Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Winning Popular English and American Aritsts: Banksy, Caravaggio, Hopper

Problem
I seen to be out of sync with the popular vote for the best artist at the mall galleries in London. The winning artist has two pictures which contain no people and look to me like technical drawings of soemthing yet to be built. Lifeless.

They remind of an exhibition I saw in London, England of works by Edward Hopper. At least he had figures. But they were lonely little people in vast empty landscapes. They conveyed depression and made me despressed.

Edward Hopper Nighthawks Wikipedia Public Domain (1942)
Friends of American Art Collection. Art Institute of Chicago.


I was never a fan of still life. However, I can see that stiff life serves two purposes. It focuses our attention on fruit and plants which are beautiful. They are easy for the artist for hours.

I prefer people scenes. Maybe because I am an extravert. I like people and movement and smiling faces. I find their emotion catching.

Lowry, for example. Even stick figures can convey animation.

I can admire the technique of showing light containing shadows. Even so, I like people, such as the chiaroscuro pianting s by Caravaggio.

I also like humour. That's why Banksy with his murals catches the popular imagination. He takes blank walls and adds people, life, movement, surprise.

So there you have it. Winners from the past and the popular winner from the present.

Where can you see the pictures?

The gallery in the Mall in London, England.
City centres worlwide have art galleries offering pictures for sale. They are shops and want people to come in and buy, so entry is free.
Walks and talks about Banksy.
Lowry at galleries in the north of England.
Classic artists like caravaggio in national art galleries such as the National Gallery in London.
If you prefer to see faces of people, especailly famous people, The National Portrait Gallery in London. Scotland has another.

If you are going to London and like art, you will want to visit The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, and the National Portrait Gallery which is behind it, doing thee attractions in one place. Another popular venue is The Tate Gallery.

Useful Websites
LONDON
https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/
 https://www.mallgalleries.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/fba-futures-2019?utm_source=Arts+Press&utm_campaign
Horniman Museum and Gardens
100 London
SE23 3PQ
Tel:020 8699 1872
horniman.ac.uk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horniman_Museum


BRISTOL
https://visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/banksy-walking-tour

Travel Information
visitbritain.com
visitbritainshop.com
https://www.tate.org.uk/

Useful Information and Websites
Travel and Tourism
visitlondon.com
visitbritain.org

Transport
For directions to galleries such as Forest Hill underground and overground station for the Horniman Museum.
citimapper.com
tfl.gov.uk (transport for London)
rome2rio.com
google maps
streetview

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.


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