanks to the security guard on duty who pointed out one of the works to me which was hidden on the side of a pillar and looks just like the room’s control box next to it. I was trying to work out which was the art! Some of the work was interesting but I will make my usual complaint about these shows that the work needs more explanation. Without a bit of blurb it can be intriguing and attractive but impenetrable. I feel a short explanation by the students would also be a good way of helping them to sell their ideas in the future. Anyway my favourite this time was this figure and 4 screen video by Huang Ziyue “Giraffe Neck Circling the Earth Three Times”. I loved the colours and humour but have no idea what it was saying. A big shout out to Wincent Szczerba who had actually done a painting! Closed 22 April 2026

Interesting exhibition in the courtyard of Burlington House from the Royal Astronomical Society of photographs by Max Alexander reflecting changes to our perceptions of space since the launch of Sputnik. The blurb points out that with the launch in 1957, man started placing objects into orbit around the world. Alexander reflects on both the beneficial and harmful effects of this. He also looks at human's relationship with space before this date. Grouped in themes the photographs are arranged over six display stands with good commentaries about the images. My favourite had to be this one of Joanna Hart, from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, demonstrating a colour coded map of satellites images of a wildfire in Mexico. I partly picked it because it was taken at Harwell where I worked for a year. I also loved this one of Joanne Wheeler who advocates for standards for satellite operators. It is just so beautifully composed. Closed 10 May 2026

Varied exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society of work by members of the Royal Photographic Society showcasing international work. There was a real mix of subjects and techniques in this show many with intriguing stories. I loved this slightly surreal image by Kate Schultze which captures the moment the chimneys of Ferrybridge Power Station were demolished in 2021 as well as two images of young men one by Ryan O'Toole Collet and another by Peter Holliday. I think my favourite was this joyful image of a child with their eyes covered by hands with googly eyes by Hyunmin Ryu which made me smile. Closed 28 April 2026

Mesmerising exhibition at Serpentine North of new work by David Hockney. The main work is a 90ft mural of ipad paintings done in the countryside around Hockney's home in Normandy during lockdown joined into one long work to document the year 2020. You walk round it and watch the seasons blend into each other. It reminded me of the market scene in Nottinghill. You saw the same trees with bare branches, blossom and fruit. The work had a similar effect on me as Antony Gormley's "Field" works or as I call them "The Little People" in that I found it very hard to walk away and leave it. The two central galleries and portraits from 2025 of people or abstract pieces on or behind gingham tablecloths. I loved one of one of Hockney's carers wearing a badge saying "End Bossiness Soon" which were for sale in the shop so I had to indulge. Stop Press : Since going to the show Hockney has sadly died. It felt like this was a very suitable show to be th...

Interesting exhibition at the Hayward Gallery of photographs by Samuel Laurence Cunnane. The works spanned his travels over the last decade but show little sign of place instead recording the mundane. They had a certain observational beauty and complimented the two main exhibitions which made use of everyday items. I think my favourite pieces were the kitchen still lives. Closed 3 May 2026

Engaging exhibition at the Hayward Gallery of installations by Chiharu Shiota. The works involved woollen threads being used to cover and distort everyday objects. The first room you encounter is filled with red threads with keys attached and a door in the centre. The web like threads alter the shape of the room. I loved a box with a dress in made to look misty with black threads which then linked to a maze like Installation hung with notes and letters. The final room was beds distorted by black thread. My only moan would be people taking each other’s photos and doing selfies although that said I did take a lot of pictures although not with me in them! Closed 2 May 2026 Reviews Times Guardian Evening Standard  

Moving e xhibition at the Hayward Gallery of work by Yin Xiuzhen. The work was moving as it was made of discarded clothing. From the first room showing the installation “International Flight” showing a baggage reclaim area with a fabric plane above and her portable city sculptures I was hooked. The portable cities are cityscapes in suitcases made from clothes from that city. The next section looked how Beijing had changed since the 1980s. The space was dominated by an adapted minibus lengthened with old clothes. As you got close you saw the detail of the old shirts and tops. The room also included her piece where she set 30 years of her clothing in concrete in a suitcase. The final room had a selection of works including some ceramics and wonderful bookcases with the books covered in old clothes. I loved the idea that clothes contain a memory of the person or place. Closed 4 May 2026 Reviews Times Guardian Evening Standard

Revelatory exhibition at White Cube Bermondsey of new works by WangShui. I say revelatory not for the art which was calming but for the fact the gallery has windows!! I’ve been going for years and never seen windows! The light was needed as the abstract works were painted on metal and changed as you walked round them and the light changed. Again I found the blurb impenetrable but liked the art. Closed 29 March 2026

Magical exhibition at White Cube Bermondsey of installations by Klara Hosnedlova. The first you came across was a huge hanging made of hemp with a bone like insert. When you got closer you realised there was an image in the centre of the bone. I assumed it was an exquisite painting but later realised reading the press release that it and images in the next room were fine embroideries. The second room was an installation with rocks in the centre surrounded by raised platforms which you were invited to walk on. From underneath came a soundscape. At either side there were more bone like structures with more of the beautiful pictures which also featured on the platforms. I found the piece stunning but wasn’t too sure what it meant. The blurb was a bit impenetrable if lyrical! “Echo is not only an exhibition but an instance that already anticipates the next – seeding a refrain for the as-yet-unknown future.” Closed 29 March 2026

Beautiful exhibition at Eames Fine Art of prints made from Klimt drawings in 1915. These were delicate drawings of women both clothed and naked dream with a few expressive lines. Weirdly despite being in black and white your eye imagined Klimt’s colours in them. There was a good narrative about how Klimt used drawing and describing how and why the prints were made. The prints were collotypes and the blurb explained the process. Most movingly the original drawings had been in the collection of August and Serena Lederer that was later seized and largely destroyed by the Nazis in 1938 so most of the originals are now lost. Thank you to the chap looking after the gallery for a warm welcome and a good conversation about the work. Closed 29 March 2026

Charming outdoor exhibition in Soho Square of this year's images on a project to document New Year's day over 24 years. I have seen a few iterations of this project and have been fascinated by them. On the first day of the year 24 artists have each been recording an hour of the day. Each year then move on an hour. I've seen at how those 24 artists who studied together at Central St Martins have spread around the world and how the images have become more domestic. I sadly noted that next year will be the last year of the project. Please can someone put on a larger exhibition next year to sum it up. I'd love to know more about the artists and maybe either compare their work as they move through the day or to match an hour over all 24 years. This year's favourite has to be this dog with a dummy! Closed 16 March 2026

Confusing exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum marking 100 years of them collecting material on performance. I  say confusing because that had used Gabrielle Enthoven's donation of her collection of over 80,000 playbills, play texts and programmes to the museum as the hook but the display had very little link to her. It would have been nice to flag any items which had come from her original donation. Instead the show reflected her nickname as "the theatrical encyclopaedia" to display items from the larger collection as an A-Z of themes to explore how performance continues to entertain, provoke and inspire. I must admit this was lost on me at the time and it just felt like random groupings with a letter attached. It followed similar themes to the main collection. It was a nice excuse to show items which might usually be in storage and who doesn't want to see one of Lily Savage's costumes and Kenneth Williams costume for Carry on Cleo. Closed 29 Mar...

Interesting display at the Victoria and Albert Museum looked at female printmakers since 1900. The display was quite small but included a number of well-known names as well as introducing some less famous. I liked the inclusion of some of the women who had worked on London Transport Posters and well as a Suffragette one. Highlights for me must be two by Dame Laura Knight and a lovely print by Mary Anne Sloane of her friend, the printer, Constance Pott. Closes 27 September 2026