“Hvr ofn y si ɖm, ɖ sîz n scêl v ɖ Bacs têcs yr breʈ awe”
Hilary Spurling GUARDIAN 12 May 2007 Continue reading HENRI MATISSE SCULPTURE: THE BACKS │ Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts → 1 September 2015
“Wɖt hm, sd Mone, w wd’nt hv svîvd.
So ynivrsli popylr r ɖ Imprešnists tde, it’s hād t imajin a tîm ẇn ɖe wr’nt. Bt in ɖ ŕli 1870z ɖe strugld t b axptd. Šund bî ɖ ātistablišmnt, ɖe wr īvn lambastd az lūṇtcs bî wn critc.
Wn man, hvr, recgnîzd ɖer wrʈ fṛm ɖ bginñ. Pwl Dŭrã-Ruel, an ontṛpṛnŕı̣l ātdīlr fṛm Paris, dscuvrd ɖs grūp v yuñ ātists – includñ Mone, Degā, Mane, Renwā, Pīsaro n Sisle – n gambld.
Riylîzñ ɖ fašnbl ptenšl v ɖer ḍrîdd imprešnz v ŕbn n sbŕbn lîf, Dŭrã-Ruel dedicetd ɖ rest v hiz lîf t bildñ an ōdı̣ns fr ɖer wrc – crietñ ɖ modn ātmācit in ɖ prôses.
Sč wz hiz prsviṛns, Dŭrã-Ruel nirli bancruptd hmslf twîs, bfr sxesfli glôblîzñ hiz oṗrešn wɖ âtposts in Lundn, Bruslz n Ny Ywc, n istablišñ ɖ wn-man šo az ɖ inṭnašnl nwm fr xbišnz.
Ɖ Imprešnists – a trm frst yzd ḍrogtvli bî critcs – wz t bcm ɖ hâshold nem ɖt standz tde.
Invntñ Imprešnizm fīčrz 85 mastrpìsz fṛm ɖ muvmnt, ol bt wn hvñ pást ʈru Dŭrã-Ruel’z handz, includñ ʈri v Renwā’z fems Dansz n fîv fṛm Mone’z Popḷrz siriz.”
Continue reading INVENTING IMPRESSIONISM │ National Gallery, London → 31 May 2015
“Ɖs epic šo têcs Cazimir Małevič’z radicl pêntñ v a blac sqr – frst šôn in Ruša 100 yirz ago – az ɖ embḷm v a ny āt n a ny ssayti. Ɖ xibišn fīčrz ovr 100 ātists hu tc p its leġsi, fṛm Buenos Îres t Tehran, Lundn t Brlin, Ny Ywc t Tel Aviv. Ɖer pêntñz, fôṭgrafs n sculpčrz simḅlîz Moḍnizm’z ytôpı̣n aspirešnz n brêcdânz.
Prizntd croṇlojcli ɖ šo foloz for ʈīmz:
Ytôpia z xprest ʈru Małevič’z blac sqr, ɖ pṛjenitr v ny isʈetc n ṗlitcl hrîznz, sizd bî ātists fṛm Vladimir Tatlin t Eliu Oičisīca.
Ācitectonics priznts flôtñ jioṃtriz ɖt pṛpoz ny sošl spêsz az imajind bî Łubov Popovā or Pīt Mondrian n Liym Gilic.
Cmynicešn spredz ɖ mesij t ɖ masz in manifstos n avãgād grafics.
Ɖ Evrīde imbedz rūtīnz n objcts in ɖ isʈetcs v prôgres az obzrvd in a txtîl bî Sôfi Tâbr-Āp or ɖ abstract mtifs pêntd on Ṗrūvı̣n loriz capčrd bî Armando Andrade Tudela. Midl Īstn ātists sč az Nazgol Ansarinia lnc Moḍnizm wɖ Aṛbic n Pršn decṛtv āts; ẇl Westn ātists sč az Luis Balts, Pītr Hali or Jeni Holtsr critīc ic̣nomic n ṗlitcl abstraẋn. Advnčrz v ɖ Blac Sqr xplorz hâ abstract āt hz travld wrldwîd, prmietñ âr lîf n tîmz.”
“Ɖs mêjr xibišn rı̣sesz Jon Cunsṭbl’z inflụnsz, tecnīcs n leġsi t ofr a ny intrpṛtešn v Britn’z bst-luvd ātist. Dscuvr hâ grt wrcs v āt r crietd az Cunsṭbl’z most fems mastrpìsz r ynîtd wɖ hiz revlušnri ýlscečz: xpresv evcešnz v land, sì n scî ɖt alaud hm t trnsfŕ ɖ frešṇs v ɖ âtdorz intu hiz xibišnpêntñz.
Fr ɖ frst tîm, Cunsṭbl z prizntd alñsd ɖ old mastrz v clasicl landscep huz fwml valyz h stydı̣sli asimiletd. Bî cmbînñ ɖ oʈoṛti v ɖer comṗzišnl îdiyz wɖ a breʈtecñli načṛlistc vižn ɖt wz intîrli hiz ôn, Cunsṭbl wd ultiṃtli trnsfwm ɖ žãra v landscep̓êntñ, n in ɖ prôses šêp ɖ indyrñ popylr imij v ɖ Ñgliš cuntrīsîd.
Lrnñ fṛm ɖ Old Mastrz
Jon Cunsṭbl frst lrnd t pênt n drw az a jentlmnli psyt. In 1795, h met ɖ aṃṭrātist n c̣lctr Sr Jwj Bômont. It pruvd a trnñpýnt. Bômont’s c̣lẋn gev Cunsṭbl axes t mêjr pêntñz bî ɖ Old Mastrz.
Cunsṭbl’z ŕly wrcs rvil ɖ inflụns v svṛl grt pêntrz: Rafel, Rūbnz n Clwd Lren. Hiz cntmprri Jon Cranč ṣplîd hm wɖ a list v Pêntr’z Rīdñ, ẇč pṛvîdd a grândñ in ɖ histri n ʈiyri v āt. Jon Toms Antiqti Smiʈ lent hm drōñz n prints. Wɖ ɖ incurijmnt v ɖz frendz, Cunsṭbl entrd ɖ Royl Acaḍmi Scūlz in Lundn in 1799 t imbāc on a c̣rir az a pêntr.
Rīsnt Britiš landscepātists sč az Toms Gênzbra, Ričd Wilsn n Toms Grtin incurijd hm t istabliš a daylog btwn ɖ Old Mastrz n clôs studi v ɖ načṛl wrld. No longr cntnt wɖ sīcñ ɖ truʈ at secnd hand, h md lbwrı̣s studiz fṛm nêčr jrñ scečñturz v ɖ Lêcdistrict n elsẇr.
Scečñ in ɖ ôpn er
Scečñ in ýlz spred ʈrt Yṛp jrñ ɖ 17ʈ n 18ʈ senčriz. Clwd Lren wz sd t hv pêntd ât v dorz, n svṛl handbcs fr stydnts v āt rec̣mendd ôṗner scečñ in ýlz. Toms Jônz md impresv ýlscečz in Wêlz n Iṭli in 1772–82, n J.M.W. Trnr, Wiłm Mulredi n Jon Linl ol pêntd vivid âtdor scečz.
Ẇn wrcñ âtdorz, Cunsṭbl pêntd on fragmnts v canvs, milbwd or hom-md pêpr. Az h xplend t a frend in 1825, hiz ýlscečz wr dn in ɖ lid v mî box on mî nīz az yžl.
Cunsṭbl trnsfwmd ɖ žãra v ýlscečñ fṛm wn yzd fr rcwdñ landscepṃtīfs t a mīnz v capčrñ tranzı̣nt ifcts v lît n wɖr. Ẇn hiz dwtr Iẓbel gev ɖ ýlscečz rmenñ wɖ ɖ famli t ɖ Sâʈ Cenzñtn Myziym (nâ ɖ VnA) in 1888, ɖe wr aptli dscrîbd bî a rvywr in Ɖ Standd az briłnt trnscripšnz v ɖ ʈñ v ɖ mmnt – nêčr cōt in ɖ vri act.
Fṛm studiz fṛm nêčr t xibišnpêntñz
Cunsṭbl’s letrz mnšn bʈ scečz n studiz in ýlz. Ɖz aproxiṃt caṭgriz cn b subdivîdd intu dstnct tîps. Ɖe includ studiz fṛm nêčr v a mtīf (sč az a pwšn v landscep) or v verı̣s ifcts v lît, šêd or wɖr. Sm scečz wr md in ɖ stydio az a frst draft fr a comṗzišn. Ynīcli, Cunsṭbl olso md fl-sîz stydioscečz in preṗrešn fr an xibišnpêntñ. A studi md drectli fṛm nêčr cd smtmz b rvîzd lêtr in ɖ stydio. Pṛvîdd wɖ a sfišnt levl v finiš, it mt b jujd sūṭbl fr xibišn n seil. Cunsṭbl pṛdyst a nmbr v sč pêntñz, yžli on ɖ modist scêl v a cabiṇtpicčr. Sm wr md wɖ ɖ gîdns v drōñz, uɖrz x̣ktd intîrli in ɖ ôṗner.
C̣lctñ prints
Ɖ ātist’s frend n bîogṛfr Č.R. Lezli rcwld ɖt Cunsṭbl dîd az h livd, srândd bî āt, fr ɖ wōlz v ɖ ltl atic [bedrūm] wr cuvrd wɖ ingrevñz. Aftr h dîd in 1837, ɖ pêntñz in hiz stydio n hiz ôn ātc̣lẋn wr sold at ōẋn. Ʈrt hiz lîf Cunsṭbl c̣lctd prints, ẇč wr ls xpnsv n ɖrfr v sūpirı̣r qaḷti t ɖ rɖr mînr pêntñz h cd afwd. H wz ebl t asmbl a cnsidṛbl ātc̣lẋn. It includd 59 ýlpêntñz bî Old n Modn Mastrz n ovr 5000 prints, 250 drōñz, 37 bcs v prints n 39 fremd prints n drōñz. Most wr landscep n žãra subjcts, similr t ɖoz ẇč h hmslf pêntd.
Prints bî or bêst on fevrit ātists sč az Rūbnz, Clwd, Rîzdāl n Tišn srvd Cunsṭbl az mtirı̣l fr copiyñ, pṛvîdñ rič swsz v inspirešn n tīčñêdz.
Mcñ copiz v uɖr ātists
Nîn copiz bî Mr. Cunsṭbl – ol aftr 17ʈ senčri landsceps bî Rîzdāl, Clwd, Rūbnz n Žac d’Āʈwa – wr includd in ɖ postyṃs seil v hiz wrcs in 1838. Copiyñ Old Mastrz tṛdišnli helpt yuñ ātists dveḷp ɖer tecnīc n pârz v invnšn. It olso fed ɖ wîdspred dmand fr replic̣s v seḷbretd wrcs. Cunsṭbl’z nîn copiz sold wel, most riylîzñ hîr sumz ɖn ɖ Old n Modn Mastrz h ônd, or hiz ôn scečz n studiz.
Cunsṭbl hd axes t Sr Jwj Bômont’s čýs c̣lẋn v picčrz, n wz lêtr ebl t copi Old Mastrz on dsple at ɖ Britiš Instityšn n Royl Acaḍmi Pêntñscūl. Ɖ span v hiz ātistc lîf wz bândd bî hiz copiz v tu utrli cnonicl wrcs: ɖ Rafel taṗstrīcātūnz, ẇč h copid in 1795 fṛm Nicḷs Ḍrigni’z ingrevñz, n Tišn’z ōltrpìs Ɖ Deʈ v St. Pītr Mātr, ẇč Cunsṭbl hêld in 1836 az ɖ fândešn v ol ɖ stîlz v landscep in evri scūl v Yṛp.
Twdz načṛl pêntñ
Cunsṭbl advîzd ātists t mnten a clôs n cntiňl obzrvns v nêčr, bt trnzletñ fêʈfl obẓvešn intu a finišt comṗzišn wz an ongowñ čalinj. Mni v Cunsṭbl’z xibišnpêntñz wr ɖ rzult v a complx prôses v dveḷpmnt, smtmz spanñ a nmbr v yirz. Ɖe wr cmpozd fṛm a wîd renj v ýlscečz, grafîtdrōñz, wōtrculr studiz n ŕlı̣r pêntñz.
Folowñ hiz marij in Octobr 1816, n fêst wɖ ɖ fnanšl prešrz v a growñ famli, ɖ cmršl sxes v hiz pêntñz bcem incrisñli impwtnt. Fr Cunsṭbl’s six lj sìnz v ɖ Rivr Stâr, includñ Ɖ Hêwên (1821) n Ɖ Līpñ Hws (1825), h adoptd ɖ pênz-tcñ prôses v mcñ fl-sîz pripaṛtri ýlscečz. Ɖe helpt hm t coōdinet mtīfs n baḷns culr, lît n šêd, solvñ comṗzišnl probḷmz ẇl rtenñ ɖ frešṇs v hiz smlr drōñz n ýlscečz. Ɖz six-ft canvsz wr sm v Cunsṭbl’s grtst sxesz ẇn xibitd at ɖ Royl Acaḍmi btwn 1819 n 1825.
Trnscripšn, imitešn n emylešn
Sr Jošua Reṇldz hd incurijd stydnts at ɖ Royl Acaḍmi, ẇn copiyñ, t cnsidr ɖmslvz in comṗtišn wɖ ɖer istimd prīdisesrz. Bî ɖ ŕli 19ʈ senčri, oṗtyṇtiz fr Britiš ātists t studi mêjr pêntñz bî ɖ Old Mastrz incrist wɖ ɖ growñ popylaṛti v ātxibišnz n ɖ fândñ v public picčrgaḷriz.
Aftr hiz deʈ, Cunsṭbl wz cnsidrd az hôli imansipetd fṛm ɖ scūlz v Duč, Frenč, or Itałn āt. In hiz ôn tîm, hvr, ātcritcs hd fevṛbli lîcnd hiz picčrz t ɖoz v 17ʈ senčri mastrz sč az Hôḅmā, Rūbnz, Rîzdāl n Vârmn.
Ɖo lêtr ovr-lct, sč cmparisnz wr wel fândd. Ẇɖr yzñ ɖ mtīf v a cāt crosñ a fōd (a comn subjct in 17ʈ senčri Duč n Flemiš picčrz), vîbṛnt brušwrc sjstv v Rnesns Vnīšn ātists, or cnfiğrešnz lrnd fṛm Frenč pêntrz v clasicl landscep, Cunsṭbl cntinyd t refṛns ɖ Old Mastrz ʈrt hiz c̣rir.
A leġsi in print
Cunsṭbl ň ɖ impwtns v ingrevñz in pṛmotñ ɖ fem v pêntrz. H olso hôpt ɖt publišñ rīpṛduẋnz v hiz wrc wd b profiṭbl. In 1824, ɖ ingrevr Samyl Wiłm Reṇldz pṛpozd t mc a print, at hiz ôn xpns, v Cunsṭbl’z Ɖ Loc, ẇč hd bn wel rsivd at ɖ Royl Acaḍmi. Ɖ venčr fêld n rlešnz btwn ɖ tu men sârd. Fîv yirz lêtr Cunsṭbl ingejd Dêvid Lūc̣s t pṛdys prints v hiz picčrz. Metsotintingrevñ wz čozn az ɖ tecnīc bst ebl t capčr ɖ ifcts v lît n šêd, or čiaṛskro, so caṛctristc v Cunsṭbl’z pêntñz. T dsple hiz fl crietv renj, h ṣlctd sml ýlscečz n ljr xibišnpicčrz, az wel az pêntñ ny subjcts.
Ɖ frst grūp v prints wz publišt az Ñgliš Landscepsìṇri in 1830. Xplaṇtri txts wr lêtr ritn t acumṗni indivijl plêts, bt ɖ projct hd ltl cmršl sxes.”
“Az pāt v âr 10ʈ anivrsrīseḷbrešnz n az hom t wn v ɖ YC’z ljst c̣lẋnz v Britiš Fôcāt w r dlîtd t b hôstñ an xibišn ẇč z ɖ frst mêjr srve v Britiš Fôcāt. Ovr 150 pêntñz, sculpčrz, txtîlz n objcts hv bn drwn tgɖr fṛm c̣lẋnz acrs ɖ cuntri in an xibišn ɖt wl seḷbrêt fôcāt in ɖ YC.
Fôcāt z an istablišt subjct in mni cuntriz; hvr in Britn ɖ žãra rmenz ilusv. Rerli cnsidrd in ɖ contxt v āthistri, Fôcāt hz bn vyd az pāt v sošl histri or fôclor studiz. Ɖs šo ynîts an xtrōdnri ṣlẋn v objcts, xplorñ ɖ ʈrešhold btwn āt n āṭfact n čaḷnjñ pspšnz v hî āt.
Ɖ xibišn includz ṣprîzñ n dvrs xamplz v Britiš Fôcāt, fṛm rustic leɖr Tôbi jugz t brîtli culrd šips’ figrhedz. Ɖ impozñ ljr-ɖn-lîfsîz ʈačt figr v Cñ Alfrid crietd bî a mastrʈačr, Jesi Mêcoc, in 1960 z jst wn v ɖ hîlîts v ɖ xibišn. Uɖr hîlîts includ maritîm imbrýdri bî fišrmn Jon Crasc, an intric̣tli dzînd pincŭšn md bî wūndd soljrz jrñ ɖ Crîmiyn wor, šopsînz n ẇrlīgigz.
Ẇl mč Fôcāt z anonims, ɖs xibišn olso priznts wrcs bî a nmbr v prominnt indivijlz. Amñst ɖz ci figrz r Jwj Smāt ɖ têlr v Frant, eminnt imbrýdrr Mẹri Linẉd n Cwniš pêntr Alfrid Wolis. Ofn nglctd in ɖ stwri v āt in Britn, ɖ inclužn v ɖz ātists emz t rı̣ses ɖer pzišn in āthistri.
Ɖ xibišn z kretd bî Mātin Mîron, Kretr, Têt Britn, Rūʈ Ceni, Asistnt Kretr, Têt Britn, n ātist Jef McMiḷn.
Đ xibišn hz bn ōgnîzd bî ɖ Têt in c̣laḅrešn wɖ Comtn Vrni.”
“‘I wš t aproč truʈ az clôsli az z psbl, n ɖrfr I abstract evrʈñ untl I arîv at ɖ funḍmentl qoḷti v objcts.’ Pīt Mondrian
Pīt Mondrian čenjd pêntñ. Ɖ twentiiʈ-senčri Duč ātist muvd fṛm dpictñ riaḷti t pạnir smʈñ cmplitli ny n contṛvršl, abstraẋn.
Hiz most fems wrcs, ɖ gridz yz simpl lînz n ɖ prîmri culrz red, yelo n blu t criet a ynivrsl hāṃni, seṗretñ culr n subjct fṛm riaḷti, trnsfwmñ ɖ mtirı̣l wrld intu smʈñ spiričl.
70 yirz aftr Mondrian’z deʈ, gt bnʈ ɖ grid n três Mondrian’z jrni t abstraẋn ʈru culr. Culr undrpind Mondrian’z wrc, fṛm ɖ ŕli dez pêntñ landsceps in ɖ Neɖrḷndz, t ɖ lêtr wrcs ẇr culr wz seṗretd fṛm its funẋn v crietñ šêdñ or volym.
Si ovr 50 wrcs spanñ Mondrian’z jrni, mni fṛm ɖ Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, ẇč holdz ɖ ljst c̣lẋn v Mondrian’z pêntñz, alñ wɖ xibits fṛm myziymz n prîvt c̣lẋnz in Yṛp n ɖ YSA.
Ɖ xibišn z ōgnîzd in c̣laḅrešn wɖ Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hambrg. Trnr Cntmprri z wrcñ in pātnršp wɖ Têt Livpul, hu r prizntñ ɖ cncuṛnt xibišn Mondrian n hiz Stydioz fṛm 6 Jūn untl 5 Octobr 2014. Mondrian n hiz Studios xplorz ɖ ātist’s impwtns in ɖ fīld v abstraẋn n hiz rlešnšp wɖ ācitecčr n ŕḅnizm.”
MONDRIAN AT TÊT LIVPUL N TRNR CNTMPRRI
Continue reading MONDRIAN & COLOUR │ Turner Contemporary, Margate → 21 September 2014
MRĪNA AT MIDNÎT:
De 1, De 2, De 3, De 4, De 5, De 6, De 7, De 8, De 9, De 10, De 11, De 12, De 13, De 14, De 15, De 16, De 17, De 18, De 19, De 20, De 21, De 22, De 23, De 24, De 25, De 26, De 27, De 28, De 29, De 30, De 31, De 32, De 33, De 34, De 35, De 36, De 37, De 38, De 39, De 40, De 41, De 42, De 43, De 44, De 45, De 46, De 47, De 48, De 49, De 50, De 51, De 52, De 53, De 54, De 55, De 56, De 57, De 58, De 59, De 60, De 61, De 62, De 63, De 64
“In a ynīc wrc crietd fr ɖ Srpntîn, ɖ inṭnašnli aclemd ātist Mrīna Abraṃvič wl pfwm in ɖ Gaḷri fr ɖ jrešn v hr xibišn: 10am t 6pm, 6 dez a wīc. Crietñ ɖ simplist v invîrnmnts in ɖ Gaḷri spêsz, Abraṃvič’z onli mtirı̣lz wl b hrslf, ɖ ōdı̣ns n a ṣlẋn v props ɖt š me or me nt yz. On arîvl, vizitrz wl bʈ litṛli n meṭforicli līv ɖer bagij bhnd in ōdr t entr ɖ xibišn: bagz, jacits, ilectronic iqipmnt, wočz n camṛz me nt acumṗni ɖm.
Ɖ public wl bcm ɖ pfwmñ bodi, ptisipetñ in ɖ dlivri v an unpresdentd mmnt in ɖ histri v pfwmnsāt.
Mrīna Abraṃvič z a pạnir v pfwmns az an ātfwm, yzñ hr ôn bodi az subjct n objct, š hz pšt ɖ fizicl n mentl limits v hr biyñ. Ɖs z ɖ frst mêjr pfwmns bî Abraṃvič sns hr monymntl pìs Ɖ Ātist z Preznt, at ɖ Myziym v Modn Āt, Ny Ywc, in 2010, in ẇč vizitrz wr invîtd t sit in sîḷns oṗzit ɖ ātist n gêz intu hr îz fr an unspesifîd amânt v tîm. Abraṃvič pfwmd ɖs wrc evri de fr ʈri munʈs.
Ɖ perd-dân nêčr v ɖs xibišn corispondz t Abraṃvič’z intrest in ɖ historicli wel-istablišt rlešnšp btwn āt n nuʈñṇs; vižl ātists includñ Roḅt Bari, Jon Cêj, Mẹri Eḷn Caṛl, Roḅt Ŕwin, Ìv Clîn, Gŭstav Metsgr n Yôco Ôno (t nem onli a vri fy) hv ol xplord ɖ nošn v mtirı̣l absns wɖn ɖer practis. Ɖ îdīa v emtiṇs – v miniṃlizm, rduẋn n simpliṣti – plez an intrinsic rôl in Abraṃvič’z ôn wrc, n hz incrisñli led t mr n mr v ls n ls, a loñstandñ em ɖt š rcwdd in hr Ātist’s Lîf manifsto v 2009. It z ɖs jrni twdz iṃtiriaḷti ɖt hz led hr t ɖs ynīc mmnt in hr wrc, ẇr š wl cmit t an unscriptd n impṛvîzd pfwmns in ɖ gaḷrīspês.
In ɖ ŕli 1970z, az a yuñ ātist in Belgred, Abraṃvič bgan xplorñ ɖ rlešnšp btwn ātist n ōdı̣ns. Sns 1978 š hz cnductd a siriz v wrcšops wɖ ātstydnts, yzñ a siriz v simpl xsîzz t incris fizicl n mentl awerṇs. Ovr ɖ cws v hr c̣rir, Abraṃvič hz cntinyd t dveḷp ɖz wrcšops, xpandñ ɖer scôp t rīč a jenṛl public, ʈru ɖ Mrīna Abraṃvič Instityt.
Ɖ xibišn bî Ed Atcinz têcs plês cncuṛntli at ɖ Srpntîn Saclr Gaḷri, brññ tgɖr tu xtrōdnri ātists fṛm dfṛnt jeṇrešnz hu fôc̣s on pfwmns, ɖ bodi n lanĝj.”
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