Sunday, February 08, 2015

Bankside Engraving & Tate Modern

There's generally something new  for London Tate Members to enjoy each month either at Tate Modern or Britain - after a quick stop-off at Bankside Gallery to enjoy seeing the finesse  of various engravers with the Society of Wood Engravers exhibition I moved on to Tate Modern.
Bankside Gallery on Southbank 

It really is amazing the character that wood engraving offers some of the architectural renditions capture something that paintings and photos don't quite get.

The exhibition I'd not seen before was 'The Image as Burden' works from a long career  by the South African born artist Marlene Dumas.

Dumas who mediates her work via photography has confronted various issues through her work including those of race and eroticism.

I enjoyed Room 4 most of this extensive show mainly I think because of the use of colour, I found her work Martha (Sigmund's Wife) 1984 reminiscent of some of the Chapman brother's work, it was shown next to a picture of Marlene's grandmother (also called Martha).

As I've taken an interest in Phil Spector I was intrigued by the two images of him in room 13 - almost heartbreaking in the story they tell (('To Know him is to love him' shows him avec wig).

Another picture that resonated with me for the rather banal reason that it reminded me of the Laughing Cavalier was Dead Girl (2002) in room 11.

Having enjoyed finding out about Marlene's work I would not say that I'd fallen in love with her imagery  and perspective- but do go and see it.

All who enter here will see a lot of Dumas' work 

Other stuff there


As well as the Dumas I noted a film project of some crumbling sugar - Oil and Sugar #2 by Kader Attia.



Having said that  the thing I liked even more (which connects with the Black and White work of David Batchelor  I'd seen at the Whitechapel Gallery) was Urban Alphabet (1955-61) by  the master Italian photographer Alfredo Camisa.

This week's favourite - Urban Alphabet (1955-61) by  Alfredo Camisa
[Macca Footnote

Seems sad that so many people are upset by Paul McCartney's recent collaborations - don't really understand why people should get worked up by the idea it's not new for him to work with others - it's getting almost like Bob D plugging in.]

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