David Hockney: A Bigger Picture, Royal Academy

Allow plenty of time when you go to the David Hockney, the hottest exhibition to open in London this month. The Royal Academy dedicates its main space to this illustrious artist, in a major retrospective show that includes over 150 works. Some pieces date back as far as 1956, but most have been created in the last eight years, in a staggering flurry of activity.

With Lucian Freud gone, Hockney is being dubbed as Britain’s best painter - this exhibition seems set to secure the crown. We are taken on a journey through Hockney’s vast output visiting numerous fascinating landscapes from different stages of the artist's life. The exhibition’s sole focus is landscapes… Hockney’s favourite subject receives obsessive and excessive treatment, in particular the lands of East Yorkshire where he has been stationed for the past few years. Many of the huge paintings are made from several adjoined canvases, their sheer scale makes them very impressive and much of the colour is so bright you feel a glow standing beneath them. The colours, the vibrancy, the sense of perspective and line all illustrate the passion behind Hockney’s talent, he often seems overwhelmed by the natural beauty before him, and he certainly presents a glorious picture of our land. ‘Woldgate Woods’ and ‘Winter Timber’ stick in my mind: huge bright canvases, rich and atmospheric, bold and memorable.

The most widely anticipated part of this show perhaps is the suite of iPad drawings, a new technology Hockney seems captivating by. The Arrival of Spring features 51 curious iPad drawings of the same country road at different points of the year. The immediacy and speed with which he can draw on this electronic tablet makes it the perfect medium for capturing ever-changing nature. It is an intriguing marriage: instantaneous modern technology and timeless rustic subject matter. It is a breathtaking room of images: as the drawings are printed on paper their original medium is not immediately obvious; Hockney makes the finger stokes very painterly. They are joyful and lively, full of innocent vision. I would have loved to see the process of creation, an amazing function on the iPad enables one to watch how a picture is drawn.

Towards the end of the exhibition a film is playing, a very different medium for Hockney, but even here his energy and love of colour is evident. The film is a collage of moving images; it is lovely and happy, all the audience were smiling watching dancers in bright costumes with familiar upbeat piano music. I had to drag myself away from staying for a second sitting. David Hockney was born with synaesthesia, a neurological condition where you see colours to musical stimuli. With my interest in music and art this particularly fascinates me, effects that can be noticed in this film, but are perhaps not as obvious in his paintings.

I left feeling overwhelmed and exhausted by this epic exhibition, and yet have no doubt that it was Hockney’s vivid canvases that lifted my mood for the rest of the day, it is the perfect remedy to fight off the January blues.

Exhibition continues until 9 April 2012, book here.

John Martin: Apocalypse, Tate Britain

The good news? I got there just in time, on the very last day of the John Martin exhibition, the bad news? So did the rest of London. I was hit, on entering, by a musty sweaty smell, which I guess is expected with a whole roomful of eccentric visitors, all grappling to see the final hours of the Apocalypse show. John Martin’s work is apparently very popular, though I have never come across it before. This is a giant exhibition of his spectacularly vast paintings depicting biblical catastrophes and grand landscapes.

John Martin certainly had a particular vision, and I could see how his work has inspired film especially science fiction. Many of the paintings in the show look similar to stills from blockbuster films, hugely dramatic scenes of natural disaster and terror. The mezzotint prints are more subtle and intriguing, delicate illustrations made by Martin illustrating his impression of Milton’s Paradise Lost. These works show technical prowess as well as an instinctive poetic power.

One thing is very obvious walking round this Tate show- John Martin’s work is characteristically Romantic, meeting all the criteria and acting as an example for what this period was all about. Seeing the subject matter, fiery palette and dramatic flourishes, I could easily relate these paintings to composers' work of the time: Wagner's and Berlioz's and, later, Mahler’s large scale symphonies and choral works… exaggerated, grand and an over-the-top expression of passion and feeling.

I personally found this exhibition rather repetitive. Although many of the exaggerated epic canvases are impressive, few offer anything more, it is a dark and moody show with a lack of subtlety.

The bad news for you is, you’ve missed the show, the good news? You haven’t missed much.

The First Actresses: Nell Gwyn to Sarah Siddons

A Late Shift tour of the First Actresses exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery was the perfect way to spend an evening with a friend. As the wind blew with menace outside, we stepped into the luxurious gallery. Music was playing, a small bar open for visitors and an expert curator was on hand ready to give us a guided talk and put the collection in context.

The First Actresses is a glorious spectacle of beauty, fashion, theatre and femininity, a depiction of the famous actresses who commanded attention in 17th and 18th century Britain. Artists such as Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough were captivated by these notorious and glamorous performers, recording their beauty, dramatic expression and coquettishness through stunning portraiture. Each painting offers clues about the actress shown, the artist and the society that surrounded these divas. Often these paintings would elevate and enhance the actresses' reputations and increase their impressive fortunes, perhaps this was the beginning of the celebrity culture that we are now so familiar with.

The group wandered round wide eyed amazed by the clever grouping of exquisite paintings. We heard tales of the 18th century ladies of the stage, and their mischievous behaviour. Learning of the infamous Nell Gwyn, the first independent woman to really make her mark in the theatre. Gwyn used portraiture to her advantage, manipulating the artist and viewer with clever innuendo and charm. The first two pictures in the exhibition show her in suggestive poses, revealing her décolletage in an enticing manner, her facial expression demure and subtle. It is clear to see how and why she may have benefitted from these paintings, soon enough she became the King’s mistress.

This exhibition is wonderfully varied, so much so that I began to forget they were all portraits and instead felt utterly involved in their decadent lives. Every piece feels special, I loved examining the detailed woodcuts, and catching my breath at the epic full length portraits of the attractive Sarah Siddons. Not only are the paintings beautiful but they are entertaining and interesting, a history lesson into the lively theatrical scene in London that has shaped how women work on stage today.

Visit the National Portrait Gallery website here.

Gerhard Richter Panorama Retrospective, Tate Modern

After walking round Tate Modern's new Gerhard Richter 'Panorama' exhibition, it became apparent to me that this is an artist that has many preoccupations, in thirteen rooms almost as many styles and genres are touched on. Richter has become known for this diversity of approaches: the photography influenced works - personal or political, scraped abstracts, still lifes, monochrome cityscapes and my personal favourites - the colour charts. Here we are shown five decades of work; I was constantly looking for connections between the pictures however many of the subjects seem only tenuously related, proof of Richter’s active mind and imagination.

For my A-level art exam, I painted a pixelated self portrait split into hundreds of squares…I remember exploring the work of Richter then, examining the technique and theories behind his immaculate, perfectionist colour charts. It was amazing to see these oversized works in the flesh, they are far more exciting than I expected. My A-level painting was not abstract, however close up it could have been, as the structure of the face became lost and the pattern of the grid more obvious.

I was interested to find out more about Richter’s squeegee (an onomatopoeically named tool with a flat, smooth rubber blade) pictures - these paintings are made from many layers of paint, the artist passing a squeegee over the surface, pulling the paint vertically and horizontally. They are epic abstract paintings, raw, colourful and very expressive. The paint seems to bubble up from the canvas, vast sunsets of thick impasto with contrasting hues peeking through; they are impressive to say the least.

The most memorable works were perhaps the elusive cloud paintings, which are quiet and calm, and felt very alive to me despite being almost monochrome. They have a photographic realism, completely different to the aggressive abstractions, or those later works that examine the violent terrorist activity of the Red Army Faction.

If you are trekking to Tate Modern, I would recommend not going at the weekend as you will have to contend with lots of manic culture vultures, but this varied retrospective is definitely worth a visit, it gives a comprehensive overview of Richter’s life and displays many of his most impressive works.

Continues until 8 January at Tate Modern, visit website and book tickets here.

Watercolour at Tate Britain

I have been excited about seeing the Watercolour exhibition at Tate Britain since it opened a month or so ago. The selection brings together the work of many different artists, with only the theme of medium to unite them. One may think of watercolour as a narrow medium but this show truly illustrates otherwise. Depicting a huge range of subject matter we can see how it can be used in different ways to create an astonishing variety of affects.

The work is displayed in a series of rooms under very loose themes, beginning with a section of early British paintings. Here there are some awe inspiringly detailed pictures by masters like Anthony Van Dyck and John Dunstall. I loved the cute little jewellery pendants in this room – tiny watercolour portraits on vellum or ivory, framed and sometimes surrounded by delicate pearls or diamonds. They are so beautiful and show a real insight into the lucky owner’s life.

Watercolour is a very intimate art, susceptible to disaster: a drop of water ruining a masterpiece or an hour of sunlight fading the painted image. It is frequently employed for studies prior to a final composition, and for experimenting and documenting. Paintings done with gouache, a creamier opaque kind of water-based paint, are included occasionally in this show for which I was grateful - I personally love the affects. One of the later rooms, ‘Exploring the medium,’ gives a deeper analysis of the techniques and uses of watercolour. Here you can see examples of raw pigments and the changes to them when diluted and dispersed by water.

My favourite works in this exhibition are those by the dreaming Romantics William Blake, Victor Hugo and Samuel Palmer. Their intense mythical paintings show inner visions, amazing atmospheres and extreme imagination. The translucent quality of watercolour is ideal for these dreamlike images and their mood really left an impression on me.

In my opinion the most wonderful thing about watercolour is its versatility, it can be easily transported, taken around with you to use whenever you desire. This means otherwise difficult painting conditions are made possible, hence watercolour became the medium used most often in war. It is a practical medium for extreme conditions.

This is a rare chance to view such a wealth of quiet masterpieces in the same place, and is well worth a visit.

Continues until 21 August 2011, book here.

Bridget Riley at The National Gallery

Bridget Riley is widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest painters, making her name in the Op Art movement. She has always had strong ties with the National Gallery, and elements of her output relate to works here by Raphael, Mantegna and Seurat. Currently Riley has being given reign over the Sunley Room at the gallery, where a mini exhibition features some of her more recent paintings as well as two drawings made directly onto the walls done specially for the occasion. These murals will be painted over when the event ends in May this year.

I have always been intrigued by Bridget Riley’s seductive use of colour and shapes. Her work is very consistent with strong graphic qualities and themes of pattern, repetition and sequence. The Sunley Room is light and airy and very pleasant to just sit and relax in. I enjoyed contemplating the works, and as I went during the day on a weekday the space was almost empty. Riley will be eighty this year, and nowadays does little of the painting herself, with a team of assistants she is able to delegate, direct and design.

The more illusionistic of her works tend to make me feel a little dizzy though I am nonetheless impressed by her accurate and otherworldly use of perspective. There is only one picture on display that appears to be of this kind, 'Arrest 3' (1965) a sultry painting depicting mesmerising waves in tones of blue. I particularly liked ‘Saraband’ (1985) an oil loaned from a private collection. The picture is just stripes of different colours, but there is something about the chosen hues that makes the canvas come to life. I remember thinking it would make brilliant wrapping paper!

This exhibition is free and is a lovely example of Riley’s oeuvre though I was disappointed to see such a small display at the National Gallery, with only about fifteen works on show I left yearning for more.

SARGENT AND THE SEA at The Royal Academy of Arts

John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) was born in Florence and is best known as a portrait painter; sculptor Auguste Rodin called him ‘the Van Dyck of our times’. The current exhibition at The Royal Academy of Arts focuses on Sargent’s marine paintings that are less often displayed.

The show was crowded, and I felt slightly out of place as stuffy women walked past obviously judging my presence. I didn’t take long to look round because it was difficult to get to properly see a lot of the work without getting tutted out of the way. Why do galleries display art in near-darkness? I find it so irritating when I have to squint through dim light to properly see a piece of work.

On a more positive note: some of the seascapes are beautiful. A sense of immediacy is captured within Sargent’s tumultuous waves, sometimes just through a few clever brushstrokes. And despite only being in his twenties when he painted most of the paintings, his visual description of water is skilful and enchanting. I especially noticed the delicate reflections in the puddles on the beaches that make the pictures so romantic. I also enjoyed getting a glimpse of some of Sargent’s sketchbooks- a real insight into how this artist thought through and executed his ideas. Towards the end of the show there are a few watercolour paintings on show. These present a different facet of the artist’s output and show his intimate relationship with the sea.

Overall I was disappointed, the show as a whole is bland, and I left struggling to remember any one picture that particularly impressed me. The exhibition only consists of about six rooms – I personally feel the £8 ticket is too much.

Exhibition continues until 26 September 2010.

Talking of Yves: England & Co

N.H. Stubbing: Spring Ceremonial, 1959

'Talking of Yves' is another thought-provoking exhibition from England & Co. The show examines the life and work of artist Yves Klein and the social and artistic web in which he moved, examining all the influences that surrounded him. A variety of work is on display from artists Yyonne Hagen, Tina Keane, Susan Hiller, Iris Clert, N.H. Stubbing, Ralph Rumney and Yves Klein.

The pinnacle of the exhibition for me was Tina Keane’s touching film of an interview with art critic Yvonne Hagen, in which she remembers her relationship with Yves Klein. Other intriguing works are those of artist N.H. Stubbing, who was the husband of Hagen. His paintings convey an insistent rhythm; he uses his hand to print repetitively across the canvas.

The space at England & Co is limited and yet never overcrowded; what they show is always perfectly selected and presented. The work has more purpose than just looking pretty, it is also there to teach us about the artist that created it and the world in which he or she worked.

Exhibition continues until 21 July.

http://www.englandgallery.com/

BP PORTRAIT AWARDS 2010

Daphne Todd's 'Last Portrait of Mother'

Every year The National Portrait Gallery houses the BP Portrait Awards. It features the paintings of artists from all over the world; with a first prize incentive of £25,000 this award can launch an artist's career.

This year there were 2,177 entrants, of which 58 works were selected. Subjects vary from intimate family portraits, revealing self portraits and even a few of familiar celebrities.

I was disappointed to find that the winners' portraits had been decided and the results displayed, as I found this affected my opinions of the works. First prize was awarded to Daphne Todd for her poignant painting of her mother on her deathbed.

Eliot Haigh's 'Quena'

My personal favourite in the show was Quena by Eliot Haigh. A soulful painting capturing a private moment of contemplation. My companion's favourite was Alan Coulson's 'Ciara', a portrait of the artist's wife that reflects the intimacy of their relationship. A large painting, the artist shows precise detail and yet still creates a painting of mood and character.

Portraiture is a subject that touches all of us. We see faces everyday, ours and other people's. The BP Portrait Awards are on until 19 September, and with a Visitors Award it's worth going to have your vote.