To think that this Victorian beam engine in Markfield Park Tottenham would have looked much the same when fully in use as it does today. I can imagine budding engineers inspired to find out how these things work with the steam hissing away. Tottenham, then a village, was one of the first areas to develop […]
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.
George Baselitz at White Cube Bermondsey
One of the most famous artists of the 20th Century, Georg Baselitz died earlier this year after a successful career spanning over six decades. This show at White Cube Bermondsey was titled Back Again, referring to motifs revisited: the eagle, (the camera couldn’t handle the colours in this detail shot) the figure of the “hero” […]
Monument to Mahomet Weyonomon at Southwark Cathedral
This small carved monument sits in the grounds of Southwark Cathedral, right next to Borough Market near London Bridge. It commemorates Mahomet Weyonomon, chief of the Mohegans, a native American tribe. Mahomet, a Sachem (chief), came to England in 1735 to discuss the return of his people’s lands which had been taken by English settlers. […]
Efectos Especiales at Greenwich & Docklands International Festival
This year I made it through the rain to see the UK premier of Argentinian artists Luciana Acuña and Alejo Moguillansky’s immersive production Efectos Especiales at the Greenwich & Docklands International Festival (GDIF). We watched as a dancer made their way through the streets, reacting to a soundtrack of music and shots, encountering coloured smoke […]
Nice Day for It! at Photofusion Gallery
Nice Day For It! a recent show held at Photofusion in Brixton harked back to the “traditional” British seaside holiday with photography by Anna Fox, The Caravan Gallery, Daniel Meadows, John HInde Studio and Martin Parr. I enjoyed the colour-saturated combination of the joyful and prosaic, the almost surreal imagery that these photographers capture. Here […]
Daniel Hosego at James Freeman Gallery
The Myth of Man was the most recent Daniel Hosego exhibition at James Freeman Gallery where his trademark etching style explored contemporary masculinity culture wars with art historical & classical references. In the panoramic Machomarchy, Centaurs wearing baseball caps, wielding barbells and golf clubs ride into battle, the injured prone amongst beer cans. Zoom in […]
Hamish Macaulay: Distant Shores at Eames Fine Art Gallery
Titled Distant Shores, this exhibition of monoprints and paintings by Hamish Macaulay was held at Eames Fine Art. The distant shores refer to New Zealand, the artist’s home country which he has returned to after living for many years in the UK. What I find interesting about these latest pieces is the way he uses […]
Anish Kapoor at the Hayward Gallery. Post 2 of 2
In my first post I showed some of the works on the lower floor. Moving up the stairs at the Hayward Gallery, more of Anish Kapoor‘s red forms are pressed into the architecture. The next room houses Ha Makom, derived from the Hebrew phrase “the place”. It is otherworldly, inviting you to approach, drawing you […]
Anish Kapoor at the Hayward Gallery, London. Post 1 of 2.
One of the most famous artists of our time, Anish Kapoor has taken over the Hayward Gallery with something of a retrospective in this summer blockbuster. Works here range in scale from massive as above to smaller pieces in protective cases. The first piece on entry feels as if it is trying to burst out […]
The Jenner Museum, Berkeley
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. […]