Having some work in a show in Paris was the main reason for my recent visit. I never go anywhere, however, without seeing some art and this time introduced a friend to the wonders of la Bourse de Commerce. The building is so uplifting , even without the art inside. This time I was delighted […]
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.
The Hop, outdoor sculpture on the South Bank
I love coming across outdoor art when least expecting to and this piece, The Hop, by Jyll Bradley was no exception. Picking hops in Kent was a seasonal agricultural activity, a summer holiday for working class families until the early 1960s. It was hard physical work but far from the dirt of London and somewhere […]
Raphael at the National Gallery
Revisiting the Raphael exhibition at the National Gallery confirmed my admiration of his work, especially the portraits, mainly displayed in the final room. I find Raphael somewhat intimidating – he’s so perfect and revered – but the painting of his friend Baldassare Castiglione is winningly affectionate and engaging. Those blue eyes are incredible. Raphael’s skill […]
Wit, humour and pathos in Highgate Cemetery
Time for a change of pace this week and photos from a walk in Highgate cemetery . Yes, the place is full of the great and good but some gravestones caught my eye for different reasons. Were the tombstones and plots pre-planned by the person buried there or designed by the family/ friends/ admirers of […]
Feminine Power at the British Museum. The Divine to the Demonic.
Feminine power: the divine to the demonic, currently on at the British Museum in London, gives a historical overview of the range of female deities, goddesses and spirits of reverence. From 5,000 year old female statues to Kiki Smith’s Lilith the strength of feminine power is explored across time and culture. Women are the givers […]
Cornelia Parker at Tate Britain. Post 2 of 2
So, part two of the Cornelia Parker show at Tate Britain begins with another installation: Perpetual Canon. Parker was invited to create a piece for a circular space and thought of music. This evolved into a lack of sound, a “mute marching band, frozen breathlessly in limbo”. While the brass instruments are squashed, their shadows […]
Cornelia Parker at Tate Britain. Post 1 of 2
I’ve been a big fan of Cornelia Parker from the beginning of her career and this show at Tate Britain is a treat. Parker explores connections between objects and experiences, offering commentary on our world. She has extraordinary curiosity allied with humour and pathos. Her art is often very beautiful and skilfully produced, something I […]
Andreas Gursky at White Cube
You really have to see Andreas Gursky’s photographs in the flesh to get the full impact. Many of them are very large, a technical feat in itself but the thing that staggers me is the fact that every detail, no matter where it is, is in focus; the opposite of how our eyes work. The […]
Walter Sickert at Tate Britain
In an ongoing process of discovery here’s yet another artist whose oeuvre is more interesting once you find out more about them. I’m stating now that I won’t cover his nudes here as they are a whole other story, remaining controversial, even today. Look them up or visit the exhibition to see what I mean. […]
Jake Wood-Evans at Unit Gallery
The Edge of Reality, a recent exhibition of Jake Wood-Evans at Unit Gallery develops his contemporary take on some of the Western historical painting traditions. His paintings use work by a well-known artist including Joshua Reynolds or John Singer Sargent as the starting point then he scrapes away, blurs and paints something which, whilst retaining […]