JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 2024 I read recently on the New York Times website a reference to the opening of exhibitions by two artists, one of whom I’d never heard and the other being our own ubiquitous Tracey Emin. Both were referred to – in the US’s newspaper of record, mark – as ‘well-known brands’. For some reason… Continue reading Marque My Words
Category: Editorials
Follow The Money
NOVEMBER/DECEMDER 2023 In his valedictory address when vacating his post as Chairman of the Arts Council in 1970, Lord Goodman admitted to mistakes as well as conceding failure to achieve important objectives. He referred specifically to the need for people in his position to avoid “cloying self-satisfaction”. Few in the arts sector since have followed… Continue reading Follow The Money
Look On Our Works, Ye Mighty, And Despair
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER, 2023 After even a short stint of filling this space one is soon re-heating the same few ideas, whilst hoping no one notices. In my case, after over 30 years of editorials, I’m approaching lap 15 of the same threadbare circuit. I don’t know about you, but it’s getting boring for me …Photographs of… Continue reading Look On Our Works, Ye Mighty, And Despair
Weaving Spiders Come Not Here
JULY/AUGUST, 2023 The latest press release arrives from the Serpentine, a place, we are told, with a “robust programme”, which sounds slightly threatening. It begins: “From 1 June to 10 September 2023, Serpentine will present Web(s) of Life, the first major exhibition in the UK of artist Tomás Saraceno and collaborators, including spider/webs; the communities… Continue reading Weaving Spiders Come Not Here
All Things Bright And Beautiful
MAY/JUNE, 2023 Three things, related after a fashion. First. Every day The Jackdaw receives scores of unsolicited emails of little interest. Many of these messages promote young artists, each of whom is announced with a loud fanfare of adjectives suggesting genius of global reach. Their promoters specialise (or so they assert) in spotting ‘rising stars’… Continue reading All Things Bright And Beautiful
Debased Currency
MARCH/APRIL, 2023 The New Year’s Honours List once again did State Art proud. The Pantomime Dame was made a real Dame for being unable to say no to any opportunity involving rancid self-promotion. The departing head of Tate Modern got a CBE for doing her job whilst studiously policing the State Art line for backsliders.… Continue reading Debased Currency
Northern Lights
JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 2023 National Portfolio Organisations are those whose conformity the Arts Council has decided it can rely on sufficiently to allocate annual grants three years ahead of time. Getting on the NPO roster constitutes the blue riband of subsidy. Under normal circumstances once you’re in, and you follow orders to the letter, it’s doubles all… Continue reading Northern Lights
Our Love of What is Beautiful
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2022 The Bassae Frieze, one of the least appreciated major works in the British Museum, is from the Temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassae, a place which in Greek means ‘ravine’ – surrounded by them it is well named. In its spectacular location at 3,700 feet up in the Arcadian mountains and visible from… Continue reading Our Love of What is Beautiful
Reimagining The Wheel
MARCH/APRIL 2022 The egoism causing so many to amend their appearance by undergoing expensive cosmetic surgery also thrives in the art establishment, which can’t stop ‘beautifying’ the appearance of its major galleries. If only these regular facelifts provided any improvement to the experience of viewing pictures. I am now old enough to remember our main… Continue reading Reimagining The Wheel
Laying It On A Bit Thick
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 The third, and one assumes last, volume in Martin Bailey’s account of Van Gogh’s mature career deals with the last seventy days before the painter shot himself on July 27th, 1890, with death following two days after (Auvers: Finale, Frances Lincoln, £25) Bonus sections are tagged on the end: the first deals with… Continue reading Laying It On A Bit Thick