We went yesterday to the just-opened Frank Bowling exhibition at Tate Britain. It is fantastic. This is him in his studio. His paintings are so full of colour and life. The audio commentary that you can hire for a few £s has him talking about some of the paintings as well as the curator of the exhibition, which was fascinating too. I can’t recommend it highly enough. You need to set aside an hour to an hour and a half I reckon. We saw the blockbuster Van Gogh exhibition on the same day, but to be honest I was more taken with Frank Bowling.
Yes @davidhendon - good exhibition. Although I understand that Bowling is not entirely happy with it as the curators have taken a strictly chronological approach, and have emphasised his racial identity, rather than his use of light and form, which is what he wanted showcased.
It closed today, but the Royal Academy’s The Renaissance Nude was a superlative survey. The catalogue is very good too. The RA has been on a bit of a roll over the past few years and there are more blockbusters to come.
They have taken a chronological approach to Frank Bowling, but mainly I suspect because his style and technique changed radically with time. I didn’t think his racial identity was a big deal, but he must know what he thinks. In any case the paintings are wonderful.
I thought the Renaissance Nude was a missed opportunity, personally. A small scale exhibition on a big theme. OK so far as it went, but it could have been so much more.
And I should like to see Dorothea Tanning but I think the closing date will beat me unfortunately.
Anyway we are lucky in London with lots to choose from!
@LindsayM - I went to the Koons last week. I don’t really like him, but some of the large scale polished steel “balloons” were pretty impressive, sensual even.
Highlight of the day was a fabulous lunch at the Cherwell Boathouse!
This year is the 250th year of the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, so we can expect something special to celebrate. Well worth going, and most pieces are for sale, so you can buy there too…
For Northern visitors the Abbot Hall Gallery in Kendal is small but often has excellent works. It has a small rotating collection of largely British 20thC art and sculpture but also 3-4 exhibitions a year that are usually well curated and varied.
The current summer show is Ruskin/Turner which is unusual for them in being a more typical romantic/Lakeland collection and not really my things but it is still worth a trip.
They had a fantastic series of large Grayson Perry tapestries a few months ago that made me ‘get’ him for the first time as an artist, as opposed to a TV presenter.
The Leonardo drawings in Leeds (and other venues) have sadly now moved back into the Queen’s attic. They were magical.
Anyone in North Yorkshire, the glass makers Gillies Jones have an exhibition of their latest works in their studio in Rosedale Abbey until 30th June. Some lovely large display plates, three sphere shapes and some large bowls. All superb pieces of cameo glass beautifully engraved, my favourite piece was the sphere below, about 20cm across.
For those unlucky enough not to be in North Yorkshire, the Lee Krasner exhibition at The Barbican Centre in London is excellent. Not least because it is a major show of art by a (remarkable) woman.
With so much pushing and shoving within the art establishments in recent years to get the ladies and other minority’s seen and recognised.
It can be beneficial to see this sides stance on this.
This is one of the winning photos from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London. There is lots of stunning photography here but the exhibition only has another ten days or so to run…
Best
On a much smaller scale, but equally worth visiting, the Surrey Artists’ Open Studios is running now until 16th June.
We’re just back from a very interesting afternoon at a glass making studio and gallery in West Horsley which included a skillful demonstration of the art
Adam Aaronson? I’m keeping half an eye on his Imaginary Landscape series, some lovely works there, not yet one I’ve felt has spoken to me enough to but, but I could easily be tempted at some point.
