This house was the home of country doctor Edward Jenner, the man who discovered the smallpox vaccine. Now a museum, it tells the story of his life and the times he lived in, as well as ongoing issues with vaccination in the present day. The house is comfortable, what you’d expect for a middle-class doctor. […]
One-minute blog of interesting things
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As a working contemporary artist I visit many exhibitions and shows, but sometimes it is the things I see that are part of daily life that capture my interest. My one-minute blog of interesting things reflects the fact that although we are increasingly time-poor, there is creativity all around us. Email me at info@carolinebanks.co.uk with your name and email to receive a weekly post that only takes 1 minute to read.
Artangel. Enemies & Rascals: Maughan Library, London
Artangel presents contemporary artworks in unusual venues, often places not otherwise open to the public which makes them worth checking out. Set in the Original Cell at the Maughan Library in King’s College London, Enemies and Rascals by Terence Gower is an audio piece with the added interest of seeing some of the original research […]
Threadflux at White Conduit Projects, London.
Coming from a mixed-media background I’m always interested to see how textiles are used to convey ideas and emotions. Threadflux, a group show currently on at White Conduit Projects, shows a selection of work using material in unexpected ways. Take Cognitive Dissonance by Sarah Impey. The machine-stitched words are sucked into a disconcerting sphincter to […]
The Art of Care: Through The Eyes of Tomorrow’s Doctors. Science Gallery, London
Given my conviction that art and creativity are core to our humanity, I attended a panel discussion at the Science Gallery talking about the essential role that creativity plays within healthcare and how that is being developed at hospitals in London. One of the projects students undertake is illustrated in The Art of Care exhibition. […]
New Designers at Business Design Centre, London.
New Designers is an annual exhibition showcasing the work of recent graduates from design courses around the country. Everything from textiles, fashion, jewellery, product design, furniture, interior design and illustration are covered in the first week. It can be overwhelming so, as a long-term visitor, I tend to skim-view the displays, only stopping when something […]
Banksy’s sculpture in London’s Waterloo Place.
This caused quite a stir, as does any new Banksy artwork, when first discovered in Waterloo Place, central London. As you can see below, he picked his location with care: the place is full of historical memorials and grand statues of the “Great and Good”. Seen from a distance the scale perfectly fits its setting. […]
Travelling in a 1949 Daimler
This is my first (and probably only) post about a car. I was amazed to go out in this classic 1949 Daimler when I visited a friend recently. People stared as we drove past and complete strangers came up to talk to me. It’s the first time I’ve been in such a car and I […]
Zurbarán at the National Gallery: Still Life
The penultimate room in this exhibition at the National Gallery focusses on Zurbarán‘s still lives (as well as those of his son), showing how they were also used as references within other paintings. This small painting is from the National Gallery’s own collection. It could have been an individual piece or a section of a […]
Zurbarán at the National Gallery: the richness of detail.
I first heard the saying “every detail is not a detail” decades ago from luxury brand Hermès and it has been one of my mottoes ever since. It came to mind when looking at Zurbarán in the current exhibition at the National Gallery. One of the wonderful things about seeing original art is that you […]
Zurbarán at the National Gallery
Who? people said to me when I mentioned this show at the National Gallery. A 17th century Spanish artist, Francisco de Zurbarán worked during the Counter-Reformation. His patrons were religious orders intent on reinforcing the power and influence of the Catholic church throughout the Spanish Empire. I don’t know if he was very religious but […]