#tate britain archive

[pinkblanc]

Art by Victoria Jenkins

[panfritoo]

Exhibition Review: Women in Revolt! Art and Activism in the UK 1970-1990

Anything feminist puts me instantly on guard. Feminism sells. Sure. But can't female artists be recognised for anything other than having a vagina? Female artists in Britain did not occupy the spaces of museums and galleries, their work has been safeguarded under individual mattresses and home archives. So I approached Tate Britain's exhibition with a certain scepticism, wondering if the show would be a tokenistic gesture of promoting ‘inclusivity’.

From the get-go, there is one thing obvious. There are no Guerrilla Girls. There are no Mona Lisas. Each piece, interdependent, brings dimension to all the contradictions and experiences of women at a time of significant sociopolitical change. As a result, the exhibition is messy and fatiguing; it almost tries too much at once. However, this is no sign of failure, there is a feminist, non-capitalist politics which informs the curation of the exhibition. Women in Revolt! Art and Activism in the UK 1970-1990 showcases the works of over 100 female artists who used their work to campaign for women’s rights and whose contribution to British culture has been incredibly uncredited. 

Arranged chronologically, the exhibition begins with photographs taken by then-20-year-old Chandon Fraser of the First Women’s Liberation Conference that took place in Oxford. Unlike images of any male gathering, these images are intimate, women are smiling and some carrying their infants with them. These women are wives, mothers, activists and artists all carrying the burden of being a woman in each role. Maureen Scott's painting Mother and Child at Breaking Point supplies an honest reflection on being a devoted mother and at the same time, losing the sense of ‘I’. Or, Susan Hiller's "10 Months," where she documents her growing pregnant belly through photographs, along with text from her journal where she writes about being a woman artist. At the time, being a female artist and a mother were considered incompatible. These works demonstrate that while society accepts that there are good, bad, and they-went-to-buy-milk-they-said fathers, mothers are held to different standards. 

The works are witty and thought provoking, for instance, Monica SJOOS referencing phallic culture with a painting of a big penis overcasting a city or Rose Finn-Kelcey's 'The Divided Self' a self-portrait of her sitting on a bench at Hyde Park, bookended, appearing on opposite sides of the bench in conversation with her 'other' self. The photograph examines the dichotomy between the person we are in private and the person we are in public. 

The exhibition also recognises the influence of subcultures in their role of pushing the boundaries behind the theatrics of womanhood. In the 1980s, against London's depressive political backdrop, a bunch of working-class teenagers were determined to build their own swinging London and escape into an electric new counterculture. These kids would gather around cubs like Blitz's which made the ultimate test bed for new romantics, punks, fashion and lesbian squatters. The photographs by Jill Posner of lesbian couples inhabiting new places were a way to challenge traditional female beauty canons aimed at male arousal and defy sexual orientation attitudes. While others such as Jill Westwood’s photographs of her wearing a latex outfit or Liz Rideal’s self-portraits of her face in a photo booth as she reaches orgasm would use hyper-sexualisation as a means of declaring control over their bodies and acknowledging their sexual self. 

It becomes evident that women produced work on the fringes of the art industry, creating their magazines, putting shows at alternative venues and sustaining their work through collaboration. The postal art project supported by Monica Ross and Su Richardson is an example of the networks women built to disseminate their work. These works included in the exhibition are small-scale pieces of artwork using DIY techniques that women would produce on kitchen counters with random items found in the house. These collectibles were mailed between women creating documentation of their experiences. Forms of low-status art became a significant medium of feminist art, which is a direct reflection of women's precarious material conditions at the time. 

The exhibition does not focus on a universal experience of women, each room has the function to provide a new layer to the narrative of feminism activism in Britain. Marlene Smiths' “My mother opens the door at 7 am. She is not bulletproof” a portrait of Dorothy Cherry Grace who was shot at her home in Brixton documents the BLK Art Group's contribution to feminist activism and racism in Britain.  

Turning our view back to the present, what does it all mean? Perhaps this is the most important. One cannot stop themselves from making connections between women’s rights then and now. Abortion is being criminalised in my countries disowning women from their bodies, women are still inflicted between becoming a mother and pursuing their careers, walking alone at night is still dangerous, and social media algorithms have taken a role in exposing young minds to figures such as Andrew Tate and their “toxic masculinity” content. But at the same time, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in time but now.  

I’ve confessed to myself that I am not a feminist of my time, as a young woman I’ve become weary of the term. Women In Revolt has put into question why I refuse to recognise this history of my gender when it means everything I take for granted now. Despite my initial judgements, this exhibition is a revelation. 

[galleryofart]

The Black Brunswicker

Artist: John Everett Millais (British, 1829–1896)

Date: 1860

Genre: Genre Art

Medium: OIl on canvas

Collection: Lady Lever Art Gallery, Merseyside, England, United Kingdom

Description

The theme of ‘The Black Brunswickers’ is an imaginative incident depicting a historical moment. The Black Brunswickers were a special troop raised by Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick (1771 - 1815) in 1809. The regiment consisted of the best German gentlemen and was known as the ‘Death or Glory’, a name which derived from their distinctive death’s head hat badge and their apparent devotion to duty. The troops suffered severe losses at the battle of Quatre Bras at Waterloo in 1815. In a letter to his wife Effie, Millais described his idea and his enthusiasm for the subject:

"My subject appears to me, too, most fortunate, and Russell (the war correspondent of The Times) thinks it first-rate… I have it all in my mind’s eye and feel confident that it will be a prodigious success. The costume and incident are so powerful that I am astonished it has never been touched upon before. Russell was quite struck with it, and he is the best man for knowing the public taste. Nothing could be kinder than his interest, and he is to set about getting all the information that is required."

Millais spent three months painting ‘The Black Brunswickers’. Studies for the work exist both in the Lady Lever Art Gallery’s archives as well as in Tate Britain. Millais used Charles Dickens’s daughter, Kate, as the model for the girl and a private in the Life Guards for the soldier. Each had to model separately using a lay figure to lean against.

Millais wished to be historically accurate in making the girl’s dress look quite antique (it is actually a compromise between the fashions of 1809 and 1815 when waists were still kept high). The intensity of emotions is well conveyed in the close encounter of the couple, the girl’s body attempting to obstruct the soldier from his task and prevent his destiny.

The dark and enclosed space enhances the tragedy of the scene, and the work appeals both to viewers’ patriotism and sentimentality. The only distraction is perhaps the brilliant shine of the girl’s dress. The dog at the soldier’s feet also draws attention to the humanity of the subject. On the wall of the room is an engraving of a painting by JL David (1748 - 1825), which depicts Napoleon crossing the Alps. It serves as a reminder of Waterloo while also alluding to current events in 1860, when Napoleon III entered a war in Northern Italy in an attempt to expel the Austrians.

[anon-pls24]

After spending a few years working at the Tate Liverpool, Kate Sharma gets her dream job as a curator at the Tate Britain Museum, and moves back home to London. Settled back into the city, she reconnects with her college friend Benedict Bridgerton, who along with his family embrace the Sharama’s with open arms. And while they are all kind, warm and welcoming, it’s Ben’s elusive older brother that interests Kate the most.

[uispeccoll]

#VoicesFromTheStacks

Emily Martin

Emily Martin is a book artist and an instructor for the University of Iowa Center For The Book. She earned a Master’s of Fine Arts in Painting from the University of Iowa in 1979, and began her career as a book artist at this time. The earliest published works on her website date back to 1978 and 1979, during her time in the MFA program.

Martin joined the staff of Center for the Book at the University of Iowa in 1998. She teaches classes on bookbinding, papermaking, and artist’s books.

She has published more than 90 artist books, first under the press press name Naughty Dog Press (named for her Jack Russel Terrier, Gomez) and then under her own name. These books include completely original works and artist retellings of Shakespeare’s plays, including Hamlet and King Lear. The University of Iowa Special Collections and Archives holds copies of 57 of Martin’s books, with several pictured here. 

Pictured above: A day at the beach (N7433.4.M364 A54 1995), My own Kickstarter campaign (N7433.4.M364 M9 2012), The house detective (N7433.4.M364 H68 1999)

Her work can by found in various colleges, universities, and art museums across the United States, as well as the British Library, Biblioteca nacional de Chile, Iraq National Library and Archive, Meermanno Museum in the Netherlands, Tate Britain in London, and Jack Ginsberg Centre for Book Arts in Johannesburg, South Africa (just to name a select few).

Martin has two recent projects of note. The first is an exhibit called Centering the Book, opening in early 2024. Centering the Book is a survey of the Center for the Book’s faculty, students, and alumni. Martin is also beginning a Cicero Research Fellowship at the Newberry Library in Chicago, looking at their collection of 16th century science books and contemporary artist books focused on science. The working title for this project is Navigational Tools for the Wilfully Lost. 

Come and see Martin’s work at Special Collections!

[themadscene]

I was really taken by Isaac Julien’s latest film “Once Again...(Statues Never Die)” featured an exhibit dedicated to him a Tate Britain. In a simple room with grey carpet and mirrored walls, the black-and-white film was cast on a multiple screens in a way that didn’t feel gimmicky but enhanced the sensuousness of the viewing experience, allowing us to move through the room and see the film from different angles, enacting--through our very participation--the erotics of looking that museum/studio spaces can provide, as in the cruising we see in scenes between Alain Locke (André Holland) and Richmond Barthé (Devon Terrell). Its meditations on beauty, desire, queerness, and the vexed and complex relationship between African and African-American art, the museum and the archive appealed to me deeply. It felt so fortuitous to see Barthé portrayed as well as one of his sculptures (the Black Madonna above) as I had been working on a longer poem about my relationship to him and his art all year, which I had just sent off to a journal. I might go back and see it again before I go to Istanbul in two weeks.

[ao3feed-kathony]

wonderstruck blushing all the way home

read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/50282329 by anonpls After spending a few years working at the Tate Liverpool, Kate Sharma gets her dream job as a curator at the Tate Britain Museum, and moves back home to London. Settled back into the city, she reconnects with her college friend Benedict Bridgerton, who along with his family embrace the Sharama’s with open arms. And while they are all kind, warm and welcoming, it’s Ben’s elusive older brother that interests Kate the most. Words: 2555, Chapters: 1/7, Language: English Fandoms: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M Characters: Anthony Bridgerton, Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma, Benedict Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton, Daphne Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton, Francesca Bridgerton, Gregory Bridgerton, Hyacinth Bridgerton, Mary Sheffield | Mary Sharma, Miles Sharma, Agatha Danbury, Edmund Bridgerton, Violet Bridgerton Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield | Kate Sharma Additional Tags: Friends to Lovers, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Everyone Is Alive, Fluff, Light Angst, Happy Ending, Slow Burn, not that slow it's only 7 chapter long read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/50282329

[sublimeobservationarcade]

Blame It On The Poor Immigrant

The conversation among my work crew is a fairly good reflection of the average discursive exchange happening around the nation at the moment, I reckon. Dressed as we are in high viz gear and steel capped boots ensconced in our work ute on the way to the site. Smoko ramps up with the news of the day and plenty of opinions. One of my erstwhile colleagues, a migrant from the old country, was voicing her support for those kicking up a stink in Britain. Blaming it on too many immigrants coming into the country and receiving special treatment to the detriment of those who really belong there. Blame it on the poor immigrant. Arnold Rasnick, Virginia-Pocahontas Coal Company by U.S. National Archives is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Revoking The Commonwealth

This is a popular theme here, there and everywhere, it seems. The cost of living and housing crises are biting a lot of working people on the bum at the moment. Blame it on the new arrivals is a perennial sentiment, especially when they have different coloured skin and look different. The thing about Britain is that for centuries the old empire was out and about taking stuff from lands abroad and enriching itself. Colonising places and imposing imperial rule upon their populations was their main game. Some of those coloured folk, their descendants anyway, have come to the United Kingdom to make it their home. Pakistani’s, West Indian’s,  African’s and plenty from other spots too have settled in England. It might be convenient to have a very short memory but there are consequences to historical actions. Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

Righteous Racists Blaming People Of Colour

The race riots have been fuelled by misinformation and lies put about on social media by far right groups and racist individuals with large followings. Andrew Tate, Laurence Fox, Elon Musk and the other fascists pulling the strings. The horrendous stabbing murders of 3 girls and 8 others with knife wounds in Southport were immediately and falsely attributed to a Muslim refugee. In fact, this mentally ill young guy was born in Britain but was of the wrong coloured skin for many of these patriotic Brits online. Hundreds of angry righteous blokes have gone on a rampage attacking refugee centres and mosques around the country. The police have copped it in their attempts to defend innocent people and maintain law and order. This is not really about the murders of innocent kids; it is about venting rage and frustration for its own sake. There is a surfeit of violent passion being whipped up by social media and the culture wars happening right now. We are all being screwed by our economies and big business these days. Most folk don’t know who to take it out on and are being manipulated into blaming the state. The state has been sucked dry by private corporate interests called private equity under the banner of neoliberalism. Their political allies hide behind bullshit smoke screens like immigration, LGBTQI gender issues, and the anti-woke puppet show. Cowards and bullies like to punch down upon weaker victims like refugees and trans people, they hardly ever take on the real people who are stealing their lunch. Downward envy is encouraged by the authoritarian right wing parties and the Murdoch press. Divide and conquer by getting people to fight amongst themselves whilst the wealthy dance on our heads is the order of the day. “Nursing leaders have expressed their horror at racist violence across the UK, as two Filipino nurses have been among the targets of far-right rioters. Riots first broke out in Southport, Merseyside last Tuesday (30 July) after far-right agitators began a misinformation campaign on social media falsely claiming the perpetrator of a mass knife attack on a group of children in the town the previous day was a Muslim.” - (https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/leadership-news/filipino-nurses-attacked-as-nhs-community-condemns-racist-riots-05-08-2024/) Jeff Bezos by U.S. Air Force is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0 Identity Politics Playing You For A Fool Identity politics is smoke and mirrors, it is a scam perpetuated upon those who don’t bother to look into things. Here is a tip, much of the stuff that enrages you online is BS. It is purposely designed to provoke you and get you losing your shit and not thinking straight. Demonising gay and trans people, demonising immigrants and refugees, these are not the people getting rich at your expense. Wake up sunshine! Dig a little deeper and don’t believe everything you read online. There are people like Rupert Murdoch making money out of your rage. There are people in Russia misinforming you for their own nefarious designs. There are populists wanting power who are promising you they will make it all better – they won’t. Maybe spend a little less time in the gym and try exercising your brain instead. Ask yourself the question – who benefits? This is the key to every investigation. You know if they kicked out every migrant and every gay person you would still have the same problems. It is a scam. These poor people are not taking your piece of the pie. It is the billionaires and their underlings gobbling up the pie at your expense. It is always the same old story, nothing ever changes. Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of America Matters: Pre-apocalyptic Posts & Essays in the Shadow of Trump. ©MidasWord Photo by Kelly on Pexels.com Read the full article

[polishwomenartists-sztukakobiet]

MAGDA HUECKEL

Rituals, Passage, 2018

Self-portrait

@art.by.women_women.in.arts

RITUALS / PASSAGE - Rytuały / Przejście is a series of photographs, which opens a new cycle called ‘Rituals’. I photograph my own body in the natural environment. This time, however, I place it in the direct relation with the organic elements. This work reflects my fascination with traditional rituals, especially from Africa. The project was created with the support of Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii (Archeology of Photography Foundation) within the ‘Live Archives’ project.

Number of works: video and 10 photographs

Size: 40x27cm

Technique: lambda print, dibond

Visual artist, theatre photographer, set designer, traveller. Her work has been exhibited at dozens of exhibitions in Poland and around the world (including Tate Britain in London). In 2013 her photograph album “Anima. Pictures from Africa 2005–2013” was published, and a year later it was nominated for the Photography Publication of the Year Award. In 2015 her photograph album “HUECKEL/TEATR” was published. She has worked on film projects with Tomasz Śliwiński as a scriptwriter and camera operator. Their documentary Our Curse was nominated for the Oscar Academy Award in 2015, and won prizes at numerous international festivals. She graduated from the Faculty of Painting and Graphic Design of the Fine Arts Academy in Gdańsk. She was awarded scholarships by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage and the City of Sopot. Between 2002 and 2004 she formed part of the photographic duo known as hueckelserafin with Agata Serafin. Via Artist's website

#MAGDAHUECKEL #Rituals #Passage

#Selfportrait #artbywomen #womeninarts #naturalart #ecoart #PalianShow

[fashioneditswebsite]

9 looks you might have missed from the Met Gala

Stars descended on New York for the annual Met Gala (Evan Agostini/AP) Gigi Hadid, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Lana Del Rey wore sculptural gowns for fashion's biggest night. The Met Gala is fashion's biggest night of the year, and this year's event was no different. Celebrities celebrated the opening of Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibition features 250 rare pieces. The night's official dress code was Garden of Time, which celebrities interpreted in various ways… Here are some of the Met Gala looks you might have missed. 1. Gigi Hadid Gigi Hadid (Matt Crossick/PA) Model Gigi Hadid was among the many celebrities who wore Thom Browne, a New York-based designer, to this year's Met Gala. Her structural, corseted white gown featured black trim and 3D yellow rose detailing. Additionally, according to Vogue, the skirt required the effort of 40 people who spent 8,500 hours embroidering it. Furthermore, the dress's 2.8 million microbeads were applied by 20 artisans who devoted 5,000 hours to the task, as reported by the same source. “It’s always a privilege to watch Gigi come to life,” Browne told Vogue. “She is a true talent that shines at whatever she does. I wanted her look to embody the fragility and immense work that you see in Andrew ’s exhibit, blooming on the carpet and into The Metropolitan Museum of Art.” Sarah Jessica Parker (Matt Crossick/PA) And Just Like That… star Sarah Jessica Parker chose British designer Richard Quinn for her ethereal Met Gala look. A mainstay on the Met steps, Parker's embellished midi-dress had a sheer, birdcage-style silhouette with lace floral detailing throughout. Parker told Vogue she was inspired by Quinn's spring/summer 2024 collection and Sargent and Fashion at the Tate Britain in London, an exhibition dedicated to American artist John Singer Sargent's fashion paintings. 3. Lana Del Rey Lana Del Rey (Matt Crossick/PA) Singer Lana Del Rey was one of the few stars wearing Alexander McQueen for the event and was accompanied by the label's new creative director, Irish designer Seán McGirr. Her nude corseted dress was embellished with hand-embroidered sequinned branches. Del Rey wore a headpiece of natural hawthorn branches, swathes of see-through tulle covering her, and a red rose. Moreover, it's worth noting that the outfit referenced a look from the autumn/winter 2006 Alexander McQueen collection. This particular look featured a similar tulle around the model's head, although it was held up by 'antlers.' 4. Josh O'Connor Josh O'Connor (Evan Agostini/AP) Fresh off the Challengers press tour, Josh O'Connor wore a whimsical Loewe suit with a dramatic tailcoat and sparkling micro bow tie. Moreover, his confidence in himself was admirable. But the best part of his outfit was the shoes—textural floral boots that resembled a pair a model wore on the recent Loewe autumn/winter runway. 5. Kim Kardashian Kim Kardashian caused controversy at the 2022 Met event by wearing Marilyn Monroe's archival dress. The star wore a silver corset gown by Maison Margiela, a floral see-through skirt, and a grey cardigan. She left her icy blonde hair loose and her makeup relatively pared back. 6. Cardi B Cardi B's outfit was undoubtedly dramatic – her Gothic gown surrounded her with layers of black tulle and a vertiginous turban – but it's hard to tell how the night's theme inspired it. She chose up-and-coming designer Windowsen for her couture look, which her stylist Kollin Carter described as "the black rebellious rose." 7. Dan Levy Dan Levy wore a Loewe suit with a black top and vibrant floral bottom, an experimental look. He picked Loewe. Levy stars in their ads and wore it to his first Met Gala in 2021. 8. Zendaya Zendaya (Matt Crossick/PA) Furthermore, it's worth noting that the anticipation was at an all-time high around the night's co-chair Gala look. It was quite a spectacle to behold as Zendaya made her grand entrance, wearing not one but two outfits on the Met steps, truly bringing drama to the event. The first was a dramatic blue and green tulle gown with a sculptural headpiece by Maison Margiela, with embellishments nodding to the natural world. With a dark lip, thin eyebrows, and dramatic eye makeup, her beauty look made up to Margiela's electric couture show, which debuted to massive acclaim in January. Her surprise second outfit was a nod to the other element of the exhibition. She wore a voluminous black dress from Givenchy's spring/summer 1996 couture collection and a floral bouquet as a headpiece. 9. Michael Shannon Despite not being related to the event's theme, actor Michael Shannon sported one of the most striking accessories of the night. He wore a black double-breasted suit. He clutched a yellow bag. On closer inspection, it was a Balenciaga handbag. According to the brand's website, the bag is made of glossy calfskin and has a zip closure. The bag comes in three colors, and while it's currently sold out, it retails at $1,750.31  Read the full article

[haripradha]

Poster: designed by myself for our first group project (Year 1 BA Curating)

In the lead up to International Women's Day and on the occasion of the exhibition of Women in Revolt in the Tate Britain we students from the Goldsmiths BA Curating screened the 1976 film All Work and No Pay produced by the Wages for Housework Campaign alongside BBC community access unit Open Door. We've sourced the film through the London Community Video Archive which preserves, archives and shares community videos made in the 1970's and 80's in London and the Southeast. Began in 1972 at the Manchester Conference, the Wages for Housework campaign is an international campaign that demanded that governments recognise the value of unpaid work done in the home and community, primarily by women. The movement argued that the entire capitalist system was based on free domestic labour.

The film shows meetings and interviews with women sharing their views and experiences of the Wages for Housework Campaign. All Work and No Pay gives a glimpse into women's organising across the world as well as locally in London at spaces such as Crossroads Womens Centre.

We screened this film now after two recent screenings in prominent exhibition spaces to:

-Understand the place of community film, what does it mean to screen a community film in a gallery vs in a community space.

-The relevance Wages for Housework Campaign now, given the reactivation of discussions about women and invisible labour within the household and in the community.

-To consider the experiences of women's groups in a post covid context.

[lrenvs3000w24]

Interpreting Nature Through Art

As humans we have always sought to interpret the mysteries of nature. One way we achieve this is through art – a medium that transcends language, culture, and time. I think there is a unique intersect between perception, creativity, and the connection between humanity and the natural world.

Art has been a timeless means of expression, allowing individuals to capture the essence of the world around them in various forms. Art, in all its diverse forms, has been used to reflect human experience for many years. From cave paintings to contemporary masterpieces, artists have used it as a way to communicate their perceptions of the world to their audience. When it comes to interpreting nature, artists serve as mediators between the raw beauty of the natural world and the human consciousness.Through their unique lenses, they capture the nuances of the natural world by creating paintings, sculptures, literature, and more. The artist becomes a channel through which the audience can connect with nature on a deeper, emotional level.

Chapter 5 of our textbook delves into interpreting nature through art, emphasizing the significance of engaging with the environment on a spiritual level (Beck et al, 2018). The readings highlight the idea that interpretation should equip individuals with the ability and desire to sense the beauty in their surroundings, providing spiritual uplift and encouraging resource preservation (Beck et al, 2018)..

For me, the gift of beauty, as defined in our readings, is not just a passive admiration of picturesque landscapes (Beck et al, 2018). It's about immersing myself in the surroundings, understanding the stories whispered by the wind through ancient trees, feeling the pulse of the ocean waves, and capturing those moments through the art of photography. 

Arbol del Tule - The widest tree trunk in the world located in Oaxaca, Mexico. This was one of the things I was most excited to see on this trip.

Traveling has served me as a gateway to understanding and interpreting nature which I mentioned in my earlier blogs. The journey allows me to fully witness and immerse myself into diverse landscapes, cities, cultures, and individuals. From the bustling streets of Madrid to the Caribbean ocean, my camera becomes a companion in interpreting the beauty I experience. These photographs aren't just snapshots; they're visual interpretations of my personal connection with the world. I love capturing moments while traveling and often they are of people or moments I enjoyed instead of just beautiful landscapes and views which captures not only the physical beauty of the surroundings but also the emotions and reflections they evoke. These images become a personal narrative and visual diary for me.

Porto, Portugal - A moment captured where locals relax on a Thursday afternoon

Additionally, visiting museums and art galleries has further enriched my understanding of the gift of beauty. While traveling I found myself wanting to visit museums in each location. Various museums allowed me to further immerse myself in the countries culture and history. Museums vary; some are historical archives showcasing the rich tapestry of the past, while others serve as contemporary hubs, capturing present artistic expression. Each museum visit becomes a journey through time and a lens into the local narrative, deepening my connection with the places I explore.

Tate Britain Museum

Overall, I feel the gift of beauty is not just a visual experience; it is a call to action. It calls us to appreciate, interpret, and, most importantly, conserve the natural wonders that surround us. Whether through the lens of a camera capturing a breathtaking sunset or through the strokes of a painter representing a storm, art becomes a bridge that connects us to the world.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. Sagamore Venture.

[paulrennie]

My Kind of Genius • John Piper • Photographer • 1930s onwards

I recently posted about a book that I had been looking for and had found. It's The Functional Tradition by JM Richards (1958). The book includes quite a lot of photographs by the artist John Piper.

I've been interested in John Piper for a long time.

Almost thirty years ago, I was able to buy various Contemporary Lithographs by John Piper and two old Ealing film posters. Piper's willingness to work beyond painting and drawing, and to engage with audiences beyond the gallery was suggestive, to me at least, of a restless and exploratory spirit.

It turns out that John Piper is even more interesting than I thought...

Contemporary Lithographs was a publishing venture that aimed to make original artists' prints available to a wider art-buying public. In the first instance, the prints were aimed at new home owners, schools and other quasi-public facing organisations. The publishers made use of new processes in mechanical reproduction that allowed the expressive mark-making of artists to be transferred directly onto a print that could be published in an edition of, say, about 400 copies.

In modern terms this might all be identified as a form of cultural out-reach. In these circumstances, it was entirely natural that Piper should be amongst the artists chosen to record the activities of WW2, and to produce illustrations and posters for Ealing films and other organisations. Later, Piper was able to contribute to the Festival of Britain (1951) and to design the stained glass for the new Coventry cathedral.

Nowadays, Piper is mostly associated with a neo-romantic sensibility towards landscape, architecture and place. His paintings and prints of English country houses are very popular. Piper's interest in building extended well beyond the grand and encompassed the vernacular and the nautical.

In addition to Piper's paintings, his interest in a wide range of architectural forms was expressed through his photography and in the production of illustrated guide books to the counties of England, for John Murray and for Shell, published by Faber and Faber.

A lot of these books have photographs by Piper, along with Eric de Maré, Edwin Smith and many others.

It turns out that John Piper gave his photographic archive, of some 6000 odd images, to Tate Britain. It's a bit surprising that there doesn't seem to be a book about these photographs.

I've always liked the work of the artist Paul Nash too.

Just type John Piper or Paul Nash into the search box to find more posts about these artists

[ameliataylor-beken]

Referencing

Alice Finney (2021) Iris Van Herpen’s Earthrise collection is designed as a ‘living organism’ Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2021/07/14/iris-van-herpen-earthrise-collection-fashion-ocean-plastic/ (accessed 25th March 2023)

 Anthony Brown (2018) Into the Forest Available at: http://www.anthonybrownebooks.com/new-blog/2018/1/21/hagd896sosybtijl0w20y8ibs68mqg (accessed 13th April 2023)

Anthony Browne (2023) Gallery Available at: http://www.anthonybrownebooks.com/new-page-2 (accessed 13th April 2023)

Arctic Paper (2016) Rob Ryan Available at: https://www.arcticpaper.com/inspiration-news/paper-passion/2016/rob-ryan/#:~:text=Drawing%20and%20painting%20were%20the,and%20wanted%20to%20highlight%20them (accessed 20th April 2023)

Ben Sherlock (2020) Guillermo Del Toro: 5 reasons why Pan’s Labyrinth is his best fantasy movie (& 5 why Shape of Water is a close second) Available at: https://screenrant.com/guillermo-del-toro-reasons-pans-labyrinth-best-fantasy-movie-shape-of-water-better-comparison/#pan-s-labyrinth-is-the-best-it-s-a-mature-version-of-alice-in-wonderland (accessed 19th March 2023)

Fashion the Future now (2021) Shibori Available at: https://fashionthefuturenow.org/2019/05/28/shibori/#:~:text=3D%20Shibori,in%20order%20to%20manipulate%20surfaces (accessed 17th May 2023)

Film Grab (2023) Alice in Wonderland Available at: https://film-grab.com/2016/06/21/alice-in-wonderland/# (accessed 27th March 2023)

Film Grab (2023) Pan’s Labyrinth Available at: https://film-grab.com/2015/07/16/pans-labyrinth/# (accessed 11th March 2023)

Iris Van Herpen (2021) Earthrise Available at: https://www.irisvanherpen.com/collections/earthrise (accessed 25th March 2023)

Mahoro Seward (2019) Bugs Garson: Dressing The Letters My Grandmother Wrote Available at: https://1granary.com/designers-3/schools/parsons/bugs-garson-dressing-the-letters-my-grandmother-wrote/ (accessed 20th March 2023)

NASA (2013) Earthrise Available at: https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1249.html (accessed 25th March 2023)

Rob Ryan Studio (2023) Archive Available at: https://robryanstudio.com/archive/ (accessed 20th April 2023)

Sarah Dorger (2023) Fresh Eyes: Removing Male Gaze from Film Posters Available at: https://xuengl359.wordpress.com/home/final-projects/fresh-eyes-removing-male-gaze-from-film-posters/ (accessed 13th March 2023)

 Selena S Kuzman (2018) Selkie’s new clothes costume design Available at: https://selenasart.com/artworks/selkie-costume-design/  (accessed 17th May 2023)

STICKY Magazine (2023) A Wicked Fairy Available at: https://sickymag.com/a-wicked-fairy/ (accessed 16th March 2023)

The Tate (2022) Fairy Round Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-britain/display/spotlights/fairy-round (accessed 16th March 2023)

The Tate (2023) Arthur Rackham Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/arthur-rackham-1811#:~:text=Arthur%20Rackham%20(19%20September%201867,Age%20of%20British%20book%20illustration (accessed 12th March 2023)

The Tate (2023) Fairy Painting Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/f/fairy-painting (accessed 16th March 2023)

The Tate (2023) Theodor von Holst Available at:https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/theodor-von-holst-572 (accessed 16th March 2023)

TheHistoryOfArt.org (2023) Black Paintings Available at: https://www.thehistoryofart.org/francisco-de-goya/black-paintings/ (accessed 11th March 2023)

V&A (2023) The Story of Pantomime Available at: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-story-of-pantomime (accessed 16th March 2023)

[murroughod]

In praise of trees: a look at arboreal art

https://artuk.org/discover/stories/in-praise-of-trees-a-look-at-arboreal-art

I've long loved trees and walking among them. Each day I make sure to spend at least some time appreciating the beauty of trees; after all, it is trees that sustain our existence – without plants which turn sunlight into oxygen, we would not exist. Artists too have had a long love affair with trees and delving into the abundance of arboreal art is fascinating.

Trees stretch their branches throughout many paintings, from street trees to copses to parks to forests and rainforests, and trees are depicted in all stages of their growth, all around the world, and in their many varieties. We see their branches reaching high into the sky and their roots stretching deep into the earth.

Trees have long been potent symbols in mythology, folklore and culture – the Tree of Life, the Sacred Tree, the Tree of Knowledge – forms of 'the world tree' also called the cosmic tree, thought to be the source of life at the centre of the world.

The Tree of Life symbolises the connection of all forms of creation (famous depictions include that of the Austrian artist Gustav Klimt in his painting The Tree of Life) while the Tree of Knowledge connects heaven and the underworld.

Depictions of 'sacred trees' include Foliage, Flowers and Fruit of a Tree Sacred to Krishna by Marianne North (1830–1890), as well as Foliage and Fruit of Fig Tree held Sacred by the Hindoos by the same artist.

On a beautiful winter's day a few months ago, I strolled past London plane trees lining the city, reaching their branches up into a clear blue sky, on the way to Tate Britain where I saw an exhibition of the work of Victorian artist Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898). He led the Pre-Raphaelite movement into new symbolist directions and his work interestingly draws on myths and legends. Art UK features his painting The Tree of Forgiveness, at the heart of which is an almond tree, and which is a dramatic reworking, in oil paint on canvas, of Phyllis and Demophoön in a style inspired by Michelangelo. In the myth, we see depicted Phyllis as she bursts out of the almond tree and embraces the lover who had abandoned her – a particularly powerful part of the painting is seeing her legs still inside the tree trunk.

John Woodward Lines (b.1938) Rugby Art Gallery and Museum Art Collections

On days when it has been raining too ferociously to step outside, I have instead been gazing at arboreal art on Art UK. Paintings capture trees in all stages of their growth cycle, from lush foliage such as in Study of Trees by Bernard Meninsky (1891–1950) and Trees by Charles Napier Hemy (1841–1917) to the inky silhouettes of Winter Trees by John Woodward Lines (b.1938).

Maurice de Vlaminck (1876–1958) Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales

These stages of growth are also captured in abstract arboreal art, all titled Trees, from the wonderful juxtaposition of green and browns by Eardley Knollys (1902–1991) to the bony bare branches by Madeleine Enright (1920–2013) and the eerie painting by Benjamin Haughton (1865–1924). I also love the abstraction of blues and greens in a work by Maurice de Vlaminck (1876–1958).

Looking at the copious amounts of copses in the archives I can imagine strolling through them, including Gifford's Copse and Cherry Copse at Stock Close, near Aldbourne by Lawrence Gowing (1918–1991).

Talbot Woods by Calvin W. Fryer (1871–1942) is awash with golden light and Woodland Scene by John Lally (1914–1994) is an abstract work excellently drawing out the shapes and patterns of trees.

Looking at the details in the rainforest depicted in ‘Dreams of Australia' Series, Rainforest Wildlife by Antonia Phillips, I am reminded of the vast diversity of life that trees sustain: beautiful birds and butterflies in this painting. Indeed, a single tree in a tropical rainforest can sustain up to 2,000 different species.

Whilst many artists have chosen to title their paintings, simply Trees, others have chosen more particularization and there are a wide variety of trees forking throughout the collection including Study of Birch Trees by Joséphine Bowes (1825–1874), Silver Birch Trees by Walter Duncan (1848–1932), Olive Trees, Les Baux by Frederick John Pym Gore (1913–2009), Oak Trees by R. Ellison, and Beech Trees by Bernard Meninsky.

Trees are depicted in all their full glory in landscapes as in the many paintings entitled Landscape with Trees, while other painters have chosen to focus on specific parts of trees such as the powerful painting Patterned Canopy Shadows by Lynsey Ewan. Paintings depict both the height and depth of trees: one of my favourite paintings is Understorey, also by Lynsey Ewan – the 'understorey' being the word for the layer of vegetation beneath the main canopy of a forest.

How do trees make us feel? Some painters have ascribed moods to their artworks depicting trees in paintings including Solitude by James Tyndall Midgley (b.1872) and Peace by Thomas Edwin Mostyn (1864–1930) with its wonderful colour palette of blues, golds and greens.

I'm reminded by such paintings of the increasingly popular practice of 'forest bathing', spending time in a forest to reduce stress and promote a sense of wellbeing. The Japanese term is 'Shinrin-yoku' which means 'bathing in the forest atmosphere', and was developed in the 1980s. These paintings go far in conjuring through colours and craft such an atmosphere – and looking at them did indeed have a soothing effect on my mood.

Looking at these paintings, I'm powerfully reminded of the 'deep time' collected within trees: the fact that they exist for hundreds of years, that many of them will be here long after we are gone. Many of these paintings immortalising trees will outlast the trees themselves, showing just what a potent combination is that of trees and art. Above all, in our Anthropocene age of biodiversity loss, appreciating arboreal art is a great reminder of the importance of valuing and protecting trees themselves – the 'lungs' of our world – which in turn protect and sustain us.

Anita Sethi, journalist, writer and critic

[amphtaminedreams]

JUNE 2021->JANUARY 2023: Photo Dump No.21

DATE SAVED, L-R BY ROW:

1. 8th December 2022 [Twisted Museum, Oxford Circus], 18th June 2022 [MSGM RTW S/S22], 11th January 2022 [Circolo Popolare, Fitzrovia], 16th October 2022, 4th December 2021 [Naomi Campbell & Kate Moss photographed by Steven Klein for I-D Magazine, issue 131: The US Issue, August 1994], 19th June 2021 [Marina Diamandis photographed BTS on the set of the 'Venus Fly Trap" music video, released June 2021], 28th November 2021 ["Celeuma” by Steffi Calaghan @ the Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York Square], 7th December 2022 [Southwark, Greater London], 14th December 2022

2. 29th November 2022, 21st October 2022 [source: instagram account @kamillacollages], 12th October 2022 [Soho, Westminster], 16th May 2022 [Atelier Versace Haute Couture S/S16], 8th August 2022, 28th November 2022, 22nd November 2022 [London Wall, The City], 13th June 2021 [Marina Diamandis, performing the Ancient Dreams: Live from the Desert livestream concert, 12th June 2021], 30th December 2021 [source: instagram account @posterjournal]

3. 17th November 2022 [Barbican Centre, Silk Street], 11th October 2022, 18th November 2022, 13th June 2021 [edit source: @exoticflowerey], 11th November 2022, 28th October 2021 [Rokh, Resort 2022], 15th November 2022 [Charing Cross, Westminster], 19th November 2022 [background: Christchurch, Dorset, 11th July 2021, graphic source: instagram account @sanxtypo], 26th September 2022

4. 27th August 2021 [Bournemouth Town Centre, Dorset], 6th October 2022 [Coperni RTW SS23], 17th October 2021 [Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets], 2nd December 2022, 4th October 2022, 29th June 2021 [source: instagram account @catsofinstagram], 26th June 2021 [Iris Law wearing archive Roberto Cavalli RTW F/W04 @ the Forte BVLGARI Magnifica Gala, June 2021, via instagram], 1st December 2022 [Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirror Rooms @ Tate Modern, Bankside], 2nd December 2022

5. 1st September 2022, 13th June 2021 [Thierry Mugler Haute Couture F/W98], 29th August 2021 [source: instagram account @theopeninvite], 14th November 2022, 9th November 2022, 6th June 2021 [Emma Stone as Cruella de Ville, dir. Craig Gillespie, released May 2021], 14th October 2022, 7th September 2022 [Mr.Mulligan's Adventure Golf, Bournemouth Centre], 14th January 2022 [details @ Marc Jacobs RTW S/S17]

6. 11th October 2022, 28th October 2022, 13th July 2022, 9th March 2022 [Teuta Matoshi Effortless Dahlia dress, S/S21], 26th June 2021 [Solange via Instagram, June 2021], 3rd August 2021 [still from the original Peter Pan, released 1953, Walt Disney Productions], 8th August 2021 [Southbourne, Dorset], 27th October 2022, 20th October 2021 [source unknown]

7. 8th July 2021 [Bella Hadid in Cannes, July 2021, via lnstagram], 2nd January 2023 [Christchurch, Dorset], 30th September 2022, 4th January 2023, 5th September 2022 [Jaded London Devore Daydream dress, source: Depop account @jadedldn], 19th December 2022, 23rd January 2022 [”Mrs Carl Meyer and her Children" details, John Singer Sargent, 1896 @ Tate Britain, Millbank], 22nd July 2021 [Christchurch, Dorset, graphic: lnstagram account @wetheurban], 17th October 2021 [The Other Art Fair @ the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane]

8. 8th August 2021 [Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, costume details, Suicide Squad, costume design by Kate Hawley, released July 2021), 17th January 2023 [The Horror Show! Exhibition @ Somerset House, Strand], 11th August 2022 [source: instagram account @jzcreativespace.jpg], 23rd September 2021 [Charles de Vilmorin Haute Couture F/W21], 4th July 2021 [Bella Hadid photographed backstage @ Versace RTW F/W21 digital broadcast], 24th April 2022 [Shoreditch High Street, Hackney], 19th January 2023, 11th January 2023 [Mr.Mulligan's Adventure Golf, Bournemouth Town Centre], 16th December 2022

9. 20th March 2022 (source: instagram account @thekindset), 10th October 2022, 23rd December 2022, 25th June 2021 [Olivia Rodrigo photographed for  “Sour Prom: the Concert Film" promotional material, released June 2021], 2nd December 2022 [Guy's Campus, Great Maze Pond, London], 6th January 2023 [St.Christopher's Place, London], 9th January 2023 (source: instagram account @hel717), 29th January 2022 [Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture exhibition @ Bermondsey Fashion & Textile Museum, Bermondsey Street], 9th November 2021 (Versace “Juno” platform heel , RTW F/W21, source: twitter account @MEENAVOGUEE]

10. 5th July 2021 [Kim Kardashian photographed in archive Mugler attending the opening of Thierry Mugler: Couturissime @ the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, February 2019], 5th October 2022, 17th November 2022 [Barbican, Tower Hamlets], 16th December 2022 [Christchurch Quay, Dorset], 6th July 2021 [illustration by Gloria Gorni, source: instagram account @gloriecoeur], 17th December 2022 [Brighton Seafront, East Sussex], 19th September 2021 [Van Gogh Alive Exhibition @ Kensington Gardens, Knightsbridge], 18th June 2022, source: instagram account @thefemalewarhol], 30th June 2021 [Margot Robbie photographed for the cover of British Vogue, August 2021 issue]