Going to the V&A on a Friday evening recently, I took refuge from the hordes to look at the Jameel Prize exhibition which was surprisingly deserted. Perhaps because it had already been running a while? Who knows. Painter Hayv Kahraman’s beautifully executed paintings combine the traditions of medieval Arabic illustration and European painting to explore […]
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.
Courtauld Impressionists from Manet to Cézanne at the National Gallery
As the Courtauld Gallery has closed for refurbishment for a couple of years, someone had the brilliant idea of showing a selection of the classic Impressionist paintings for a few months at the National Gallery The original Courtauld catalogue above lists the entire collection, a selection of which are on show and it was revealing to […]
Artists at The Other Art Fair, Victoria House London. Post 2 of 2
Here are more snapshots from previously featured artists and new ones from the show which was in 2 venues: Victoria House and The College, former St Martin’s School across the road. This large golden-lit skyscape from Alex McIntyre stood out on her stand. Secret Art Prize winner Michelle Loa Kum Cheung juggled showing here with work […]
Artists at The Other Art Fair, Victoria House London. Post 1 of 2
It’s always interesting to visit The Other Art Fair at Victoria House in Holborn though I did rush round as I’m really focussed on my preparations for The Other Art Fair in Brooklyn in a few weeks. Anyway, here are a few images of work worth mentioning: Hanna ten Doornkaat showed some more architectural pieces this time […]
Hiding in Plain Sight: Female Abstract Expressionists in 1950’s and 60’s America at Amar Gallery
Go down the stairs at Amar Gallery in Islington to encounter a gem of a show about the female Abstract Impressionist artists working at the same time as those male painters we’re already so familiar with: Pollock, Rothko, De Kooning, Newman etc. It was a very macho movement with the women producing work of equal power and […]
Unreal Estates curated by Amanda Lwin
Looking for a place to rent or buy with a few original features? Then why not go to Unreal Estates, an exhibition curated by my former studio-mate Amanda Lwin in a real estate agency, Homefinders, at 146 Kingsland High Street, London. Exploring the current housing situation, she’s brought together a group of writers […]
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition: 4 of 4
The architecture room at the RA Summer Show is full of beautifully produced models and drawings. This huge one ( coming in at 2.3 x 1.3 metres and 45cm high) however, of the Google’s View Mountain Campus in California, designed by Thomas Heatherwick and BIG, fascinated me with the amount of detail and how lovingly […]
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition: 3 of 4
Another piece from the Blue Room was this glorious hanging by El Anatsui, aptly named Change in Fortune, made from his traditional bottle tops stitched together. The whole piece is a beautiful shimmering sweeping stroke on a grand scale. This geometric hand folded polyester film by Tony Blackmore impressed me with its delicacy and complexity. A […]
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition: 2 of 4
The Phyllida Barlow room was, as you can see, pretty busy when I visited (and no, I don’t know the smiley woman in front of Tony Cragg’s Lost in Thoughts sculptures in this shot) The beautifully smooth laminated wood invited touch which practically everyone seemed to do. David Nash showed Red Holed Column, this wooden trunk […]
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition: 1 of 4
As the years go on I seem to know and recognise the work of an increasing number of artists exhibiting at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, several of whom have featured in previous blog posts. Kate MccGwire is one such and I was delighted to see that she had won the Jack Goldhill Award for sculpture […]
