I’m not sure why, but this year I’ve spotted a lot of contemporary art that features tongues. The last tongue-related work I spotted was a fantastic show by Alicia Radage at the Herbert Read Gallery in Canterbury, Kent – and has finally prompted me to put together this list of art with tongues!
Continue reading “Tongue-tastic art!”A Sea Change – Art in Romney Marsh
This autumn a rich and scenic treasure hunt of art has been unfolding in and around Romney Marsh. It’s exciting to see contemporary artists animating the evocative, historic sites of the medieval churches of Romney Marsh, originally built for the isolated shepherd communities living out on the marsh.
Continue reading “A Sea Change – Art in Romney Marsh”Off With Her Head by Lindsey Mendick at Carl Freedman Gallery
F*cking brilliant. A totally bombastic articulation of things which sadly still need to be said. A many-layered, nuanced show, crashing together epochs of references. And so much work, an immersive installation rich with detailed, damning observations in ceramic, sculpture, stained glass and video.
Continue reading “Off With Her Head by Lindsey Mendick at Carl Freedman Gallery”Triennial tripping
Folkestone Triennial is the largest open-air display of public art in the UK. Every three years it brings together a diverse mix of international and local artists to make new site specific works. This year I went on a walking tour guided by Naomi Eaton-Baudains a producer working behind the scenes at the Triennial and also an artist in her own right.
Her tour was fascinating giving an insight into how Lewis Biggs, the curator works with the artists to develop pieces that respond to each location, considers the broader dialogue between pieces dotted throughout the town.
Continue reading “Triennial tripping”Community Art at The Beaney
On a recent visit to The Beaney in Canterbury, Kent, I was really happy to discover several excellent examples of community art projects. I think it’s great that The Beaney works so actively with a broad range of community groups.
Here’s what I discovered …
Continue reading “Community Art at The Beaney”We Will Walk – at Turner Contemporary
In 2020 the Turner Contemporary in Margate, Kent hosted a show called ‘We Will Walk – Art and Resistance from the American South’, celebrating and documenting the art of black communities in the 20th century. It was an exhilarating and moving show, with such a rush of humanity and bathed in an art spirit of the highest order. I wrote a little delayed art commentary afterwards but the show felt so profound, in many dimensions, that I struggled to do a full write-up. Here at least are some of my reflections gathered together with some photographs, to document this show.
Continue reading “We Will Walk – at Turner Contemporary”Six Things I loved at The Beaney, Canterbury
The Beaney, or to give it its full name these days: ‘The Beaney – House of Art and Knowledge’, is what I knew as Canterbury Library as a child. I have vague recollections of there also being a museum-y bit too, but mostly I remember it as a library.
Continue reading “Six Things I loved at The Beaney, Canterbury”Just a great interview with Tracey Emin
Pretty much what the title says … read more here:
Continue reading “Just a great interview with Tracey Emin”Reading Notes – The Little History of Kent
During lockdown I’ve been spending some time in lovely Kent, where I grew up. I took the time to brush up on my local history, reading Susan Hibberd’s ‘The Little History of Kent’
Continue reading “Reading Notes – The Little History of Kent”From Brassbands to Conceptual Art
I love the way the human brain can conjure up connections between seemingly disparate things. Thoughts, ideas and suggestions can present themselves at strange times. And if I’m lucky these thoughts may start to coalesce into what I call a ‘thought noodle’. A wiggly but interesting path between unexpected things. Continue reading “From Brassbands to Conceptual Art”