Turner Contemporary Margate, “Seeing Round Corners” first impressions for a review?

Putting on my scientist’s hat/lab-coat, goodness me I’m sorry I’m not very good at this sort of thing – where was I, oh yes lots of circles in this exhibition. There is a sense (because space is curved) that all looking is in circles, so if you could see far enough – would you not see the back of your own head? This isn’t working is it?

If I put on my artist’s hat, that won’t work too well, so hatless into the exhibition, which is I think supposed to be about circles and how we respond to them – artists respond to them, well that type of kidney. We all of course know the story of the artist who proved his artistic ability to the royal messenger by drawing a perfic circle – justlikethat. Leonardo Angelo wossisname Geotto Giotto, well from Bondone anyway.

Into the gallery, photography is forbidden and the gallery staff were applying the rules strictly, so I didn’t take any pictures and so the ones of the exhibits here I have lifted off the web and may be slightly wrong.

The first item inside the gallery door, Isis with child Horus from the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, also in the same case a model of a rocking-horse/ibis presumably model toy of model child, Isis circle on hat, (breastfeeding?) her brother on knee, 2,300 years old. From my point of view this one item made visiting the exhibition worthwhile and the so anything more I saw would be a bonus.

Lots in the first gallery, so star items only, this is star items for me, others may prefer other stuff.

William Blake Milton’s Golden Compass, now of course viewed partially through the eyes of Phillip Pullman’s Lyra, that is unless you either didn’t read it or was someone else.

Paul Nash Eclipse of the Sunflower

Waterhouse’s Destiny

You know the bloke who did the one of the nymphs, undines wosisnames, this pic not in exhibition and only here in case you got lost.

Two pages of Da Vinci’s sketchbooks, dealing with? You guessed – curves and I won’t mention Destiny’s tummy, and of course being Da Vinci – what appears to be the invention of the electric mixer – but is probably his idea for a torture instrument or weapon. 

Here are my notes for the first gallery, so you can see why I am having difficulty remembering what I couldn’t photograph.

Look I think that’s enough of my blow by blow account, sufficient to say that this is an exhibition worth visiting.

I was sketching and noting my way around the next gallery when choreographer Gaby Agis and partner performed a modern dance, no photography and my sketch isn’t that good as they were, doing what? Going round in a circle so a series of rotating glimpses.

Overall first impressions are of a good exhibition with enough in it for most people that should be a good attraction for the summer. Worth a visit to Margate just to view it.

My acid test for exhibitions is am I inspired to create and I went off up the harbour arm and sketched the gallery.   

Here is the link to the Radio 4 review http://bbc.in/20jWptQ the bit on Seeing round corners at about 27.49 in.