Hockney at the Royal Academy: A Bigger Picture

Not many pictures for this one... for the simple reason,  you must see it.  


I love going to retrospectives, because you really get to grips with why an artist does what they do. 

I didn't know much about Hockney.  I'm not sure why, as I went to art school here in London, but anyhow, it was all pretty new to me.


I loved the acidic colours he used in his landscapes. They reminded me that those colours do exist in nature, we just have to look for them.  When the sun is so bright the trees glow, and the shadows are deep purple.


The more abstract paintings he did, were from memory.  It was a fantastic way to show how your memory can distort things, or just let the most important things come through.


I really enjoyed the photo montages he did of the Grand Canyon back in the 80s.  Stunning.


There were also loads of iPad "paintings" and also, some of his video work, which I found especially interesting, as they were shot on a grid of cameras.  It's great to see how someone in their 70's has embraced new technologies, and pushing boundaries we didn't even know existed.  Pretty inspirational


So, no pics, go see it yourself, you won't regret it. 

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/

Galleries, galleries!

It seems I have really had my fill of galleries this weekend!  Firstly, I was lucky enough to be invited to the private view of the Courthauld's biennial contemporary art exhibition, Material Matters.  The students select artists and invite them to show their work throughout the corridors of the institution.  My favourite piece was the colourful strung piece in Staircase II by Gabriel Dawe, called Plexus no.11.  It's gorgeous.  You must go and see it.  The exhibition is open on the last Saturday of each month, from Feb 2012 to June 2013.  So you've got time...

Then on Saturday,  I went to see the Building the Revlution: Soviet art and architecture 1915 - 1935 at the Royal Academy of Arts.  I love a bit of Soviet architecture.  Really strong and also a bit delusional.  There were photographs of the buildings as they are today, alongside of photos of when they were originally built.  The modern photos are often very large, so you kind of feel as if you are in the space.   There were gorgeous paintings by Popova also, and her contemporary artists.  It was packed though, so if you are going, I'd go soon, and early.... worth the visit.

I also popped along to Dover Street Market, to see the Chapman Brothers new installation, and browse painfully beautiful clothes... one can dream!  I guess I'm not a huge fan of the Chapman Brothers, but still find their work fascinating, ever since I was introduced to their work at the Sensations exhibition in the 90's.  I wish I still had that catalogue! 

Courthauld  - Material Matters

Building the Revolution

Dover Street Market