I have glimpsed the future and it’s looking good. Last week I joined a press tour of East Bank, the new cultural quarter for London within the Olympic Park at Stratford and was blown away by all the new buildings and the spirit of collaboration with fellow cultural institutions which is alive in East London.
Ah, the power of the sketch, the immediacy of the scribble and the quick depiction. It’s something all artists do, have done, and continue to do. It’s really good to see so many of the works on paper which made by the impressionists gathered in one place. The Royal Academy in London has presented a very charming exhibition of works from Degas to Toulouse-Lautrec and everyone in between, showing how versatile and useful paper, of all sizes, has been for capturing the moment in pencil, charcoal, paint or pastel.
Spot the difference! Is it pastel, or is it oil paint? Both works, entitled The Lavergne Family Breakfast by Jean-Etienne Liotard (1702-1789), are utterly glorious and are now now on show at the National Gallery. This is a rare chance to see these two works side by side.
The annual Taylor Wessing photo portrait prize exhibition returns to the National Portrait Gallery after three years with 58 winning photographs of great sensitivity and atmosphere.
Women in Revolt! Yes, it’s a thing. And Tate Britain has just launched a huge exhibition putting the focus on art and activism in the UK between 1970-1990. Celebrating the early days of women’s liberation, the equal pay legislation and social reforms of the late 20th century there’s a lot to see.
It’s always a joy to see David Hockney’s work. He simply never stops pushing his art. And now, at the age of 86 he has added an entire gallery of new portraits to an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery.
Turn down a narrow street in the ancient area of Southwark in London and you might stumble into a strange and fantastical world. Delight is a new and immersive art exhibition which conjures the spirit of Seoul through mesmerising and immersive created by leading Korean digital artist Gyoungtae Hong.
I loved the new exhibition at The Museum of London Docklands. It’s called Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners shaped global style. And what a contribution it was. From hats to shoes to couture and boutique culture – the fashions of the last two centuries owe a huge amount to the immigrants who brought their skills to London.
Paper Places 