Sunday, December 19, 2010

Tate Modern: Nostalgia moments

I made it to the Tate modern on Friday night for their late close. SO GLAD I DID. It’s my new favourite place. I saw so many things I loved, and a few I didn’t but these were all ones I’d known of before, and was so excited to see.

Henri Matisse - The Snail, 1953

This was on the cover of one of the art books I had at high school, and I never knew much about it. The book was smaller than A5 size, the artwork itself a massive 2.8 squared meters. It took up an entire wall and was actually painted by Matisse’s assistants, and then cut up by him to form a giant collage. It was the final piece of art created by him before he died.

 

Claude Monet - Water-lilies, after 1916

An exhibition came to Wellington at the start of the year called The Impressionist’s, and there were lots of Monet’s paintings. I’ve loved Monet’s works since high school and art history, and this was a huge piece that took my breath away!

 

Pablo Picasso - Girl in a Chemise, circa 1905

Having put this picture up I realised I never saw it at the Tate. I bought the postcard afterwards at the gift shop, but in fourth form art we had to copy a portrait by a famous artist and I chose this one by Picasso. Now I’ll have to go back next time it gets put on display! It isn’t like the Picasso’s that you usually think of, but I love the brushstrokes, and from what I can remember this was painted in Picasso’s ‘blue stage’. Actually, having just done some quick research, it was painted in his ‘rose period’, after his blue period, yet in the blue period style – influenced by the death of a friend.

 

Salvador Dali - Metamorphosis of Narcissus, 1937

I’ve never been a huge fan of Salvador Dali – surrealism generally annoys me somewhat, but this in the flesh is amazing. The brushwork, the colours, as well as the clever mind-blowing aspects pertaining to the story of Narcissus gave me a massive appreciation for Dali. It also reminds me of my dear friend Becca – so how could I not love it?!

 

Man Ray - Pisces, 1938

Man Ray Man Ray Man Ray! I just like his name. And it reminds me of my mum, I think she has a postcard on the fridge of it from our last visit to the Tate before moving to New Zealand. I really like the fish too…

 

Maria Helena Viera Da Silva - The Corridor, 1950

Oh man, I had completely forgotten about this artwork til seeing it in the surrealist gallery. Again a high school art piece, we made similar pieces when learning about perspective and I find Da Silva fascinating. LOVE.

No comments:

Post a Comment