This week saw the opening of two exhibitions at Flowers Gallery: the work of photographer, Edmund Clark and the painter, Peter Schmersal. Although two very different shows, with very different atmospheres – the themes raised by each artist successfully manage to complement and elaborate on the work of the other. Peter Schmersal (a German artist from Berlin) produces … Continue reading Edmund Clark and Peter Schmersal at Flowers Gallery
Sikander Pervez
Following on from my post on FOUND at the New Art Gallery Walsall, this exhibition is accompanied by another, solo show – that of Sikander Pervez. Pervez was selected for New Art West Midlands 2014 – an event at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, celebrating outstanding fine art graduates from the West Midlands Universities. I … Continue reading Sikander Pervez
FOUND: New Art Gallery Walsall
Last night saw the private view of New Art Gallery Walsall’s new exhibition: FOUND. The exhibition featured seven artists (Paul Chiappe, Julie Cockburn, Ellen Gallagher, Ruth Claxton, John Stezaker, Vesna Pavlović and Erik Kessels), all of whom transformed and re-worked found, visual material. It featured photographs, postcards, slides and magazines - all gleaned from the … Continue reading FOUND: New Art Gallery Walsall
‘Behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit’ – Art at the British Museum
This was the title Count Christian Dürckheim, who donated almost all the works on display, would have preferred for the British Museum’s showcase of 90 examples of German, modernist art. Eventually titled Germany Divided – A Search For Identity, the exhibition is more than a mere exploration into ‘modernism.’ Germany Divided represents a very particular moment in the 1960s … Continue reading ‘Behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit’ – Art at the British Museum
The Great War in Portraits: War at the National Portrait Gallery
Imagination, n.: A warehouse of facts, with a poet and a liar in joint ownership. Ambrose Bierce Who should win? The Poet or the Liar? Does it even matter, and are they always destined to be co-owners? This exhibition revolves around contrasts and difficult questions. It is an incredibly fitting portrayal of a war which … Continue reading The Great War in Portraits: War at the National Portrait Gallery
Andy Holden at Spike Island (Bristol Arts Weekend!)
Last weekend saw individual artists, galleries and all manner of creative endeavours open their doors to the public. It was a weekend designed to encourage public participation and dialogue between the cities artists and galleries - a lot of fun to be a part of! For me, it started with the Andy Holden Opening at … Continue reading Andy Holden at Spike Island (Bristol Arts Weekend!)
What’s the point of it? – Martin Creed at Tate Britain
The point of what? Art, life, love, ….bodily functions!? Last week I counted myself lucky enough to see Martin Creed’s latest exhibition, a retrospective at the Southbank Centre. This exhibition brings together an enormous amount of his previous and current work, reflecting different thoughts, emotions and materials. The themes flow wonderfully into each other, a … Continue reading What’s the point of it? – Martin Creed at Tate Britain
Moore and Rodin – Modern Sculpture at Compton Verney
Compton Verney, a beautiful stately home in the midst of the Warwickshire countryside, has been home – as of late – to two giants of modern sculpture: Henry Moore and Auguste Rodin In the Capability Brown landscape, the two sculptors sit side by side – evidencing the remarkable parallels, contradictions and dialogue between their works. … Continue reading Moore and Rodin – Modern Sculpture at Compton Verney
Is it Istanbul or Constantinople, or Spike Island?
Alt Üst: Cevdet Erek I was very excited to see Spike Island’s latest exhibition - Alt Üst, from the Istanbul based artist, Cevdet Erek. This excitement was prompted by my recent trip to Turkey’s cultural capital; a bustling, pulsing, changeable and exhilarating city. Arriving in Taksim square, navigating the hectic Istiklal street to my apartment, … Continue reading Is it Istanbul or Constantinople, or Spike Island?
New Art in the West Midlands: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Last Thursday saw the opening of ‘New Art West Midlands’ exhibition, showcasing new work from the best graduates across the area. It was designed as a celebration of innovation, embracing the spectrum of artistic media and presentation, providing a platform for emerging, and recently graduated artists. Themes of class, gender, identity, site-specific responses, urban spaces … Continue reading New Art in the West Midlands: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
AC studies 