Found yourself in London with nothing to do? Check out these exhibitions!
They might leave you joyful, contemplative or downright furious, but at least you won't be bored!
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Dalí / Duchamp
What this exhibition reveals is not Duchamp's mastery or originality; it certainly does not foreground the Royal Academy as a champion of exhibitions, but it does perhaps inadvertently give Dali the space to shine, and boy does he gleam.
I'm invariably a little underwhelmed by exhibitions at the RA. I feel the space is often too small to encapsulate huge ideas and extensive artistic personalities. It often seems moreover that conceptually the exhibitions are comparable to a sub-par History of Art undergraduate essay. Having written many myself, I should know. There is a sense in the exhibition's textual accompaniment of endeavouring to be thematically interesting and new, grasping small facts to elucidate big ideas. This often comes across as far-fetched, and indeed many of the attempted links between Dali and Duchamp seem forced. They were friends, sure, and, like many other artists in the 20th century, had numerous artistic phases that very occasionally overlapped, but this hardly seems exhibition-worthy.
The exhibition includes some of Dalí’s most technically advanced paintings and sculptures, alongside Duchamp’s assemblages and readymades. Among the less familiar works are photographs by Dalí, paintings by Duchamp, and some material documenting the relationship between the two. The latter, whilst interesting and entertaining, bringing whimsical artistic personalities crashing back to earth, doesn't seem particularly relevant. Many artists were friends, but there have surely been many more interesting and productive artistic collaborations worthy of documentation. If anything, I think this exhibition's main failure is its unintentional demonstration of Dali's superior artistic development. Duchamp, though clearly talented (my favourite work of his is a wonderfully lively portrait in the first room), doesn't shine here. It is Dali's witty paintings, which are at once incredibly technically accomplished and highly innovative, and his humorous sculptures and videos, that win out.
Duchamp's readymades may have been the height of modernity and innovation at one point, but they seem rather staid now, like ancient artefacts that one can appreciate but not connect or relate to. Duchamp's intense intellectualism just doesn't quite speak to Dali's vivid desire to stimulate the viewer's imagination; to perceive and understand the world through the lense of surrealism. I left the RA simultaneously enriched and disappointed.
'Dalí/Duchamp' is on display at the Royal Academy until January 3 2018
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Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic
Love Winnie? Vaguely remember the famous little bear from your childhood? This is a careful exploration of the inspiration, design and legacy behind the tales.
The exhibition explores the creative partnership between A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard, attempting to bring it to life through sketches, letters, photographs, and cartoons, alongside excerpts from the books.
Whilst there is plenty of interactive content on offer for children (a slide, drawing, etc.), there is also something to enjoy even for the most tentative Winnie appreciator. My favourite aspect were the original drawings by Shepard. There is a unique art to drawing for children's books; one must combine the illusion of simplicity with careful planning. The collaboration between Shepard and Milne was mutually rewarding; both fed of their experiences of childhood through playing with their young children and their toys.
The resulting tales, however, were far from child's play, combining complex literary puns, metaphors and pathetic fallacy with the literalisation of such intellectualisms in image-form. As one lady remarked upon leaving 'I never did understand those books as a child...'
'Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic' is on display at Victoria and Albert Museum until 8 April 2018
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Monochrome: Painting in Black and White
A little gem of an exhibition. Don't expect complexity here, but broad themes that open paintings up to exciting new interpretations. The exhibition ends on a high too - Olafur Eliasson's installation in the final room is a treat!
‘Monochrome’ explores the tradition of painting in monochrome over 700 years, from its origins in the Middle Ages through the Renaissance and into the 21st century. Each room is dedicated to a different reason for the use of black and white. These reasons begin on the basis of fairly practical considerations, becoming a means of painting asserting its superiority over sculpture, then entering into a dialogue with the burgeoning art of photography, before treading into the complex realm of minimalism in conceptual art. One follows this simple pathway with ease and enthusiasm. This account of art is incredibly basic, and sometimes the textual accompaniment seems a little patronising, but it is nevertheless enlightening. It is rare that one is required to consider a comparison between a 14th century stained glass window and a 20th century Gerhard Richter work, but here we are encouraged to do just this. What does it mean to take colour out of the picture and how have perceptions of monochrome altered over time?
With questions like these buzzing around our minds we open the door to find Eliasson's 'Room for One Colour' light installation and are physically disoriented. We are rendered monochrome in the harsh yellow light, morphing into monochromatic art objects, made uniform. How utterly ingenious to conclude here, not with a complex muddle of words that leads our reflections in a particular direction, but with an immersive experience that we are forced to respond to. We can't help looking at one another. We can't help looking at ourselves.
'Monochrome: Painting in Black and White' is on display in the Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery until 18 February 2018
NOW what do you think?
Tascha von Uexkull