Cathy's Art Diary

Fascinating online discussion from the Monumental Welsh Women Committee live streamed from the National Library of Wales examining the committee’s project to commission five statues of real Welsh women over five years. I have been interested in this project since a friend Eve Shepherd unveiled the first of these works of Betty Campbell in Cardiff. This talk brought together the five artists chaired by Felicity Evans, BBC Wales Political Editor and a member of the committee, to discuss their work. It was the first time the five artists had been together. The five works are :      * Betty Campbell by Eve Shepherd      * Elaine Morgan by Emma Rodgers      * Cranogwen by Sebastian Boyesen      * Lady Rhondda by Jane Robbins      * Billie Bond by Elizabeth Andrews   Each artist introduced their subject and statue then they discussed themes which had emerged from the projects including the role of...

Thought provoking online discussion as part of the Cheltenham Literature Festival looking at how we view history from a Western European viewpoint. The talked brought together the author of a recent book on African European though history, Olivette Otele and art critic and historian, Aindrea Emelife to discuss how to ensure accounts of history and culture reflect the whole of society and how to move from away from a singular narrative to one that belongs to everyone. All aspects of this talk were interesting but I include it in my art blog as Emelife had a fascinating presentation in the light of the removal of the Coulston statue in Bristol showing examples of new public art reflecting a more diverse society. Examples included a wonderful statue in New York, mimicking the controversial Confederate statues, of a African-American in urban clothes on horseback by Fehinde Wiley from 2019 and a Nazi era building in Italy which, rather than demolishing it, has a line from a Jewish ...

Excellent lecture as part of London Art Week Digital examining the role of artists in establishing the canon of archetypal antique statues. Given by Adriani Aymanino the talk looked at what statues were available to artists at various periods and, taking The Laocoon as an example, he looked at the different reasons artists drew these works from records of expression, thought anatomical study to compositional studies. He spent some time discussing the concept of ideal proportions and beauty that these statues were thought to demonstrate and the role this played in an artists training within the academies and why this fell out of fashion in the late 20th century.

Interesting discussion as part of the online version of the Masterpiece Art fair on the current issues around the removal of statues of controversial figures. The panel consisted of a journalist, Farah Nayeri; a museum director, Simon Martin of Pallant House: an artist, Zak Over and a director of a private gallery, Polly Bielecka. This interesting mix of people were asked to respond to the incident in Bristol of the toppling of a statue of a slaver trader and suggest what might replace controversial statues. The point was made that statues and sculpture are subtly different things and that sculpture, even if figurative, can open up more of a conversation about an issue than just a figure of a person, as it can emphasis what they represent. There was some discussion around the cost of replacing work, whether cheaper materials could be used and if temporary exhibits, like the Fourth Plinth might be the right approach. I was interested to hear that the Mayor of London has called for all s...