As humans, we like to think everything else has a personality and a sentient consciousness. This is why we talk to our plants, name inanimate objects and write books or make films about animals having a secret life or toys that move around when we aren't looking. The phenomena is called Anthropomorphism, and it is... Continue Reading →
Spotlight on Allen Jones
There are some artists who set out to be controversial, either to get a message across or to get noticed. Generally, these are works which are controversial for the time, but as time passes and culture changes, most of the scandalous artworks seem a lot less risky. Allen Jones is not one of those. Born... Continue Reading →
Interview – Vortex Recup’art
You know the phrase... one man's rubbish is another man's treasure? Well this is definitely the case for artist Vortex Recup'art aka Adrien Vinet. Vinet takes what others throw away and makes mystical and fascinating creatures out of what he finds. Vinet's sculptures juxtapose the natural or psychological world with robotic forms to create sometime... Continue Reading →
Interview – Grum Reapur
Unbelievably, I wasn't that popular at school - I was the weird ginger kid who was oversensitive and was interested in things that "normal" children didn't really like. For many years this made me feel like a bit of an outcast, with a small circle of friends that I never really felt I belonged with.... Continue Reading →
Spotlight on Rodin
I have been published on Parkstone International again. You can find the article here. This time it is on the master sculptor Rodin. It would be great if you took a look and then let me know what you thought.
Mary Wollstonecraft and Maggi Hambling – What is all the commotion?
Sometimes, there are pieces of art which just miss the mark so drastically, that they are not seen in the intention the artist meant. This came to mind yesterday while I was watching the news. We know that there are many artists that are misunderstood, which I think is fine if they are creating pieces... Continue Reading →
Lilac – Scott Radke
Here we are in what is set to be a dismal Halloween. The weather in the UK is just pretty dull, we are waiting on the potential second wave of COVID, therefore any Halloween fun you might have thought of having with 6 friends inside the privacy of your own home, has probably been trampled... Continue Reading →
All The Eternal Love I Have For Pumpkins – Yayoi Kusama
I think we can safely say that the start of 2020 has not been a brilliant one, there are terrible fires in Australia, and my heart goes out to every living being there in a hope that recovery comes quickly. In the UK we have the ongoing comedy saga of Brexit and the hash job... Continue Reading →
Reflections of Nature at Kew Gardens – Dale Chihuly
Glass is an incredible medium isn’t it? It is beautifully delicate, but also able to withstand incredible heat and pressure and initially comes from sand. Bet you don’t think of that as you are filling your tumbler with gin… or water (whatever is more acceptable at whatever time of day you are reading this). This... Continue Reading →
Moses – Michelangelo
Recently, a friend of mine handed me a replica sculpture and asked me to guess who it was. The sculpture was of a bearded man, holding a tablet, robes around his legs, and 2 horns on the front of his head. Will with my greek hat on, I immediately thought of Pan, but he didn't... Continue Reading →
The invisible enemy should not exist – Michael Rakowitz
There is a certain sadness that comes with the destruction of anything. I hate to see books destroyed, as they contain wisdom. Buildings which are abandoned or left in a state of disrepair give the feeling of loss, and I especially hate seeing art destroyed; no matter how good or bad the artwork, that was... Continue Reading →
The Anatomy of an Angel – Damien Hirst
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Or so they say, but it's funny how diverse some views on beauty are, whereas others appear universal. I can't think of anyone who would say a sunrise isn't beautiful, so we appear to be unilaterally in agreement on that being delightful, yet when it comes to... Continue Reading →
Cupid’s Lie – Damien Hirst
We all know the image of the chubby cherub. The one with the bow and arrow that can spark love in an instant. The image is used every February on cards that we send as a hallmark tradition to tell that special person that we love them more on that one day than any other,... Continue Reading →
The Doll – Hans Bellmer
Not all art is stunningly beautiful. Some is a direct reaction to things that are happening to, or around the artist. Some of these can sit very uncomfortably with the audience, yet they can still appreciate the message that the artist is trying to give. In the case of Bellmer’s ‘The Doll’, the initial reaction... Continue Reading →
Prière de toucher – Marcel Duchamp
The human body is beautiful, in all its many shapes and sizes, gender and colour, so why is it in art we are forced to admire from a distance? So many paintings through the ages show people frolicking in their birthday suits which we as the view are forced to view from a safe distance... Continue Reading →
Tree and Bags – Atelier Van Lieshout
Trees can be really beautiful and equally really creepy. If you've ever walked in a forest at dusk or just down a tree lines street, you'll know the odd shadows that they create and the feelings of unknowing that they can present. Anything could be hiding in or behind the trees. Also historically trees have... Continue Reading →
Wetin You Go Do? – Otobong Nkanga
Yesterday was Saturday...hopefully you all knew that and I'm not breaking some exciting news there, but what that means to me is...it's my day of the week to go and break the monotony of working life and get out and explore. The Tate Modern was my destination yesterday. I've not been since they had the... Continue Reading →
The Hermitage – Russia
Back in May, I travelled through the Baltic, taking in the amazing sights that this trail offers. I'm going to start with St. Petersburg and then sneak a few blogs in here and there about the things I saw during this great holiday.The Hermitage... this is made up of 5 buildings, the main one being... Continue Reading →
Expansion – Paige Bradley
We all feel confined at times, either from our own abilities, situations we are in, fear of the unknown, fear of the known...the list is endless. Society dictates that we should all fit into neat little boxes which attain neat little labels, for example, I am a white, 30 something, hetrosexual female, I am a... Continue Reading →
Icarus book sculpture – Wetcanvas
There are some horrendously clever and talented people out there. I really love this book sculpture, although I do think it would be a bugger to dust. Wetcanvas can be found on deviant art, and creates stunning paper sculptures of books. You can see more of the work here.I have picked this as today's subject... Continue Reading →
Morning Star (Lucifer) – Paul Fryer
Tucked away in the Holy Trinity church in Marylebone, Westminster, Paul Fryer's Lucifer resides. The church has not been used for worship in nearly 40 years which makes it the perfect abode for this grotesquely beautiful installation. This shows Lucifer as an oily black figure, with huge white wings ensnared in power lines. The piece... Continue Reading →
Michelangelo’s Pietà
I'm sure you're all thinking, why aren't you writing about his painting of the Sistine Chaple? Come on WidowCranky...that's surely his most famous and mind blowing work! Well no. For me the Sistine Chaple is a bit like a school girls bedroom covered in posters of the latest pop idol. The ceilings work, while fine... Continue Reading →