Cathy's Art Diary

Thoughtful exhibition at the National Gallery of a video produced by their latest artist in residence, Ming Wong. The exhibition element of this work, inspired by paintings of St Sebastian in gallery, was made up of small screens in a selection of galleries each of which showed a section of the work. There are also showings on certain dates of the complete work in the lecture theatre. Wong draws on paintings of Saint Sebastian combined with the landmark film ‘Sebastiane’ by British filmmaker Derek Jarman. He starts the work walking around the gallery in a suit pierced by arrows musing on how the meaning of paintings alters depending on its location and over time, this then segways into what I assume are preenacted scenes from the film set inside the gallery. I went to see a complete showing and was moved by it despite the two ladies chatting at the back of the auditorium (rude).   If you didn't know the Jarman film it might feel strange being spoken in Latin and the fact it ...

Interesting online lecture from the National Gallery discussing last year’s Artist in Residence Katrina Palmer. Priyesh Mistry, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Projects, took us through Palmer’s previous work and discussed the problem of displaying work in a gallery which is based on the idea of absence. He talked us through the book Palmer produced as part of the project which is called “The Touch Report” after the informal name for an internal gallery report on incidences where the public touch an artwork. In the book she describes acts of violence in paintings in the gallery without naming the picture. To make this into a installation for the gallery it was put in an empty room, with the shadow of a missing painting, and a purpose-built bookcase. As you know I will go to anything at the National Gallery, well to be honest at most galleries, but I never saw any communications about this installation or book so I missed the chance to go. I am a member there so you’...

Strange installation at the National Gallery by this year’s artist in residence, Céline Condorelli. The work was in room 31 with French 17th century works including the Poussins. A carpet replaces the usual museum benches and a diaphanous curtain is draped over the skylight. Through the floor vents there is a soundscape of snippets from Trafalgar Square. It’s all very nice but I’m not sure I understand what it’s about. The commentary says that it   “invites to us to become aware of our own way of seeing, to pay attention to the space and materials of the National Gallery, how we behave in it and how it is connected to the world outside.” I think I need an online talk on it to hear more from the artist on this one. Closes 7 January 2023 Review Guardian

Delightful exhibition at the National Gallery focusing on Paula Rego’s mural for the gallery’s restaurant. As the restaurant area is being refurbished, this was a chance to show the mural as a work of art. It was created during Rego’s year as the first artist in residence at the gallery in 1991 in response to an altarpiece by Crivelli which was also shown in the space. The mural looked beautiful and was smaller than I remembered it. It was great to be able to look at all the detail close up and to see the preparatory drawings, many based on National Gallery staff of the time. The figures in the mural represent Biblical and Mythological women and it was fun to sit in front of it and play spot the character. My recent mythology course came in handy! I later realised there is a guide on the website to check your answers.   Closes 29 October 2033 Reviews Times Guardian Evening Standard  

Fascinating residency at King’s College, Bush House, by Italian street artist Ozmo. There was a nice display of his previous work which I found a useful introduction. He combines classical and Renaissance imagery on a large scale. In this piece he was a painting on the main wall of the Arcade in Bush House. Unfortunately he was at lunch when I popped in but generally the college community and the wider public were invited to interact with the artist as he created the piece.   When I saw it was still a drawing on the wall in a pediment shape combining classical, historic and contemporary sources. There was only 2 days to go and it felt like there was a lot of work to do but I liked the bones off it. I was pleased to see Virginia Woolf in there! There were print outs around of other images which might get added. The final painting will remain on display throughout the spring and early summer at the shop across the Strand from Bush House and I’ll definitely pop in to look. ...

Fascinating installation at the National Gallery by their artist in residence Ali Cherri. The show consisted of displays in vitrines amongst the pictures in the Sainsbury Wing examining works in the collection which have been deliberately damaged. The trauma suffered by these works is meant to mirror the trauma of the saints in the pictures.   I could have done without the deformed stuffed lamb but loved   the idea of using contemporary newspapers to the shooting of the Da Vinci cartoon as a response and the classical head on a mirror for Rokeby Venus. Definitely one to revisit. Closes 12 June 2022 Review Evening Standard    

Colourful display at National Gallery of four works by artists in residence Rosalind Nashashibi in response to work in their collection from 17th Spain. There were just four pictures which were hung amongst the paintings by Velazquez, Zurbaran and Murillo. I am fond of these largely brown works but it was nice to see them hung with these pops of colour. The commentary said that she was looking at how paintings could convey stories through objects, animals and figures. I’m not sure I always understood the response but they worked well in the space and made you look again at the works around them. Closes 27 June 2021      

Lovely exhibition   at the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne of new work by sculptor Eve Shepherd who was also in residence there. The Stand is a growing work representing unrecognised women through history. There were about 20 figures when I visited but the plan was grow this over time to be 150 figures. They are shown on individual tall stands and are each long figures growing out of a bed of clay to form recognisable figures. Some figures are real people from history and they have their eyes open but others represented the forgotten figures of history whose eyes are closed. I must admit to knowing Eve and it was great to see her there and to learn more about the figures. She had been working in a small studio in the corner of the room which had a figure she was working on and pictures of the women who she had been already modelled. She was sharing the room with Jenny Staff who was running an interactive area which allowed children and adults to play with creative idea...

Work by the artist in residence at the Whitney Museum of American Art . This was a false room which you could view through spaces in its corners. It was a basically a work space in which the artist works with everyday objects to look at how they transform with use. The website describes it as “questioning the autonomy of the art object through a process of its constant transmutation”. Not sure I understand but I am sure I agree! Must admit the artist had gone for a short break when we were there but the thing which struck me most was the smell, as he had been baking! Review New York Times