Vastly differing exhibitions from the world of visual arts have been selected by the reviewers on The Arts Desk this week, from 100-year-old photography from the Antartic to 17th and 18th century portraits to Abstract Expressionism.
A double bill of exhibitions was devoted to contemporary artist George Condo who aims to capture the extremes of visual art. Behind both his hysterical paintings and his child-like scribbled drawings however, is evidently a great deal of calm. There was plenty to admire here and visitors should not be put off by the surface ugliness of the works.
One of the most prestigious London galleries is the National Portrait Gallery but it not necessarily deliver the best show of the week. There were some delightful paintings on show however from the likes of Joshua Reynolds, Simon Verelst and John Hoppner, but although 'The First Actresses: Nell Gwynne to Sarah Siddons' technically had all the right ingredients for a wonderful, captivating show, it failed to really come alive and overall the show seemed only to skim the surface of its subjects.
The great Antarctic expeditions of Captain Scott and Ernest Shackleton ended so tragically for one and in a narrow escape for the other. The photographs brought back from these expeditions by Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley are extraordinary and are currently on show in the Queen's Gallery to mark the anniversary. New perspectives and details can be found in the prints that could not necessarily be gleaned from reproductions.
Ponting's images found a new drama, with their focus on the unfair battle between the men and their overwhelming surroundings. Feeling uncannily immediate and tangible, his pictures of Scott and his men are particularly striking. The pictures by Hurley survived against all the odds and he was able to record the sight of Shackleton's ship being gradually crushed by ice floes.
A double bill of exhibitions was devoted to contemporary artist George Condo who aims to capture the extremes of visual art. Behind both his hysterical paintings and his child-like scribbled drawings however, is evidently a great deal of calm. There was plenty to admire here and visitors should not be put off by the surface ugliness of the works.
One of the most prestigious London galleries is the National Portrait Gallery but it not necessarily deliver the best show of the week. There were some delightful paintings on show however from the likes of Joshua Reynolds, Simon Verelst and John Hoppner, but although 'The First Actresses: Nell Gwynne to Sarah Siddons' technically had all the right ingredients for a wonderful, captivating show, it failed to really come alive and overall the show seemed only to skim the surface of its subjects.
The great Antarctic expeditions of Captain Scott and Ernest Shackleton ended so tragically for one and in a narrow escape for the other. The photographs brought back from these expeditions by Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley are extraordinary and are currently on show in the Queen's Gallery to mark the anniversary. New perspectives and details can be found in the prints that could not necessarily be gleaned from reproductions.
Ponting's images found a new drama, with their focus on the unfair battle between the men and their overwhelming surroundings. Feeling uncannily immediate and tangible, his pictures of Scott and his men are particularly striking. The pictures by Hurley survived against all the odds and he was able to record the sight of Shackleton's ship being gradually crushed by ice floes.
About the Author:
Steve Alexander enjoys writing about the world of visual arts. For the latest reviews from the top London galleries, visit theartsdesk.com.
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