Meindert Hobbema – The avenue at Middleharnis –  7 May 2011

National gallery curator gave a talk on the dutch Artist Hobbema and his painting The avenue at Middleharnis .

Hobbema was born in Amsterdam in 1638, the son of a carpenter. At the age of 15, he and his younger brother and sister are recorded as having been sent to an orphanage. Two years later, in 1655, Hobbema was taken on as an apprentice to the famous landscape painter Jacob van Ruisdael.

However, by 1689 Hobbema was not painting for a living anymore. In 1668 he had obtained a well-paid job with the wine-importers’ association of Amsterdam, and from then on seems to have painted only occasionally. The present painting is one of only a handful of pictures from this period.

The composition of this painting undoubtedly draws you in to be part of the painting. It is a ‘must see’ from a distance.

Hobbema’s design with the avenue of trees receding towards the centre of the picture is simple yet at the same time majestic. The trees are employed to mark the quick recession from foreground to background while the expanse of sky

The exact date of this painting is again up for debate. It is suggested that it is the early seventeenth century. However, there is evidence that it may have been added to. Also in the distance are the tops and masts of sailing boats that are not from the early seventeenth century.

There are some strange fascinating facts to suggest that this is not a real landscape but made up. There are horse and cart tracks but no evidence of a horse and cart. This would have been a busy thoroughfare if it were for real. It has been suggested that this artist had borrowed works from other artists.

The there evidence of intricate details – the man on the right hand side has a cley pipe.

The painting has been transformed in some way probably around the late nineteenth century – the original pigmentation has been re-touched. There is also evidence that there were another set of trees in the foreground. For some reason – with no explanation these appear to have been painted over. There is also evidence that the white and green areas have been retouched.

The last years of Hobbema’s life were harsh. His wife and his two children died in 1704, and five years later Hobbema died to be buried in a pauper’s grave.

Thomas Gainsborough – The Watering Place –  7 May 2011

National gallery curator gave a talk on the Artist Gainsborough and his painting the Watering Place.

Thomas Gainsborough was heavily influenced by artist Rubens in his images of landscapes Thomas Gainsborough was a socialite and liked to hang out with his contemporary artists and writers.

It is understood that this painting was made some time after 1774 when he returned from Bath. Although a date cannot be put on this painting it is almost certain that it is not a real landscape and that it is made up. He used objects in his studio to create the animals, rocks etc. He used broccoli to create the effect of the trees.

In its day it was probably not considered a masterpiece as there was a trend for portraiture and not landscapes.

The painting depicts a group of cattle and goats been driven to drink in a stream or pool. Two country girls, a child and a man are posed behind them on the left.

There is an interesting use of light. In the main the picture uses quit e a dark palette but has this shock of light on the watering place and in the distance.

There are some figures that appear in the picture. It is thought that this depicts Gainsborough’s sense of humour as the figures are almost pre raphaelite in their execution. Also they don’t appear to have any direct relevance.

The most intricate detail has to be the water dripping form the animals mouth.

The title of the painting was only given when the painting was eventually sold.

His work is almost certainly the landscape exhibited by Gainsborough at the Royal Academy in 1777 and warmly praised by several contemporary critics, including Horace Walpole.

The painting is a very early addition to the National gallery collection – 107 in fact. It is now one of the most famous and finest landscapes in the UK.

Peter Hill –  12 April 2011

The artist, author, publisher and curator Peter Hill gave a talk on Superfiction and a reading from his book ‘Stargazing’ .

Peter Hill a Scottish artist, initially trained in England as an industrial designer and then as a fine artist. Hill who narrowly escaped the Guilford bombings during his training. He has written for over 40 publications around the world, including Art Monthly, Artmonthly Australia, Flash Art and Artist Newsletter. His book ‘Stargazing – Memoirs of a Young Lighthouse Keeper’ tells the story of his employment as a Lighthouse Keeper in the early 1970s and documents many of the characters and events he experienced along the way.

He has an artist’s eye for colourful  images and loves the emotions of a good yarn, all of which make his own tales interesting. His descriptions of everyday life of lighthouse-keeping include details about the light itself, and since this was before lighthouses were automatic, there were many vital routines to be learned so that the light remained reliable and bright.”

Peter Hill gave a brief explanation of ‘The Superfiction’;

Peter invented Superfiction – a virtual artwork and as a way of testing ideas and expanding the notion of ‘lateral thinking’. In 1989 he created a fictitious Museum of Contemporary Ideas which existed only through its Press Office. It was supposed to be the biggest new museum in the world, it was written about in Germany and Austria as if it was real, and a meeting of German industrialists and curators was held to see if Frankfurt could build a real museum based on this idea.

Returning to Glasgow in the eighties, he began writing about art in Scotland for numerous international  art magazines and helped to promote confidence into the art scene in Scotland in general and Glasgow in particular.

In 1993 he launched one of the world’s first web-sites-as-artwork the latest edition of which can be accessed at: www.superfictions.com.

Hill now works in Sydney, Australia and is currently touring Europe and the UK giving lectures and talks about his work and curatorial practice.

Nancy Spero – 2 April 2011-05-24

Nancy Spero was a radical feminist artist and activist.

She was a pioneering artist who throughout her 50 year career created a vibrant and visual language constructed from any cultural and historic references.

Nancy had many influences – not only her husband, but that of other artists and borrowed artifacts. She was known as ‘the magpie’. She created images through borrowing and disguise.

Her works expressed great images of feminism as well alienation, sexual, disempowerment and physical pain. Often directly quoting the writings of poet Antonin Artaud in her artworks. She expressed great anger at being exiled and discounted as a female artist from the art world.

Her work depicted strong political statements against war, male dominance and abuses of power. They presented a compelling debate for tolerance and a non-hierarchical society.

She suffered her own physical difficulties as she suffered from severe arthritis. She was also a founder member of the first women’s collaborative gallery in New York.

In her later work, she drew upon further resources such as magazines, pre-history female reference to present.

Her work speculated on a sense of possibility and comments upon real events, political, sexual and otherwise.

Some of her more celebrated works were The crucible of fire 1969 and Maypole, Take no prisoners 11 2008.

Practitioner talk no.1

Nancy Spero – 2 April 2011-05-24

Nancy Spero was a radical feminist artist and activist.

She was a pioneering artist who throughout her 50 year career created a vibrant and visual language constructed from any cultural and historic references.

Nancy had many influences – not only her husband, but that of other artists and borrowed artifacts. She was known as ‘the magpie’. She created images through borrowing and disguise.

Her works expressed great images of feminism as well alienation, sexual, disempowerment and physical pain. Often directly quoting the writings of poet Antonin Artaud in her artworks. She expressed great anger at being exiled and discounted as a female artist from the art world.

Her work depicted strong political statements against war, male dominance and abuses of power. They presented a compelling debate for tolerance and a non-hierarchical society.

She suffered her own physical difficulties as she suffered from severe arthritis. She was also a founder member of the first women’s collaborative gallery in New York.

In her later work, she drew upon further resources such as magazines, pre-history female reference to present.

Her work speculated on a sense of possibility and comments upon real events, political, sexual and otherwise.

Some of her more celebrated works were The crucible of fire 1969 and Maypole, Take no prisoners 11 2008.

Practitioner talk no.1

Nancy Spero – 2 April 2011-05-24

Nancy Spero was a radical feminist artist and activist.

She was a pioneering artist who throughout her 50 year career created a vibrant and visual language constructed from any cultural and historic references.

Nancy had many influences – not only her husband, but that of other artists and borrowed artifacts. She was known as ‘the magpie’. She created images through borrowing and disguise.

Her works expressed great images of feminism as well alienation, sexual, disempowerment and physical pain. Often directly quoting the writings of poet Antonin Artaud in her artworks. She expressed great anger at being exiled and discounted as a female artist from the art world.

Her work depicted strong political statements against war, male dominance and abuses of power. They presented a compelling debate for tolerance and a non-hierarchical society.

She suffered her own physical difficulties as she suffered from severe arthritis. She was also a founder member of the first women’s collaborative gallery in New York.

In her later work, she drew upon further resources such as magazines, pre-history female reference to present.

Her work speculated on a sense of possibility and comments upon real events, political, sexual and otherwise.

Some of her more celebrated works were The crucible of fire 1969 and Maypole, Take no prisoners 11 2008.

Nancy sadly passed away in 2009 – her works are still celebrated globally today.