My first thoughts on this exhibition are basically wow.
Take over a hundred JWM Turners paintings and hang them in a
gallery and you could get almost anything, particularly just drawing on The
Tate, but this isn’t what has happened here.
At Turner Contemporary in Margate now are Turners I have
never seen before, Turners I didn’t know about, Turners from all over the
world.
How to write a review of this as a whole exhibition is way
beyond me, I’m a visual person and no wordsmith so I will take the first three
paintings through the door, turn left on the wall.
You can’t aren’t allowed to take photos, not allowed to
paint in the ordinary sense of using a brush and a pot of water or solvent,
however there was no objection to my brush with water in the handle. The only
snag with it being that because it isn’t as good as an ordinary brush I have
only used it one when I bought it about six months ago.
Anyway I skived off from working in my bookshop in Ramsgate,
it’s all arts – so I feel justified, is that right? And off I went to Margate
without the highest of hopes there have been complaints about the gallery not
having enough Turners, having the wrong Turners – well something like that.
Here are the first three, all significant paintings, I have lifted the pictures off the web.
Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Title
Dolbadarn Castle - Study for Diploma Picture
Date
?1800–2
Medium
Oil on panel
Dimensions
Support: 465 x 340 mm
Collection
The National Library of Wales
Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Title
Fishermen upon a Lee-Shore, in Squally Weather
Date
Exhibited 1802
Medium
Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions
Support: 915 x 1220 mm
Collection
Southampton City Art Gallery
Artist
Joseph Mallord William Turner 1775–1851
Title
Bonneville, Savoy, with Mont Blanc
Date
Exhibited 1803
Medium
Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions
Support: 915 x 1220 mm
Collection
Dallas Museum of Art, Foundation for the Arts Collection, gift of Nancy Hamon in memory of Jake L. Hamon with additional donations from Mrs. Eugene D. McDermott, Mrs James H. Clark, Mrs Edward Marcus and the Leland Fikes Foundation, Inc.
Obviously there are over a hundred left to go,
so what did I do? Three circuits of the gallery – totally overwhelmed, too many
Turners – can you have too many? I did consider standing in front of each
painting and trying to sketch it but there are levels of making an idiot of
oneself that are beyond me, so I settled for sitting on the bench near the
entrance to the first galley and trying to sketch the people and the first three
paintings in the background.
Bonneville, Savoy, with Mont Blanc far left, Fishermen upon a Lee-Shore in the middle and Dolbadarn Castle on the right, since you ask. You didn't? Never mind.
The brush, ok you didn't ask about that either. I went to the galley cafe and took a photo of the equipment.
Sketched the people in the cafe, the view out the window, what else can you do?
Back here in my bookshop you will note Mog the Cat – what was
it? Oh yes forgetful, well we apper to have got some more in, see http://michaelsbookshop.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/when-marnie-was-there-in-bookshop.html
‘s a funny old world – you go off to the local art gallery,
just down the road, hoping for a bit of inspiration and there is a world class
Turner exhibition that completely bowls you over.
So yes get on the train don’t forget the gallery
closes on Mondays, my bookshop closes on Thursdays and Sundays – you have to be
careful about the when and see this exhibition – you won’t be disappointed.
The final picture at the exhibition Richard Doyle's Cartoon, says it all really
I can't wait to go, bravo you for sneaking off work.
ReplyDelete