August Arts Newsletter
Greenhouse at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall. 86x106cm framed. Oil on canvas. The second in my Heligan series
I hope you are enjoying the Summer. We have just come back from a lovely holiday in the South of France, an absolute mecca of fantastic galleries. Our favourites were Fondation Maeght, Musee Matisse, Famm, Chapelle Matisse and Musee Picasso. Definitely worth checking out any/all of these if you are in the Nice environs.
Top tip: no need to forewarn your family quite how much art will be involved, work on a day to day basis…
Back in London, there are all sorts of fun things to see. Lots of exhibitions from previous newsletters are on for the whole Summer and there are a few other recommendations below.
M.C.Esher. The Exhibition
This exhibition is the perfect Summer holiday show to take the family to and it is bound to delight all ages.
This is a touring immersive show put together by a Italian company Artemesia. I am usually very anti ‘immersive’ shows as they tend to stray way too far from the original art but this show looks pretty good and explores the maths and techniques that lead to old favourites such as the looping staircase and Waterfall where water appears to be running up and down at the same time.
If you go on a hot day, you can refresh yourselves in the Somerset House fountains after!
Somerset House until 6 September
Japanese Women Photographers: From 1950s to now
This exhibition charts how female photographers have affected the artistic landscape in Japan over the past 70 years. From pop culture and fashion to high art and everyday life, this show is made up of over 200 photos along with photobooks, video and installations. This takes up 4 floors of the gorgeous Photographer’s Gallery and is definitely worth seeing.
Photographers Gallery until 27 September
Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam
The work of Victorian painter Richard Dadd is very unusual, as was his career. Dadd started his life as a successful painter being a founder of a collective known as Clique (bad name!).
After a trip to the Eastern Mediterranean, Dadd suffered severe mental health problems and delusions which led to him killing his father. He spent the rest of his life in hospital institutions where he created intricate paintings of fairies and other imaginative beings. These lay in comparative obscurity until the 1970s when they became particularly popular with artists, writers and musicians.
I’m thinking Hieronymous Bosch meets Bramley Hedge; yes please.
Royal Academy until 25 October.
Save the date!
Katie Preston and I, at Common Works Gallery, are very busy with prep for the Wimbledon Art Trail next month. It is bigger than ever, with over 30 venues including lots of shops in Wimbledon town and village. We have kept the footprint of the trail tight to enable visitors to enjoy as many venues as possible. I will be giving more details in next month’s newsletter.
A few watercolour sketches I made on holiday, of Mougins and Tourettes sur Loup
