28 - 30 Dec 08
OK!... It's your festive break! What ya gonna do?
...Easy!... Hit the Museums of 'old London Town' - it's a frantic, festive, free-time culture blitz! ...lovely!
...Join us as we wizz around town, doing the seasons 'big shows' and hitting the Galeries. On your marks, get set - GO!!!
>BYZANTIUM 330 - 145328 December '08 - Royal Academy of Arts
Imaginatively staged in the regal surroundings of the Academy, Byzantium 330-1453 is a breathtaking show examining the art of the oft-misunderstood Byzantine Empire. The first major display of its kind in the UK since 1958, it looks likely that it will never be repeated. Many of the objects on loan are simply too old and fragile to travel again.
.................................
>MIRO, CALDER, GIACOMETTI, BRAQUE: Aimé Maeght and His Artists
28 December '08 - Royal Academy of Arts
A very interesting exhibition demonstrating the achievement of the famous Galerie Maeght. Founded by Aimé and Marguerite Maeght, the gallery opened in Paris in 1945 and was to become one of the most influential and creative galleries of the twentieth century. The artists it showed expressed a bold new spirit in art which exploded in France after the dark years of the war. What a treat to wander amongst the wonderful works of these great creators!
.................................
>MAGNIFICENCE OF THE TSARS:Ceremonial Men's Dress of the Russian Imperial Court, 1721-1917
28 December '08 - V&A
This small collection of outfits from the Kremlin Museum explores the influences and crossovers between military uniform, court dress, European fashion and traditional Russian dress. The power and majesty of masculine uniform at its finest... lavish, opulent and very beautiful!
.................................
>ANDY WARHOLOther voices, other rooms
29 December '08 - The Hayward Gallery
No artist living in the second half of the 20th century has made a more lasting impression on popular culture than Andy Warhol (1928-87). This major exhibition brings a fresh perspective to his creative output, showing works from the 1950s through to the 1980s. The exhibition includes projected, and screen based footage from Warhol’s films, screen-tests, videos and television programmes. Extraordinary archive material, drawn from Warhol's 'time capsules', is displayed in huge glass display cases as seminal paintings, installations and 'pop' wallpaper further enhance this wonderful visual environment. Great show!
.................................
>ROTHKO - THE LATE YEARS29 December '08 - Tate Modern
Mark Rothko (1903-1970) is one of America's most significant post-war painters. This exhibition is an unprecedented exploration of his late series of work. At the centre of the exhibition are 15 Seagram murals uniting for the first time Tate's group of nine murals - known as the Rothko room - with a selection of murals from the collections of Kawamura Memorial Museum of Art, Japan and the National Gallery, Washington. The 'Blackform' paintings, large-scale works on paper and the final series of 'Black on Grey' paintings from the late 1960s, also feature prominently in the exhibition. Interesting investigations into Rothko's approach to painting and archival material help to bring this complex character to life. A really fascinating show and the Seagram murals are actually quite moving.
.................................
>CILDO MEIRELES29 December '08 - Tate Modern
The Brazilian artist Cildo Meireles (1948-) is widely recognised as one of the leaders in the international development of Conceptual art. Meireles has made some of the most philosophically brilliant, politically telling and aesthetically seductive works in recent art. Since the late 1960s he has created sculptures and installations which involve an element of participation. This exhibition is the first extensive presentation of the artist’s work in the UK. Revealing how he is particularly fascinated by scale, the works range from an object in the form of a small ring to an installation covering 2420 square feet. Great show - once again ruined by selfish parents letting their kids run riot - take control please!
.................................
>STATUEPHILIAContemporary Sculptors at the British Museum
30 December '08 - The British Museum
The British Museum has one of the world’s most celebrated and diverse collections of sculpture, dating from prehistory to the present day.
Statuephilia brings together new pieces from five of Britain’s leading artists, each contributing a sculpture responding to the BMs world-famous collections. Antony Gormley and Ron Mueck are represented with two monumental sculptures, Marc Quinn premieres a dazzling gold statue of Kate Moss, while Damien Hirst and Noble and Webster have created provocative new works inspired by artifacts from the Museum’s darker side. Henry Moore spoke of ‘the delight, the excitement, the inspiration’ he received from his visits to the British Museum, and this remains true for the sculptors of today!
It is always a joy to visit this wonderful Museum and it was a real bonus to find these new additions. The 'British Sculptors' drawings' show, up in room 90, was also fascinating and included works on paper from Gilbert & George, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore and Tracy Emin.
.................................
>DESIGNING CHANGE:COINS OF ELIZABETH II
30 December '08 - The British Museum
A small display featuring the new designs for all United Kingdom coins up to the £1 coin, alongside the designs that have been in use since decimalisation nearly 40 years ago. Matt Dent based his winning designs on the royal shield of arms. His concepts are shown alongside trial pieces, models, and the dies used to produce the new coins.
.................................
Between 7 and 9 out of 10
