Tate Liverpool
11 August 08
To celebrate 2008 as European Capital of Culture - Tate Liverpool has presented the first comprehensive exhibition of Gustav Klimt’s work ever staged in the UK.
This luxurious exhibition focuses on the life and art of one of the world’s most influential and revered artists. It explores Klimt’s role as the founder and leader of the Viennese Secession, a progressive group of artists and artisans. The work and philosophy of the Secession embraced art, architecture, fashion, dazzling decorative objects and furniture in their search for identity.
The show includes major paintings and drawings from all stages of Klimt’s career, they are shown alongside the work of Josef Hoffmann, the architect and designer and a close friend of the artist. It is well staged and has a good momentum as you pass through the galleries, shame about the need to split the show over two levels due to heavier exhibits needing to be on the ground floor.
...Unfortunately 'show stoppers' such as 'The Kiss' were not present... This particular work is now far too fragile to travel from the splendid Belvedere in Vienna. Luckily Dave and I enjoyed this particular Klimt masterpiece while visiting Vienna back in Feb '05... Breathtaking!
7 out of 10
