Photographers or photographic representations dealing with spiritual/biblical themes in a variety of ways
On to the National Gallery’s Seduced by Art: Photography Past and Present, where the language of borrowed symbolism from art, or classical and biblical literature opens the door on a style which might be called iconic relating. Here, the influence of the fine art tradition is presented as the “engine for early photographic innovation, and […]
‘Seduced by Art’ at the National Gallery Read More »
At the V&A, Light From the Middle East: New Photography is an Art Fund sponsored exhibition bringing together over 90 works from 30 artists, broadly representative of contemporary practice in the greater Middle Eastern area (including North Africa). Photographs range from black and white documentary coverage of conflict (including work from the Iran Diary series
Light From the Middle East Read More »
In a display of over 100 original prints, the National Maritime Museum presents Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea. From muffled, vaporous clouds to sharp plumes of waterfall or geyser, water is the theme for an exhibition that celebrates the formal lyricism of Adams’ inspiring photographs. There are striking images of the
Ansel Adams at the Maritime Museum Read More »
The Virgin Mary is a compelling and complex character for any believer, particularly a woman of the mid-nineteenth century. On the one hand, she was the ideal of femininity – gentle, nurturing, compassionate. If ever there was a woman who was great through love, it is the Madonna. On the other hand, as both mother
Julia Margaret Cameron and her Marys Read More »
The most pressing issue in the photography of place is a site’s history, how it has been affected by time, by climate and by mankind. Landscape photography has become political, not necessarily in terms of environmental causes – although many photographers are directly concerned with such issues – but in terms of the meanings it
What’s in it for the landscape photographer? Read More »
(This by way of a personal response to both Frances Spalding’s John Piper, Myfanwy Piper: Lives in Art (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009) and the exhibition John Piper and the Church at Dorchester Abbey, 21/04/12 – 10/06/12) Piper was a writer before he was an artist. His pre-war work (after a failed solicitor’s training, and
7 Reasons why I’m a John Piper fan Read More »
At the UWE Art-Design-Media degree and postgrad show, a mix of artistic practices on display makes for an inspiring trip out. There’s an abundance to see, too much if you want to watch all the films which pop up across all disciplines. However, I did sit down to 24 minutes of Jane Lee’s xxiv film.
Jane Lee at UWE MA show Read More »
My opinion of Hockney’s work was polarized by this RA exhibition. The garish painting, the ipad drawings and the canvas-stacking overload of much of this show had gone day-glo, overblown. The film and the photographic collages, however, were like fresh air breathing through so much stuck paint. Space and time were lifted, expanded, filled and
Hockney reviewed in 100 words Read More »
Lenses and their use pre-Reformation was often considered heretical, whether in camera obscura ‘shows’ (Arnold of Villanova in 1300), Roger Bacon’s ideas, Della Porta on painters’ secret tools. How do you trust something that so distorts plain sight? Hockney says this was actually about power, as wielded by the church. The power over lens-based media
New Year musings, with David Hockney Read More »
During the ascent in the balloon at heights of 500 to 1,000 metres over the ground, we were especially enchanted by the shining, full, lush blaze of colours revealed by the earth below us. Far and wide, the forests appeared as the most gleaming, greenest moss or like glorious green velvet. … But as we
Quote collage from this week’s reading Read More »
