Monthly Archives: March 2016

A Year in the Life of a London Priest

Of Things Not Seen: A Year in the Life of a London Priest, gallery@oxo, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, London SE1, until 20th March 2016

Going to work, courtesy Jim Grover

Going to work, courtesy Jim Grover

This is a rather special ‘snapshot’ of life in a South London parish which saw photographer Jim Grover accompany his local Church of England minister Kit Gunasekera as he went about his duties over a year.

Quiz Night, Cod and Chips for Table 5, courtesy Jim Grover

Quiz Night, Cod and Chips for Table 5, courtesy Jim Grover

The forty photographs on view were selected by curator Katy Barron from the more than fifteen thousand images Jim took. They show service, community, fellowship, laughter, concern and spirituality things that are part of daily life in a parish and to me there was, to quote from the hymn ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’, a sense of that still, small voice of calm.

Pastoral visit, courtesy Jim Grover

Pastoral visit, courtesy Jim Grover

www.ofthingsnotseen.com

Young at Heart, courtesy Jim Grover

Young at Heart, courtesy Jim Grover

www.coinstreet.org

Foodbank collection, courtesy Jim Grover

Foodbank collection, courtesy Jim Grover

Norway in London

Painting Norway: Nikolai Astrup (1880-1928), Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, London SE21, until 15th May 2016

Nikolai Astrup The Parsonage, Oil on canvas 101 x 88 cm The Savings Bank Foundation DNB/The Astrup Collection/KODE Art Museums of Bergen

Nikolai Astrup
The Parsonage,
Oil on canvas
101 x 88 cm
The Savings Bank Foundation DNB/The Astrup Collection/KODE Art Museums of Bergen

This is London’s first exhibition of paintings and prints by the renowned Norwegian artist Nikolai Astrup (1880-1928).  It is an exhilarating insight into both his artistic life and the area where he lived in western Norway where he grew up in his father’s parsonage at Ålhus and later at his own farmstead at Astruptunet (formerly known as Sandalstrand).  It is a magical world recalling his childhood and the spirit of the place.

Nikolai Astrup Interior Still Life: Christmas Morning, Oil on canvas 94 x 104 cm Private Collection

Nikolai Astrup
Interior Still Life: Christmas Morning,
Oil on canvas
94 x 104 cm
Private Collection

Although initially a follower of the Norwegian naturalist style through studying elsewhere in Europe he became influenced by the “naive” style of Maurice Denis and Henri ‘le Douanier’ Rousseau and the results as you can see are both distinctive and engaging.

Nikolai Astrup Midsummer Eve Bonfire, After 1917 Black and white woodcut on paper 34.5 x 34 cm approx Private Collection

Nikolai Astrup
Midsummer Eve Bonfire, After 1917
Black and white woodcut on paper
34.5 x 34 cm approx
Private Collection

 

Henrik Lund Portrait of Nikolai Astrup, 1900 Oil on canvas 90 x 68 cm Oslo Museum

Henrik Lund
Portrait of Nikolai Astrup, 1900
Oil on canvas
90 x 68 cm
Oslo Museum

 

Nikolai Astrup A Clear Night in June, 1905-1907 Oil on canvas 148 x 152 cm The Savings Bank Foundation DNB/The Astrup Collection/KODE Art Museums of Bergen

Nikolai Astrup
A Clear Night in June, 1905-1907
Oil on canvas
148 x 152 cm
The Savings Bank Foundation DNB/The Astrup Collection/KODE Art Museums of Bergen

http://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

‘Must not be Shook’

A Handful of Dust – Georgian Pastels from the Permanent Collection, The Holburne Museum, Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2, until 18th September 2016

Unknown Artist, eighteenth century A Market Woman with Fruit Pastel on paper, 81.3 x 66cm © The Holburne Museum

Unknown Artist, eighteenth century
A Market Woman with Fruit
Pastel on paper, 81.3 x 66cm
© The Holburne Museum

This year the Museum celebrates its centenary a 100 Years Here with a series of exhibitions.  One is quite delightful, featuring rarely seen 18th century portraits in pastel.  Pastel is a mixture of china clay, plaster and pigment which are rolled into sticks. However it is fragile and can deteriorate quite easily. Indeed Thomas Lawrence wrote on the back of one of his pastels ‘to be kept from the Damp &sun/and must not be shook.’ 

 

Be that as it may the effect of pastel when applied to paper is quite luminous especially for portraits as the examples here amply show.  It became a medium adopted by British artists for about a hundred years from the 1730s. Unlike portraits in oils pastels required no time for drying so Bath painters such as William Hoare and a young Thomas Lawrence often used it when depicting short-term visitors to the city.

Jean-Etienne Liotard (1702 – 1789) James Nelthorpe (c. 1718 – 1767), 1738 Pastel on paper, 62 x 50cm © The Holburne Museum

Jean-Etienne Liotard (1702 – 1789)
James Nelthorpe (c. 1718 – 1767), 1738
Pastel on paper, 62 x 50cm
© The Holburne Museum

The technique was revived by Impressionist artists as we will discover in another exhibition at the Holburne.

 

http://www.holburne.org

Ron Arad

Ron Arad Rocks! Louisa Guinness Gallery, First Floor, 45 Conduit Street, London W1, until 8th April 2016

Ron Arad Rocks Necklace (9), 2016 silk and silicon 32 x 13 x 4 cm.

Ron Arad
Rocks Necklace (9), 2016
silk and silicon
32 x 13 x 4 cm.

This rather special show brings new jewellery which is either unique or part of an edition to our attention. All are the work of the celebrated artist, architect and designer Ron Arad.

Ron Arad Rocks Earrings (1), with posts, 2015 18k gold and silicon left: 2.6 x 3.3 cm right: 3.0 x 4.0 cm unique

Ron Arad
Rocks Earrings (1), with posts, 2015
18k gold and silicon
left: 2.6 x 3.3 cm
right: 3.0 x 4.0 cm
unique

The striking Rock pieces – necklaces, earrings and bracelets – are made from silicon which the artist has sculpted into irregular shapes which incorporate pieces of colourful silk to create a stained glass effect.  Although solid and heavy in appearance they are surprisingly light to wear.

Ron Arad Hot Ingo Earrings, 2015 silver rods with red laser sintered polyamide 10 x 2.5 x 2.5cm edition of 100

Ron Arad
Hot Ingo Earrings, 2015
silver rods with red laser sintered polyamide
10 x 2.5 x 2.5cm
edition of 100

The Hot Ingo earrings are made from sintered polyamide and their shape can be expanded and contracted along the precious metal rod to suit individual taste while Naja a solid quartz lens pendant surrounded by a vermeil or silver coil is both elegant and practical as the quartz lens can also be used as a magnifying glass.

Gallery owner Louisa Guinness sums it up:  “I have always been inspired by Ron’s work. I am astonished by his consistent ability to solve practical problems with simplicity, intelligence and aesthetic panache. Take Naja not only beautiful and wearable but an ingenious solution to the middle aged drama of short sightedness.”

What more can one ask for!

Ron Arad Naja, Free Hand, 2015 silver with quartz lens weight: 50 grams approx. diameter: 6.5cm approx. edition of 25

Ron Arad
Naja, Free Hand, 2015
silver with quartz lens
weight: 50 grams approx.
diameter: 6.5cm approx.
edition of 25

http://www.louisaguinnessgallery.com