We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
"Little Gidding"
T S Eliot

Wednesday 28 November 2018

Still all at sea ...

My last post (below) was about my take on Hokasai's Great Wave, so sticking with the sea theme ... but under it this time, here is a large-ish canvas with jellyfish! There is something quite mesmerizing about how these creatures move through the water.

Lots of texture, particularly at the bottom, using a little Powertex with threads and small shells, but this is mainly acrylic paint.


Another trip to the National Gallery to see the Courtauld Impressionists exhibition.  Some of my favourite paintings are in this collection ...

Paul Cezanne - Lac d-Annecy - 1886

Vincent van Gogh - A Wheatfield with Cypresses - 1889
Edouard Manet - A Bar at the Folies Bergere - 1882

Claude Monet - Antibes - 1888
I also took a photo of what is currently on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square -

Michael Rakowitz - The Invisible Enemy Should Not Exist

In 2006 Michael Rakowitz start a project to recreate over 7000 archaeological artefacts looted from the Iraq Museum during the war or destroyed elsewhere. One of these was the Lamassu, a winged deity, which guarded the Nergal Gate at the entrance to the ancient Assyrian city of Neneveh. This Lamassu is made of empty Iraqui date syrup cans.

My favourite is still the Blue Cockerel! (see here).



1 comment:

  1. Your painting is superb. Simply incredible, especially the way you have the light shining down into the water highlighting the jellyfish. Such an impressive piece and it paired nicely with the old Impressionist paintings. I've either seen or am familiar with all these paintings and these artists. What a surprise not to have seen an artist I didn't know. That is, until I got to Michael Rakowitz. I couldn't believe he created that deity out of empty date syrup cans. What an impressive way to recycle and bring back a lost art object at the same time.

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