Cathy's Art Diary

Fascinating and dramatic exhibition at Palazzo Grimani in Venice reconstructing a collection of antique sculpture that has previously been in this particular space after 400 years.   I’d read an excellent article in Apollo Magazine about the bringing together of these sculptures so was delighted to be able to see it. In the palazzo there is an amazing, vaulted room which has housed much of the collection of Giovanni Grimaldi which has ended up in a section the Musee Correr which was being refurbished. While this has been happening they have been moved back to their original home. Here’s hoping they stay. It is a stunning collection but is somewhat mugged by the splendour of the room. With its amazing, coffered ceiling with a 2nd century Ganymede and an eagle soaring up into it. It was hard to focus on the amazing works below. Its power was more in its whole effect that the composite parts. Closes 27 November 2022  

Effective  exhibition at Palazzo Grimani in Venice of new work by Georg Baselitz. The work had been done in response to the city which I found amusing as the last time I saw an exhibition of Baselitz’s work was at the Accademia. In particular there were twelve paintings made expressly for the Sala del Portego, which hung on eighteenth-century stucco-framed panels. They were bright and decorative almost like posh wallpaper. In the side rooms were more classic Baselitz style upside down figures which played with the space. My favourites were the two shown here which were thick black reliefs and yes, the photo is the right way up. Closed 17 November 2022