The Easel

15th May 2018

Shape of Light – A Hundred Years of Photography and Abstract Art review: Informative but heavy going

The Tate wanted to show how art and photography have influenced each other. A photography-inclined critic likes the resulting exhibition. Not the above writer – too many photos and the comparisons mostly favour paintings. A Mondrian painting is “richly ambiguous” whereas the paired photo creates the feeling “of things closing down badly.”  More images are here.

8th May 2018

Astonishing, ravishing, sublime’ – Rodin and the Art of Ancient Greece review

“Astonishing” is the writer’s summation of a show that contrasts the Parthenon marbles with works by Rodin. Rodin repeatedly came to London to study these ancient sculptures – as well he might. “[Rodin’s] The Kiss – one of the most sensual and captivating masterpieces of modern times … And those old Greek goddesses blow it away … the greatest works of art on earth”