Schwitters and Lichtenstein @ Tate
30.04.2013
On Sunday Pauline one of my dearest friend, was in London for few days so we decided to check few shows at major galleries Tate Britain and Tate Modern.
I really don’t like to visit museums during the weekend as they are often too busy and I can’t really enjoy the show. However I must admit that it’s very pleasant to check exhibitions with friends and somehow you can forget to being in a crowded space!
So first stop was ‘Schwitters in Britain’, the first major exhibition to examine the late work of Kurt Schwitters, one of the major artists of European Modernism. By visiting the show I felt that my knowledge of art has been refreshed, it was amazing to stand before so many paintings and sculpture and have the opportunity to re-think about the whole concept of Merz – ‘the combination, for artistic purposes of all conceivable materials’, invented by Schwitters. I was amazed by the huge influence he had over artists such as Richard Hamilton, Eduardo Paolozzi and all the links I could make between his work and various contemporary artists I am working with.
The show also includes an exploration of Schwitters’s lasting legacy through commissions by artists Adam Chodzko and Laure Prouvost made in collaboration with Grizedale Arts. I loved very much these two new commissions and spent a great deal of time watching Prouvost’s video.
Second stop was Tate Modern, last weekend the Hyperlink festival was taking place in The Tanks and Turbine Hall. I had a look around and all the galleries were extremely busy, there were many different activities and children were running everywhere. Perhaps in the Turbine Hall families were making paper boats. I wish I had more time to join the events. For who is not familiar with Hyperlink, this is the first of eight festivals around the country happening as part of Circuit. Hyperlink has been curated by Tate Collective London, a group of young creatives aged 15–25 years, who produce dynamic programme for young audiences across Tate Modern and Tate Britain.
After a nice coffee we went upstairs to see ‘Lichtenstein: A Retrospective’, this well curated retrospective is Co-organised by The Art Institute of Chicago and Tate Modern and brings together 125 of his most definitive paintings and sculptures. This is a great opportunity to see and analyse Roy Lichtenstein’s work.
These are my favourite pieces.
I totally recommend to see these shows, they are both very accessible.
V
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