Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs

 

It was with a sense of anticipation and much excitement that I went to Tate Modern to see this exhibition of the paper-cut works by the master, and original 'Scissorhands' - Monsieur Henri Matisse. It didn't disappoint either.

It was a really uplifting, joyous blast of colour and shape created from paper, and for all the innovations that he brought to the medium of paint through his rivalry with Picasso, I got the impression that he was somehow "freed" through his work with these cut-out pieces.

 

Much has been said about the exhibition and also Matisse's deteriorating health, which saw him confined to his bed for long periods, and having to employ a bevvy of pretty young girls to paint and arrange the paper shapes that he cut to his specifications. One of the elements that impressed me was the sheer scale of some of the pieces, especially those towards the end of the exhibition, which indicated that his artistic vision and ambition weren't hampered as a result of his bad health.

 

It was good to see the original collages from his book Jazz, and the pin holes in the paper indicating how he would pin the cut shapes to a background, rearranging them many times before he felt content enough to glue them down. Some of the collages still had the pins in which gave the pieces another element of interest for me. It was also interesting to see the short films of Matisse at work cutting, and to see the huge scissors that he used in his work compared to the small ones that I use.

 

It was also interesting to see the pictorial evidence that he lived with these works surrounding him in bed, in his studio, letting them grow organically across his studio/bedroom walls adding and subtracting various elements until he was happy enough to have them glued down. In this it could be argued that he was creating the prototype of what has come to be known as "installation art".  

 

I was impressed by Matisse's cut-out designs for stained glass, and thought the collages translated well to that medium with the light giving them another dimension. Seeing the collages translating to textile designs for the chasubles of the priests for the chapel in Vence was also interesting, and it would be good to have seen some footage of the priests wearing them and the designs of the chasubles animated by human movement. From memory favourite pieces that stood out were Zulma and Creole Dancer, for the scale, colour and movement. 

The shapes of the birds in the Oceania pieces on display made me want to get to work cutting more of my own series of bird pieces.

 

Despite it being titled Blue Nude IV, this piece was the first in the series attempted by Matisse and I like the fact that his struggles with it are clearly visible in the charcoal outline drawing, and also the multi-layering of paper to complete the silhouette of the figure. This gives it more interest to me than the other three Blue Nudes of that series.

 

 

I loved the vibrancy of the colours, the torn edges and placement of some of the papers in The Snail, which takes the piece close to abstraction.

A very short piece of footage of Matisse drawing with scissors can be seen by clicking on the link.

 

 

Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs 

until 7th September

Tate Modern

Bankside

SE1

Butterfly Banknotes



 

My print - "Can't Buy Me Love" has been getting a lot of love of late from clients. It is currently being featured on the homepage of Aubergine Art, as I am one of the new artists on the roster of that gallery. It was also recently named "Print of the Week" by the good folks at Jealous Gallery. There are some remaining copies which can be obtained at Jealous , Aubergine, or direct from myself via my website.

 

 

The Rowley Gallery also have one of my 3-D collage pieces (Fiscal Ball), created from original banknotes available for purchase. I've been working on some more currency based pieces and looking at banknotes decorated with butterflies and birds for inspiration.

 

 

In other more science based news, the natural iridescent qualities of butterflies may also be used in the future development of new banknotes. Scientists have found ways to mimic their iridescent colours and minute scales, and will be putting their discoveries to use in the security and production of paper currency and credit cards, making it harder for them to be forged. They have created artificial structures that reflect light in the same ways as the minute scales on butterfly wings.

 

These artificial structures will be used to encrypt information in optical signatures on money and other valuable items such as passports. The science teams used a combination of nanofabrication techniques to make scales which produce the same vivid colours as real butterfly scales. Nanofabrication is used to create incredibly small devices which are measured in nanometres. One nanometre is equivalent to a millionth of a millimetre.

 

 

Scientists believe the butterfly may be using its natural iridescent colour to encrypt itself, appearing one colour to potential mates and another to predators. If its eyes see fellow butterflies as bright blue, while predators see only green patches in a green environment, then it can remain visible to members of its own species whilst simultaneously hiding from predators. Below are some more fantastically detailed, colourful examples of butterflies and other winged things on paper currency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jenny Saville: Oxyrhynchus

I visited this exhibition shortly before that of Bridget Riley at David Zwerner, and it was interesting to see the obvious differences and approaches to art that both female artists have undertaken in their careers. One through the rigid, disciplined, use of colour and pattern, and the other with the looser application of paint to depict the figure. I am surprised that this is the first solo exhibition of the paintings of Jenny Saville in this country, given her status in the art world, and also the comparisons frequently made between her figurative paintings, and those of the late Lucian Freud, by art critics who refer to her as his natural heir because of the skill with which she handles paint and renders the figure. 

Saville appears to revel in the sensuousness of the paint medium and the resultant mark-making within her work. She is clearly not afraid of size, as these paintings are all completed on a large scale similar to much of her earlier vast canvases.

This new series in the exhibition reference other famous paintings by artists such as Manet and Velazquez and confidently hold their own in comparison. They are tenderly erotic and loaded images. The painting above in which a white female odalisque is locked in a ménage a trois with two black males is sexually provocative. The title of the show - Oxyrhynchus, makes reference to an ancient Egyptian dumping ground of papyrus texts, and she attempts to make parallels with this, her most recent body of work, and the references of other figurative artists throughout art history.

It was also good to see Saville's large pastel and charcoal drawings which display a good sense of tone and movement as she gives the models multiple limbs. I was reminded of Auerbach's charcoal portraits. The multi-layered line work makes them a little convoluted and hard to read, but this semi-abstraction adds to the charm and mystery of the works. It gives them energy, and you get the impression that Saville really enjoys her work. Recommended for lovers of painting and drawing.

Jenny Saville: Oxyrhynchus
until 26th July 2014
Gagosian
Brittania Street
London, WC1

Cambridge Contemporary Art: Summer Exhibition

I am delighted once again to have been invited to participate in Cambridge Contemporary Art's Summer Show which opens this weekend. I always have a good day out in Cambridge when delivering work, and get a good response to my new work from gallery staff and the general public. There are 4 of my pieces being exhibited and available for purchase over the summer. Cambridge is only an hours train journey away from London's King's Cross station, and is also home to other well known institutions such as Kettle's Yard and the Fitzwilliam Museum.

The Summer Show
Cambridge Contemporary Art
6 Trinity Street
Cambridge
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 324 222
Email: info@cambridge gallery.co.uk
12th July - 31st August 2014  

Pangaea: New Art From Africa and Latin America

 

Highly recommend this exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. In my opinion it is their strongest since the survey of artists who work in Paper last year. It is an interesting selection of artists from the diaspora who have produced some great work. The curators have done a good job with their selection as I thought it was a strong cohesive show. Highlights were:-

Rafael Gomezbarros. I was absolutely stunned by  Gomezbarros' installation which appropriately was situated in the first gallery of this exhibition. This gallery consisted of a room of ants invading the walls and clustering in corners of the exhibition space. It was interesting to see that on closer inspection the "ants" consisted of 2 skulls roughly fused together, with twigs for legs. They certainly made an impact on the gallery space and more so when you see another installations that they have previously been employed in below.

This picture where they featured on the facade of the Congress building in Bogota, is like something out of a 1950s B-movie.

Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou. Interesting art historical links with the work of this photographer and the work of Modigliani, and Picasso's Demoiselles D'Avignon. I like the traditional African masks contrasted against the colonial building. These pictures have a really ghostly/alien feel.

Dillon Marsh is a photographer who captures natural 'sculptures' created by birds in nature when making their nests on telephone poles. They make such interesting shapes resembling bodies or items of clothes hanging from their hangers. The sparse landscapes add to the strangeness of the imagery.

Antonio Malta Campos has some large beautiful paintings in the exhibition. I like the scale of his work, his sense of colour, as well as the textures of the paint. Could happily live with one of these.

Mario Macilau is a documentary photographer whose work is visually strong and interesting. These images are taken from his Zionist series and capture elements of religious rituals in his native Mozambique. They evoke a strong sense of spirituality.

Vincent Michea is influenced by Pop Art and the work of Roy Lichtenstein in his use of the Ben-Day dot technique, but adds enough of his own ideas to create something different that still pay homage to popular culture.

Oscar Murillo. I really enjoyed the sense of scale and freedom in the abstract mark-making in Murillo's work.

Ibrahim Mahama has created a beautiful installation in one of the galleries with these rough jute sacks that line the walls. Lots of tactile textures that bring to mind the wrappings of Christo.

Highly recommended!


Panagaea: New Art From Africa and Latin America
Until 2nd November
Saatchi Gallery
Duke of York's HQ
King's Road
London
SW3