Ai Weiwei - Royal Academy of Arts, London

Ai Weiwei – Royal Academy of Arts – 19 September to 13 December 2015

          Ai Weiwei is one of the most significant, powerful and evocative contemporary artists today. Born in China, he is a  contentious activist and has never been shy of criticising state corruption in his art work nor the suppression of human rights perpetrated by his government’s regime. His art, appreciation of Chinese history and culture and his politics go hand in hand together and I would strongly suggest listening to an audio guide to further enrich your understanding of his work.

          Born in Beijing in 1957, Weiwei was subjected first hand to intolerance when he was sent with his family to a remote labour camp in northwest China for nearly twenty years. His ensuing sense of outrage and defiance is present in much of Weiwei’s work. The first p work you encounter is called ‘Bed’ and is a dramatic, enormous roll of wood that almost takes up the whole space of the room. In 1993 Weiwei began buying reclaimed hardwood - called tieli - from temples of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) that were being dismantled which he then uses in his work. He has always promoted traditional methods of carpentry and for ‘Bed’ he asked his workers to produce three dimensional maps of China. In effect the country looks like it has been rolled out and laid flat like a wooden mattress. Likewise in his art work, ‘Kippe’, finished in 2006, Weiwei uses the wood and parallel bars from a tractor factory to make an attractive installation that also resonates political intensity. In all his work Weiwei is striving to take useless objects and make something new out of them so there is a fusion of tradition and innovation. There is often an underlying humour in his ability to give old forms another life. One of my favourite pieces in the exhibition is called Grapes 27 and is a collection of armless chairs, playfully assembled on top of each other and molded together to create a piece of art that almost defies gravity. It is playful and at the same time elegant and yet he has simply redefined a rather boring, piece of furniture : the common chair.

          Another explicitly political piece of work is Weiwei’s ‘Straight’. Here he has used the steel bars that were used to reinforce the concrete in buildings that were destroyed by an earthquake in China, in 2008. Altogether there are 200 tonnes of twisted rebar – which took four years to straighten - as well as hundreds of names on the walls surrounding the bars which represent the people – mainly children – that were killed in the accident. We learn that the accident could have been prevented if the buildings had been properly built and so this art work becomes also a testament to life needlessly lost and the outrage and grief of the Chinese population. The scale of much of Weiwei’s art is on a huge level, for instance his famous piece, ‘Grass’ consists of 770 hexagonal blocks of hand chiselled marble which form a’ lawn’ of marble, 6 metres wide and 5 metres long. The marble has been made into a literal sea of 3tuft grass, sprouting from the ground  in a beautiful grey and whitewashed colour. We learn it was sourced from the same quarry from which the Forbidden City was constructed. It is a symbol of Weiwei’s outrage at suppression and his courage in the face of oppression. Moreover Weiwei’s indomitable spirit can always be felt as is his belief in the truth that the grass will always grow again. 

          Weiwei is perhaps best known for his six iron boxes called S.A.C.R.E.D which is a shocking detailed remake of the 81 days he stayed in a Chinese prison for alleged tax evasion in 2011. Six iron boxes that are 5 x 12 feet and nearly 2.5 tons each are placed alongside each other and a slight slit in each of them leads you to a lifelike diorama of a man inside a prison cell. It is a particularly evocative piece of work and pushes your buttons. The very scientific way in which he was treated and monitored in prison and the feeling of being trapped is intense. This was tough psychological warfare. Each aspect of his life is painstakingly detailed for example when he eats his food, goes to bed and even takes a shower. It certainly leaves you with a strong sense of outrage.

          In conclusion this exhibition is a must see. Book a ticket and experience the wonder and outrage of Weiwei’s art and vision. By Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor Visitmuseums.com

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Barbara Hepworth: Sculpture for a Modern World. Tate Britain, London

Tate Britain is showing an Exhibition on renown sculptor artist Barbara Hepworth from 24th June to 25th October, 2015.

Barbara Hepworth was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1903 and died in a fire at home in St Ives, Cornwall in 1975.  She had lived there for more than 30 years and become a leading figure in the colony of artists who lived and worked in St Ives.  Her work has become associated with the landscape and sea of Cornwall and is now held in many museums around the world. Her home and studio is now the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Scuplture Garden.  It is well worth visiting.

This exhibition explores her rise to international fame and collaboration with the painter Ben Nicholson.  They became lovers first and later married when she divorced her first husband, the sculptor John Skeaping. The exhibition includes early pieces of carving by Hepworth and other peers.  One of my favourites was two doves carved from stone.  The doves and the stone each complemented the other. You also see photos of Hepworth and Nicholson together in their home studio.  Pieces you see in the photos are on exhibit in the show. The show closes with a room set-up as the Reitveld Pavillion at the Kroller-Muller Museum in the Netherlands.

To see more permanent works on display in the UK, visit The Hepworth Wakefield, an art gallery set up in Barbara Hepworth's home town.

The Tate Britain exhibition is a real pleasure to visit and the works on display are exceptional.

Visitmuseums.com, art exhibitions contributing writer, David Onslow

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25 Facts about the Sistine Chapel

25 Facts about the Sistine Chapel

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is one of the most famous frescoes in the world and unsurprisingly it’s one of Rome’s most visited and valued historic sites. Set within the VaticanCity and Museums, the Sistine Chapel welcomes around 25,000 visitors a day who flock to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece and marvel at the feat of artistry. As cameras are banned, it’s one to make sure you don’t forget!

Here are 25 fascinating facts about the Sistine Chapel to peak your interest, test your trivia knowledge and to give you all the more reason to go and visit this stunning attraction.

1. The Sistine Chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned the chapel’s construction on the foundations of the original Capella Magna in 1477.
2. It was Pope Sixtus IV who invested money into building the chapel and some draw similarities between its new layout and that of the Temple of Solomon described in the Old Testament.
3. Before work started on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1508, it had been decorated with a fresco of a blue night sky with golden stars, painted by the Umbrian artist Piero Matteo d’Amelia.
4. When Michelangelo was commissioned to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he wasn’t very pleased, as his main artistic profession was to sculpt. It was with much displeasure that he undertook the role.
5. Michelangelo hated painting the ceiling so much that in 1509 he even wrote a poem lamenting to his friend Giovanni da Pistoia how he’d “grown a goiter from this torture”, due to the physical strain of the work.
6. Although many believe Michelangelo painted the ceiling lying on his back, he actually constructed his own scaffolding, so that he could paint standing up for more precision and control.
7. The whole area of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel measures about 1/6 of a football field – that’s around 12,000 square feet.
8. Don’t be fooled into thinking the only works of art on show in the Sistine Chapel are those by Michelangelo. You can also see frescoes and works by Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pietro Perugino, Cosimo Roselli and Sandro Botticelli.
9. It took Michelangelo four years to finish the fresco and he left God until last, wanting to have refined his technique enough to depict him perfectly.
10. The God Michelangelo painted as an older man with flowing grey hair inspired centuries of Christian paintings to come, later turning it into the archetypal representation of all Godly figures around the world.
11. The Last Judgement wasn’t actually painted in the same time as the great ceiling fresco. In fact Michelangelo returned twenty-two years later, in 1536, to begin his masterpiece on the wall above the altar.
12. It’s hard to believe that Michelangelo completed the entire ceiling without being able to review his piece as a whole, since the scaffolding remained in place right until the very end. This means that the first time Michelangelo saw his work, was the time it was unveiled!
13. Although the ceiling and frescoes are near-perfect, there is one tiny part of the sky in the panel depicting Noah’s escape which is missing, due to an explosion at a gunpowder depot in 1797 that caused the plaster to fall off.
14. There have been many analyses of The Last Judgement and the allegories and representations within the paintings. Some believe The Creation of Adam draws many parallels to the anatomy of the human brain due to the way it has been painted with the stem, frontal lobe and artery – which is reasonable given Michelangelo’s expertise in human anatomy.
15. Other interpretations include Saint Bartholomew holding the skin of a self-portrait of Michelangelo himself…
16. Among the things that couldn’t be misinterpreted were the nudes painted in the frescoes. In 1564, the Council of Trent deemed the images inappropriate and Daniele da Volterra was ordered to cover them up by painting fig leaves, clothing and other items to hide their indecency.
17. However, some of the drapes were removed to reveal the original painting during the big restoration efforts of the 1980s-1990s.
18. Another recurring motif is the acorns which populate the frescoes. This is a nod by Michelangelo to the patronage of Pope Sixtus IV, whose family name was Rovere – meaning oak, in Italian.
19. The Sistine Chapel is now a historic building of such acclaim that over five million people come to visit a year – that’s equal to the population of Norway!
20. It’s not only visitors who pay homage to the Sistine Chapel. It’s also the Pope’s private chapel, guaranteeing a few extra visits.
21. Come election time for a new Pope, the College of Cardinals meets at the Sistine Chapel – as they have done since 1492 – to submit their votes under oath.
22. The process is so intense that there’s even a room nicknamed the Room of Tears to represent the emotion the lucky chosen candidate will feel after winning the election.
23. It’s not just photos that are banned during visiting times to protect the colours from fading. During election time the College of Cardinals also has to be scanned for bugs before entering. There are 115 security checks in total!
24. If you have exposed shoulders or are wearing items of clothing that ends above the knee, you will be refused entry or asked to cover up within the Sistine Chapel. Visitors to this site should respect the code of conduct and dress appropriately.
25. The most dangerous thing about tourists visiting the Sistine Chapel is the damage not visible to the naked eye. The sweat, carbon dioxide and skin flakes of the five thousand visitors a day pose a threat to the restoration of the masterpiece. The creation of a humidity and temperature control machine is underway.

The Sistine Chapel will forever be one of Rome’s most popular places to visit thanks to the sheer scale of the masterpiece and the feat of exceptional artistry. Thanks to its location within Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel will remain protected and upheld by Papal traditions and forever considered one of the most important religious destinations in the world.

Produced by Omnia Vatican & Rome

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The Tudors – Musee du Luxembourg, Paris, 18th March – 19th July, 2015

The Tudors – Musee duLuxembourg, Paris, 18^th March – 19^th July, 2015

          If you are intending to go to Paris this is an exhibition that is well worth a visit and is also located in one of the prettiest gardens in the city, in the sixth district; next to the Senat. The exhibition looks back at the history of this very important era in English history and the legends associated with many of its rulers, be they kings or queens. The art and craftsmanship will take your breath away.

The Tudors reigned over England throughout the 16^th century and became some of the most important and famous rulers in English history. The founder of the dynasty was Henry VII and his rule put an end to thirty years of civil war. More importantly his marriage to Elizabeth of Lancaster united the two fighting houses – the Yorks and the Lancasters – establishing peace throughout the realm. At the beginning of the exhibition there is a square panel, created between 1550-1600, symbolising this union with the association of red and white roses and a well-known portrait of an aged but wise King Henry VII painted by a Welsh art guild. Of course Henry VII was also famous for being the father of one of the most flamboyant kings in English history; namely Henry VIII. The exhibition includes many striking portraits of this lion king, including an early portrait painted by the illustrious Joos Van Cleve. There is even a full armour, dating back to 1520, which he would have worn for the many tournaments he attended in the early part of his reign. Staring at it one really gets the sense of the strength and size – both physical and symbolical – of this flamboyant ruler. There is a wealth of information made available not only from paintings and art work but coins and books as well – many beautiful sixteenth century original books and manuscript are on display, in amazing condition. History comes alive as we, for example, read about a treaty made in Westminster between Henry and the French king, Francis 1^st, for the restitution of Boulogne. Details of Henry’s personal life and his many wives feature prominently – in fact one of the first paintings we see in the room was painted in 1835 and depicts one of Henry’s more unfortunate wives, Anne Boleyn, depicted in opulent misery in the Tower. Not surprisingly we learn that this painting is one of the most famous and influential paintings of its time and inspired a generation of artists. The private and public lives of the Tudors become enmeshed in history, and we see how many events in these ruler’s lives had huge effects throughout the kingdom – Henry VIII breaking away from the Catholic Church so as to marry Anne Boleyn being one of the most significant.

Splendid portraits of Edward VI and Mary 1^st are on display and of course the iconic and brilliant queen, Elizabeth 1^st is explored in great detail. A whole room is set up for this infamous daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, who came to the throne in 1558 at the age of 25. During the long years of her reign the kingdom was not only restored to the church of England but it became a great maritime power and important literary centre. The paintings of this period in British history that are on view are amazing such as ‘The Armada portrait’ depicting a regal, passionate and stunning queen. One gets a real sense of history and of the glory of the Elizabethan era.

 Go and visit ‘The Tudors’ – it is a show you must not miss!

By Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, VisitMuseums.com

Niki de Saint Phalle exhibition, Le Grand Palais, Paris

Niki de Saint Phalle exhibition, Le Grand Palais, Paris

Anyone who is a fan or admirer of this brilliant and prolific artist and sculptress, Niki de SaintPhalle- me included!- should go to this magnificent and eminent exhibition at the Grand Palais in Paris. The work of  Niki de Saint Phalle, 1930-2000, which is as broad as it is varied has not seen a retrospective for nearly twenty years. The show boasts at least 200 works of art gathered together, not least starting with her stunning ‘Tree of Life’ presented outside at the very entrance of the grand palais.

The exhibition minutely traces Saint Phalle’s career and life as she faced the very real challenges and choices demanded by her chosen vocation, art. We learn that Saint Phalle started painting as a way of battling with the depression that afflicted her from a very young age. In fact when she was a teenager she was placed in a psychiatric hospital, suffering from a type of schizophrenia and it was only through painting that she could control her illness.  Hearts”, is one of the first works on display and it affirms both her commitment to art and the challenges it presented to her. For example Saint Phalle felt it necessary to leave her husband and two small children in order to devote herself entirely to art. Throughout her work we see how she is continually reconciling chaos and violence – often within herself – with playfulness and a joie de vivre. Her slightly grotesque and momentous piece called, ‘Crucifixion and L’Eto’ – a large mural sculpture of a tortured, buxom woman with no arms, showing her pubic hair by spreading her legs in pink suspenders and a minute head is formidable. We see how she plays with different textiles and objects, often covering her pieces with felt objects such as flowers, dolls and teddies and fabrics. Similarly Saint Phalle uses grimacing masks and skulls to represent life and death. The woman displayed can either be seen as a prostitute or a mother, a victim or a warrior. Saint Phalle is questioning the role of women in society and in religious history. So she is playing with the idea that women are both victims of the feminine condition as well as heroines and matriarchs of the new world. Throughout the exhibition are very interesting film clips of Saint Phalle herself as she tries to explain her views, her art and her passionate ideas on woman’s role in society. Perhaps one of the most important art works that catapulted her into the art world was her massive woman giving birth, called ‘Hon’ which she built in 1966 with the help of her lover and art companion Jean Tinguely. We learn from the film footage that inside the installation was a milk bar in the right breast, signifying a glorification of woman as mother as well as praying devourer and a call for a new world where women hold more power.

Saint Phalle’s formidable Nanas were a natural extension of her idea of a fertile goddess and mother. There is a huge collection of them in the exhibition – women often dancing and athletic, large – even giant – sometimes imposing, sometimes playful and sexy. There are never any thin Nanas.  The Nanas carried her hope for a new world where women would have their rightful place and where femininity had no restraint. Saint Phalle wanted women to be free from the stereotypes imposed by fashion and social restraints. Her Nanas became symbols for feminine standard bearers and for female civil rights. They were the warriors in the feminist battle that Saint Phalle was one of the first to lead in the world of art. The trio of black Nanas on display who are all dancing in a circle is magnificent; the colour, power and movement of the women is incredible. Moreover since they are physically moving round their bodies catch the lights and so there is a bright kaleidoscope of colour. We learn interesting facts – such as, for example, that the Nana’s heads are so small in comparison to their bodies because she is expressing the view that the scientific mind is killing society and that women can be independent from men in a new world of joy. The exhibition focuses on each aspect of Saint Phalle’s artistic career and in depth. Her  work called ‘Tea at Angelina’s’ is a powerful study on the theme of devouring and predatory mothers and the dark side of motherhood. Here the Nanas are grotesque, unsightly and large and not presented as joyous in any way.  Saint Phalle herself had a difficult relationship with her mother who often criticised her work, ideas and art. These ideas are also expressed in ‘La Toilette’, created in 1977, where Saint Phalle is expressing her need to rely on herself alone and not on other people’s opinions.

There is an enormous section of the room devoted to Saint Phalle’s ‘shooting’ phase or her ‘Tir’ development. Here we see her filming herself and other artists shooting at objects and pockets of colour incorporated into plaster fixed on a board shooting target range. The sense that she is physically and literally channeling her rage and emotion onto an art form that explodes in front of us is exciting. Her work, ‘King Kong’ is on display – her most accomplished shooting painting as it is 6 metres long and follows the footsteps of Picasso’s Guernica. For me the highlight of the show is the film footage of the Tarot Garden which Saint Phalle created in 1978 – her stunning garden of habitable sculptures inspired by the Tarot and created by her talent, forceful imagination and hard work. There is a whole room replicating each of the works of art that Saint Phalle produced in life size in the garden and you can delight in each and every one of them up close – for example The High Priest and The Sun.

I strongly recommend any art lover to go and revel in this magnificent show! 

Larissa Woolf, Arts Editor, Visitmuseums.com

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