4 July 2024 Expressionists: Kandinsky, Münter and the Blue Rider Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind Tate Modern. By William Morton The Blue Rider group of artists was active in Munich in the years before the First World War. They developed a distinctive style of painting with vibrant colours and simplicity of form with no… Continue reading Expressionists / Yoko Ono
Article Category: Review
‘Colonialism’
1 February 2024 ‘Colonialism; A Moral Reckoning’ by Nigel Biggar Book review by Neil Dunlop From the perspective of an ethicist Biggar provides a thoroughly researched and enjoyably readable romp through colonial history following attempts by other academics at Oxford university to cancel alternative views on British colonialism. For anyone with a suspicion that currently… Continue reading ‘Colonialism’
Napoleon
7 December 2023 Napoleon Ridley Scott’s epic new movie. By Neil Tidmarsh Ridley Scott – the genius director of such classics as Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, Gladiator and The Martian – has made quite a few duds in recent years (see this column’s review of The Last Duel, issue 298, 28.10.21, and let’s… Continue reading Napoleon
Covenant
7 December 2023 Covenant By Danny Kruger. Book review by J R Thomas This column has often suggested that for political parties to succeed they must have a well-argued core philosophy, from which a set of policies will logically spring forth. Thus Gladstone’s Liberalism; Disraeli’s One Nation Toryism; Attlee’s radical socialist Labour; and Thatcherism. Not… Continue reading Covenant
Klint and Mondrian- Forms of Life
1 June 2023 Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian – Forms of Life Tate Modern 20 April – 3 September 2023 Review by William Morton There are a number of reasons why the Tate has chosen to hold an exhibition covering the Swede, Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) and the Dutchman, Piet Mondrian (1872-1944). They were… Continue reading Klint and Mondrian- Forms of Life
Giorgio Morandi
2 March 2023 Giorgio Morandi The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art (to 30 April 2023). By William Morton This exhibition comprises 50 works by Giorgio Morandi from the Magnani-Rocca foundation set up by one of his biggest admirers. Morandi (1890-1964) lived a quiet life in his native city of Bologna, sharing a flat with his… Continue reading Giorgio Morandi
Dance Me
2 March 2023 Dance Me Review: Dance Me, a Leonard Cohen retrospective through dance, Sadler’s Wells Theatre by An Arachnid Spector The songs of Leonard Cohen returned to stage with Ballets Jazz Montreal hosting 90 minutes of modern dance to a selection of some of the Master’s greatest hits. Dance Me blends modern ballet to… Continue reading Dance Me
Cezanne
1 December 2022 Cezanne Tate Modern to 12 March 2023 by William Morton Paul Cezanne (1839-1906) came from a wealthy family in Aix-en- Provence . While this had its advantages, the drawback was that he had to stay on reasonable terms with his father in order to continue to receive an allowance. While he did resist… Continue reading Cezanne
Winslow Homer: Force of Nature
20 October 2022 Winslow Homer: Force of Nature The National Gallery (until 08/01/23). By William Morton Ignoring the pull of the Cézanne Exhibition at Tate Modern and turning our back on the boulevards and boating at Argenteuil, it’s time for some New World realism as exemplified by the works of Winslow Homer (1836 – 1910).… Continue reading Winslow Homer: Force of Nature
Labour Conference
8 September 2022 Labour Conference Excitement Mounts by Don Urquhart The Labour Party Conference will be in Liverpool from September 25th to 28th. Why should anyone care? It is a depressing time for those of us with a social democrat agenda. We will only vote Labour if Starmer and the rest apologise fulsomely to Jeremy… Continue reading Labour Conference
Walter Sickert
16 June 2022 Walter Sickert Tate Britain (28 April –18 September) By William Morton Walter Sickert (1860-1942) produced a large volume of work during his life in a variety of styles. He was influenced by several artists and in turn influenced others. Although he is perhaps not particularly well-known, a number of the works in… Continue reading Walter Sickert
Surrealism Beyond Borders
24 March 2022 Surrealism Beyond Borders Tate Modern (24 Feb – 29 Aug) By William Morton Surrealism at its simplest can be described as picturing together objects not associated in the rational world with a view to triggering a different view of things and bring out the role of the sub-conscious. André Breton, the French… Continue reading Surrealism Beyond Borders
Issue 305: 2021 12 16: ‘Queen of the Desert’
16 December 2021 ‘Queen of the Desert’ Gertrude Bell. By Lynda Goetz Given that the name of this magazine, as stated in the About Us section, is a tribute to T.E. Lawrence, the author of The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, it is perhaps appropriate that we should again find time to address the role in… Continue reading Issue 305: 2021 12 16: ‘Queen of the Desert’
