Poetry, stories and strange odds and ends from the desk of a writer
In the Beginning was the Image by Asger Jorn In the Beginning was the Image1965AbstractAcrylic on canvas A highly abstracted work, “In the Beginning was the Image” is dominated by the primary colours red, yellow, and blue. From the swirling movement at its centre, larger fields of colour emerge towards the outer edges giving the … Continue reading In the Beginning was the Image by Asger Jorn
The Jewish Bride by Rembrandt The Jewish Bride1667Baroque, Golden EraOil on CanvasRijksmuseum, Amsterdam, NetherlandsPic From Rembrandt’s mature period “The Jewish Bride” was intended for a small and selective audience, appreciative of the artist as a painter of psychological expression in his paintings. The moderately sized canvas with no scenery as if completely focused on the … Continue reading The Jewish Bride by Rembrandt
Flux Year Box 2 by George Maciunas Flux Year Box 21967FluxusBox filled with multiple objects Maciunas’ vision of his Fluxkits as three-dimensional magazines, each containing a number of small cards, objects, and games contributed by various artists. He presented each Fluxkit in a customised case and the first kits were marketed at $100. The kits … Continue reading Flux Year Box 2 by George Maciunas
Knowledge and Disappearance by Richard Anuszkiewicz Knowledge and Disappearance1961Op ArtOil on canvasThe Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania, USA A large-scale painting, “Knowledge and Disappearance” pulls the viewer into a space that seemed alive with movement Alternating warm reds and cool greys recede into the distance of the central square Anuszkiewicz’s use of linear perspective. A … Continue reading Knowledge and Disappearance by Richard Anuszkiewicz
Hôtel du Pavot, Chambre 202 by Dorothea Tanning Hôtel du Pavot, Chambre 2021970-73InstallationFabric, wool, synthetic fur, cardboard, and Ping-Pong ballsMusée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France Tanning’s only large-scale installation, “Hôtel du Pavot, Chambre 202” was created for a retrospective at the Centre Georges Pompidou in 1974. Two flesh pink torsos are climbing … Continue reading Hôtel du Pavot, Chambre 202 by Dorothea Tanning
Ice Watch by Olafur Eliasson Ice Watch2014Environmental Art12 Greenlandic inland ice blocksCopenhagen City Hall Square, Denmark Eliasson often explores the relationship between humans and the natural world in his work and has continued to veer towards the altruistic and become more focused on mankind’s impact on the climate. “Ice Watch” calls attention to a global … Continue reading Ice Watch by Olafur Eliasson
Extra Spheres for Klapper Hall by Vito Acconci Extra Spheres for Klapper Hall1993-95InstallationFiberglass, granite finish, lightPermanent installation, Queens College, New York, USA A public installation, “Extra Spheres for Klapper Hall” consists of seven spheres of various sizes ranging from 36cm to 3.2 meters in diameter. The spheres populate the Klapper Hall Plaza of Queen’s College, … Continue reading Extra Spheres for Klapper Hall by Vito Acconci
Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing by Richard Hamilton Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing?1956Pop ArtCollageKunsthalle Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany Created for the catalogue of the seminal 1956 exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK, recognised as the genesis of Pop Art, this piece by … Continue reading Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing? by Richard Hamilton
Girl and Cat by Balthus Girl and Cat1937Interwar ClassicismOil on canvasPrivate Collection Balthus’ early works were often studies of his young neighbour, Therese Blanchard, either alone or with her cat. In ‘Girl and Cat’ Therese demonstrates a sensual knowingness way beyond her years with ambivalence toward the situation and herself. Her gaze at the viewer … Continue reading Girl and Cat by Balthus
Helms Amendment by Louise Lawler Helms Amendment1989Conceptual ArtInstallation, 94 black-and-white photographs, vinyl wall texts, grey painted wallPrivate Collection The Helms Amendment passed during the height of the AIDS crisis in the USA, stipulated that funds made available to the Centers for Disease Control should not be used to provide AIDS education, information, or prevention materials … Continue reading Helms Amendment by Louise Lawler
Diagram of Historical Development of Fluxus and Other 4 Dimensional, Aural, Optic, Olfactory, Epithelial and Tactile Art Forms (Incomplete) by George Maciunas Diagram of Historical Development of Fluxus and Other 4 Dimensional, Aural, Optic, Olfactory, Epithelial and Tactile Art Forms (Incomplete)1973FluxusOffset LithographMOMA, New York, USA Often referred to as ‘The Chart’, Maciunas’ ‘Diagram of Historical … Continue reading Diagram of Historical Development of Fluxus and Other 4 Dimensional, Aural, Optic, Olfactory, Epithelial and Tactile Art Forms (Incomplete) by George Maciunas
Structural Constellation by Josef Albers, 1913. Machine-engraved Vinylite mounted on wood. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA Op Art1964 onwards The nature of perception and optical effects and illusions has intrigued artists for many centuries. They have been the central focus of art, just as much as themes of history or literature. In … Continue reading Open to Interpretation
Calf's Head and Ox Tongue by Gustave Caillebotte Calf's Head and Ox Tongue1882ImpressionismOil on canvasThe Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois, USA On the subject of raw meat, ‘Calf’s Head and Ox Tongue’ is a rather gruesome still life and part of a group of four paintings by Caillebotte on the subject. The artist used a … Continue reading Calf’s Head and Ox Tongue by Gustave Caillebotte
Gargantua by Honoré Daumier Gargantua1831IllustrationLithographBrandeis Institutional Repository, Brandeis University, Massachusetts, USA Not afraid of provoking controversy, Daumier’s ‘Gargantua’ is a lithograph depiction of Louis-Philippe. The corpulent monarch is shown sitting on a throne swallowing bags of coins as they are hauled up a ramp by workers, the coins being the money wrung from France’s poor … Continue reading Gargantua by Honoré Daumier
Foyer de la Danse by Edgar Degas Foyer de la Danse1872RealismOil on canvasMusée du Louvre, Paris, France Degas’ many studies of ballerinas each have something uniquely alluring. ‘Foyer de la Danse’ presents the viewer with an unconventional perspective that is typical of Degas’ work. The artist has created a striking arrangement of space rather than … Continue reading Foyer de la Danse by Edgar Degas
Black Brook 11 by Alex Katz Black Brook 111990AbstractOil on canvasPrivate Collection Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Katz returned to the Black Brook series attempting to reassess landscape painting. A black and white waterscape ‘Black Brook 11’ is composed of textural brushstrokes creating a rushing waterfall that naturally crescendos at the lightest areas. It is … Continue reading Black Brook 11 by Alex Katz
Beauty by Olafur Eliasson Beauty1993The Sublime in ArtSpotlight, water, nozzles, and hoseMuseum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, California, USA Since the start of his career, Eliasson has strived to create visually impactful work with a sense of sincerity rather than that of irony. ‘Beauty’, completed while he was still a student at the Royal Danish … Continue reading Beauty by Olafur Eliasson
A Wing of Christiansborg Palace by Vilhelm Hammershøi A Wing of Christiansborg Palace1907SymbolismOil on canvasNational Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark Hammershøi is best-known for his interiors, however, he also explored building exteriors, especially towards the end of his life. ‘A Wing of Christianborg’ is a study of the baroque structure that was built as a … Continue reading A Wing of Christiansborg Palace by Vilhelm Hammershøi
Four Children by Alex Katz Four Children1951Figurative PaintingOil on boardColby College Museum of Art, Maine, USA One of Katz’s early forays into figurative paintings, ‘Four Children’ shows little concern for detail; instead, Katz focuses on shape and colour. Distinct outlines of the motionless figures are almost abstract shapes that float against them and are forced … Continue reading Four Children by Alex Katz
Woman With The Big Hat by Kees van Dongen Woman With The Big Hat1906FauvismOil on canvasPrivate Collection Wrongly or rightly, art viewers of the first decade of the 20th century would have assumed the subject of ‘Woman With The big Hat’ was a prostitute. Bare breasts, heavy make-up, theatrical accessories and her defiant gaze would … Continue reading Woman With The Big Hat by Kees van Dongen
A View of Gentofte Lake (The Sunshower) by Vilhelm Hammershøi A View of Gentofte Lake ("The Sunshower")1903NaturalismOil on canvasPrivate Collection Hammershøi is best known as a painter of architectural spaces, however, he also created a significant body of natural landscapes of his native Zealand, Denmark. Teasing out the same otherworldly presence from the depopulated subject … Continue reading A View of Gentofte Lake (“The Sunshower”) by Vilhelm Hammershøi
The Young Virgin by Francisco de Zurbaran The Young Virgin1640-45BaroqueOil on canvasThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA ‘The Young Virgin’ features a young girl seated with her hands on her lap looking upwards. A barely visible semicircle of angels surrounds her head. In Mary’s lap is a piece of embroidery with a threaded … Continue reading The Young Virgin by Francisco de Zurbarán
Evolution, No. 12 by Hilma Af Klint Evolution, No. 121908SymbolismOil on canvasHilma af Klint Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden Also known as the ‘Seven-Pointed Star’ series, the Evolution series reflects the Christian tradition that the seven-pointed star is a symbol of protection. The points of the star are a reference to the perfection of god and the … Continue reading Evolution, No. 12 by Hilma Af Klint
The Yellow Cow by Franz Marc The Yellow Cow1911Der Blaue ReiterOil on canvasThe Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy Painted after his marriage to Maria Franck, ‘ The Yellow Cow’ is Marc’s homage to their union. The cow is a symbol of the security and safety he felt in this his second marriage. The artist employs colour … Continue reading The Yellow Cow by Franz Marc
The Venus of Urbino by Titian The Venus of Urbino1538High RenaissanceOil on canvasThe Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy ‘The Venus of Urbino’ comes from a long tradition of Venus representations and was inspired by Giorgione’s Sleeping Venus, however, Titian’s Venus is somewhat more erotic. Her sensuality is enhanced by her gaze, her feint smile, and her … Continue reading The Venus of Urbino by Titian
Winter Scene by Alex Katz Winter Scene1951-52American RealismOil on composition boardMuseum of Modern Art, New York, USA Composed of quick, painterly brushstrokes ‘Winter Scene’ echoes the Impressionistic plein-air combined with Fauve and Abstract Expressionist techniques. Katz’s preference for a dynamic tension between depth and surface is exemplified by the sober, delicate shades of grey contrast … Continue reading Winter Scene by Alex Katz
Dr. Pepper by Eduardo Paolozzi Dr Pepper1948Pop ArtCollageCollection of the Tate, UK Created as part of Paolozzi’s ‘Bunk’ series, ‘Dr. Pepper’ was inspired by Surrealist and Dadaist collage works by artists such as Max Ernst and Hannah Hoch. Paolozzi assembled the montage of blossoming American consumerism using colourful images cut out from American magazines. He … Continue reading Dr Pepper by Eduardo Paolozzi
White Doors by Vilhelm Hammershøi White Doors1905SymbolismOil on canvasThe David Collection, Copenhagen, Denmark At a glance ‘White Doors’ appears to have no subject matter, however, this non-existent theme contradicts its daring and complex narrative. Hammershøi’s sense of composition positions the viewer in the back-left corner of an empty room permitting glimpses into the rooms that … Continue reading White Doors by Vilhelm Hammershøi
Untitled (Citgo gas pump) by William Eggleston Untitled (Citgo gas pump)1976Modern PhotographyDye Imbibition PrintThe Eggleston Trust A man crosses the street towards a gas station, A parked car with its bonnet up is waiting to be worked on. No mechanic is present. The old house peeks out from behind the gas station observing new cars … Continue reading Untitled (Citgo gas pump) by William Eggleston
Villa Elisi by Antonio Sant'Elia Villa Elisi1912ArchitectureSan Maurizio, Italy Designed and built as a Holiday home for the industrialist Romeo Longatti, Villa Elisi was the only building designed by Sant’Elia to be completed in his lifetime. Whist small in size the villa features the asymmetrical, geometric designs seen in much of Sant’Elia’s work, including the … Continue reading Villa Elisi by Antonio Sant’Elia
Cakes by Wayne Thiebaud Cakes1963PhotorealismOil on canvasThe National Gallery of Art, Washington DC Sitting on cake stands as if on display in a baker’s shop ‘Cakes’ depicts an orderly arranged selection of patisserie. The gridded composition with overlapping cakes and shadows feels tight and static., yet the thinness of the cake stands seems less than … Continue reading Cakes by Wayne Thiebaud
Bakery Case by Wayne Thiebaud Bakery Case1996PhotorealismOil on canvasThiebaud Family Collection A simply designed display case sparsely populated with cakes and pastries contrasts dramatically with the ornately decorated wedding cake sitting on top of the case. Similar to ‘Cakes’ (1963) Thiebaud’s addition of a display case gives compositional depth and put the sweet delicacies out … Continue reading Bakery Case by Wayne Thiebaud
The Biglin Brothers Turning the Stake-Boat by Thomas Eakins The Biglin Brothers Turning the Stake-Boat1873RealismOil on canvasCollection of The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, USA Featuring a boat race on the Schuylkill River, Pennsylvania Eakins focuses on the two-man crew in the foreground as they pull their oars through the water. Rowing was one … Continue reading The Biglin Brothers Turning the Stake-Boat by Thomas Eakins
View of Rooftops (Snow Effect)1878-79ImpressionismOil on canvasMusée d'Orsay, Paris, France Caillebotte’s career had vastly increased in momentum by the fourth Impressionist exhibition in 1879. He submitted over 25 paintings, including ‘View of Rooftops’. There was no speculation as to his status as an Impressionist, Caillebotte was a full member of the Impressionism movement. The major … Continue reading View of Rooftops (Snow Effect) by Gustave Caillebotte
Untiltled by David Park Untitled1948Abstract ExpressionismOil on canvasPrivate Collection In 1948 Park was a teacher at the Californian School of Fine Art when he painted ‘Untitled’ and was still working in the Abstract Expressionism style. Despite being before his great conversion to more figurative art. ‘Untitled’ is populated by quasi-figurative shapes. It has a musical … Continue reading Untitled by David Park
Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair by Frida Kahlo Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair1940PortraitureOil on canvasMuseum of Modern Art, New York, USA ‘Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair’ depicts an androgynous Kahlo considered to be a confrontational gesture to Rivera’s demands for a divorce. Many strands of hair lie scattered on the floor and she holds on cut braid in … Continue reading Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair by Frida Kahlo
Une Rencontre Terrible by Honoré Daumier Une Rencontre Terrible (A Terrible Meeting)1845IllustrationLithographThe National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA When Daumier began creating lithographs for Philpon’s ‘Le Charivari’ his cynical gaze turned towards the Parisian bourgeoisie. ‘Une Rencontre Terrible’ depicts a well-dressed bourgeois family on an outing – the family looks out of place in … Continue reading Une Rencontre Terrible by Honoré Daumier
A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai) by Jeff Wall A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai)1993PhotographyCibachrome transparency mounted on a lightboxCollection of the Tate, United Kingdom ‘A Sudden Gust of Wind’ reinterprets a woodcut print scene by the Japanese printmaker and painter Katsushika Hokusai. In Wall’s photograph, the figures caught in the wind mimic … Continue reading A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai) by Jeff Wall
The Bellelli Family by Edgar Degas The Bellelli Family1858-67PortraitureOil on canvasMusée d'Orsay, Paris, France A subdued palette and unconventional grouping of the figures demonstrated the influence of Realism on the young Degas. He created ‘The Bellelli Family’ over several trips to Italy over 3-4 years. Each member of the family was individually sketched before being … Continue reading The Bellelli Family by Edgar Degas
The Back I by Henri Matisse The Back I1908-09SculptureBronzeThe Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA Sculpture was important to Matisse, although he is best known as a painter, and he was often inspired by Auguste Rodin. ‘The Back I’ is the first relief sculpture in a series of four that Matisse worked on between … Continue reading The Back I by Henri Matisse
Reclining Woman by Henri Laurens Reclining Woman1953CubismWoodcutThe Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA A prolific artist, Laurens illustrated many textbooks and books of poetry over his lifetime. In ‘Reclining Woman’ the artist transposed his curvilinear reclining female nude sculptures to woodcut. As with his sculptural work he reduced the female form to an organic, … Continue reading Reclining Woman by Henri Laurens
Your Rainbow Panorama by Olafur Eliasson Your Rainbow Panorama2011InstallationGlazed rainbow-coloured glass, steelARoS Kunstmuseum, Aarhus, Denmark A natural progression into architectural works evolved from Eliasson’s large scale installations and fascination with structure and form. ‘Your Rainbow Panorama blurs the lines between art and architecture. A permanent work set atop the ARoS Kunstmuseum in Denmark consists of … Continue reading Your Rainbow Panorama by Olafur Eliasson
Saint Serapion by Francisco de Zurbarán Saint Serapion1628BaroqueOil on canvasWadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, Connecticut, USA Zubarán’s canvas is filled with the figure of a youthful friar dressed in a white robe in this dramatic painting. Above his head, his wrists are tethered by ropes and his head hangs lifelessly on his right shoulder. … Continue reading Saint Serapion by Francisco de Zurbarán
Photograph from the series I am in training don't kiss me by Claude Cahun Photograph from the series "I am in training don't kiss me"1927PhotographyPhotographic Print Using props, stylized costumes, and make-up Cahun presents a feminized image of a strong man. Using this persona they conflate masculine and feminine stereotypes. The theatrical nature of the … Continue reading Photograph from the series “I am in training don’t kiss me” by Claude Cahun
Photogram by László Moholy-Nagy Photogram1926PhotographyGelatin silver printThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA Moholy-Nagy was engrossed with the life and form-giving effects of light throughout his career. Photogram reveals that obsession with light as the means of the visual composition. Photograms were camera-less photographs created by exposing photosensitive paper to light in controlled conditions, … Continue reading Photogram by László Moholy-Nagy
Rearrangeable Panels by Allan Kaprow Rearrangeable Panels1957-59Performance ArtWood, mirror, paint, oak leaves, aluminium, textile, bitumen, electric lampsMusée National d'art Moderne Centre Pompidou, Paris, France Rearrangeable Panels represents the shift from art object to the surrounding environment as Kaprow began experimenting with the effect on space through three-dimensional and found objects. Each time the piece has … Continue reading Rearrangeable Panels by Allan Kaprow
Waiting for the Barbarians by Neo Rauch Waiting for the Barbarians2007Magic RealismOil on canvasMetropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA A scene populated by figures in chaotic motion, and in vibrant carnivalesque colours ‘Waiting for the Barbarians’ takes its name from a poem by Constantine P. Cavafy. There is an essence of the military influence … Continue reading Waiting for the Barbarians by Neo Rauch
The Offering by Neo Rauch The OfferingMagic RealismOil on canvasSotheby’s, New York, USA In a gesture of sacrifice, a parochial couple appears to be offering a struggling satyr. ‘The Offering’ is set in a forest with a strange factory building nearby, in the background, another couple is wrestling with the jaws of a cauldron creature. … Continue reading The Offering by Neo Rauch
Nude on a Couch by Gustave Caillebotte Nude on a Couch1880Realism,Oil on canvasMinneapolis Institute of Arts, USA A working-class Parisian makes an appearance in ’Nude on a Couch’, she is resting having removed her clothing and tossed it haphazardly on the end of the couch and left her shoes sitting beside it. The quality of … Continue reading Nude on a Couch by Gustave Caillebotte
Patutsky in Paradise by Jules Olitski Patutsky in Paradise1966Colour field PaintingAcrylic on canvasCollection of the Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada One of Olitski’s breakthroughs works during the mid-1960s. ‘Patutsky in Paradise’ demonstrates the use of high-powered spray guns to apply paint to canvas, producing seamless layers of colour that flow into one another without any … Continue reading Patutsky in Paradise by Jules Olitski
About the Jez of It 