Imagine you are standing outside The World Art Gallery, and in the tradition of Desert Island Discs, you are invited to select just 8 paintings to take to your desert island. Every work of any merit is found inside the gallery; you must select just 8.
Here are a few favourites that come to MY mind.
1. Spencer's Self Portrait.1914
2. Matisse's Red Studio. 1911
3. Kitaj's The Red Banquet. 1960
4. Derain's Bateaux dans le Port, Collioure. 1905
5. Schmidt-Rottluff's Summer. 1913
6. Dors Carrington's Portrait of Strachey 1916
7. Jawlensky's Still Life. 1909
8. Kandinsky's Composition No 2. 1910
Kandinsky claimed to have painted the very first 'abstract' painting in around 1913, and I have decided to chose nothing pre-1900. All the above pictures I would look at (and admire) on a daily basis. Some I would admire simply for their beauty, others would remind me of a life elsewhere.
Every time I visit The Tate, I go directly to look at Spencer's portrait (illustrated).
Now, tell me some of the one's you'd take to your desert island (if indeed any).
Off the top of my head so probably no so exact but anyway here goes in no particular order:
ReplyDeleteVincent Van Gogh - Postman Roulin, The Potato Eaters, The Italian Lady. Pablo Picasso - Guernica, The Man with the Blue Guitar. Albin Egger Lienz - Death March. Renee Magritte - Owls. Raymond Pettibon - Whatever it is you're looking for you won't find it here.
All 20th C works as well. A nice selection.
DeleteStarry Night - Van Gogh. I was lucky enough to see it at MOMA in NY a couple of years ago. Not only is it my favourite painting, it also would remind me of watching the best Dr. Who episode ever with my daughter. Otherwise the painting I would choose would be my children's (the best loved art is stuck on fridge doors)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about those kids pictures on the fridge' door. I have some beauties!
DeleteI can't think of 10 without a lot of research, but I have always loved Monet's " La Pie". I have a little reproduction of it in my bedroom, and when I found myself standing in front of the original in the Musee D'Orsay nearly 20 yrs ago ( we went to Paris for our Silver wedding anniversary), I had to hold back the tears.
ReplyDeleteThere are many Monets that I covet. I need far more than 8 pictures on my island.
DeleteAs you know Cro, Ihave a house full of pictures both those painted by my first husband and also those painted by friends.
ReplyDeleteThere are many Van Gogh's I covet - they blew me away when I saw rooms full in his Gallery in Amsterdam - so if they could spare just one of his Iris ones I would definitely have that.
Toni Bartl, who was a dear friend and a Lincolnshire artist of Czech origin, gave us one of his pictures as a wedding present on my first marriage - I have put it on my post before (can't put it on now because I have packed my digital batteries) - I would take that and also his drawing. My first husband,s uncle, Dick Rivron, was quite a well known artist in Australie - I have a drawing of his - that would be included too - all of these are more for sentimental reasons (and I know that is a word that shouldn't really be uttered in the same sentence as the words good art). I have always loved Hobemma's Avenue - for the peaceful quality it evokes in me. So that's covered memories, colour (Iris) and comfort (Avenue) - I would take a Picasso - I think probably the one which I think is called Clarinetist(this one would cover great painters because I think he is up there with the best ever.) Maybe a Hockney to remind me of Yorkshire. Oh I could go on got ever.
If one took the remit seriously, then paintings with sentimental value would be essential. I always used to think that 99% of guests on Desert Island Discs were very pompous in their choices; trying desperately to appear 'intellectual'.
Delete1. Pierre Bonnard Nude against the Light
ReplyDelete2. Modigliani Le Marie and La Mariée
3. L S Lowry Going to the Match
4. Goya The Disasters of War series
5. Matisse Harmony in Red
6. Schiele Nude self portrait Grimacing
7. Spencer Patricia Preece
8. Sophie Calle Take Care of Yourself
The only one I didn't know was No 8, so had to look her up.
DeleteAs I've already taken Matisse's Red Studio, we could inhabit neighbouring islands.
I wrote a post about Sophie Calle and Take Care of Yourself some years ago. I was blown away by it when I first saw the work in Venice. It now takes on another meaning for me, kind of first hand you could say.
DeleteI like your Spencer but I like mine best.
I couldn't leave out Velasquez.
ReplyDeleteWhich one? I've always coveted his portrait of the pasty-faced Philippe IV.
DeleteLes Meninas would keep me occupied longest, but I would settled for one of the court dwarves if space were an issue.
DeleteA bit of Whistler, I went to a good exhibition at Montisfont and it was nice to see a proper collection. A pity he was killed in action, but least what we have is very good.
ReplyDeleteVery 'dreamy'. I do like his waterscapes though.
DeleteI'd gather up all the portraits I've done of family and friends to keep me company. I find the human face the most interesting landscape there is. One movement of a muscle in your face can create and communicate such emotion.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking that all those very personal pictures could be dropped by parachute later.
DeleteFor a desert island I'd take paintings which take me to places:
ReplyDeleteStreeton - Purple Noon's Transparent Might
Namitjira - In the Ranges, Mt Hermannsburg
Margaret Olley - Wallflowers
Eugene von Guerard - Stoneleigh (nr Beaufort)
Heysen - The Cedars
Johannes Vermeer - Girl with a Pearl Earring
Georgia O'Keeffe - Pedernal 1941
Vincent van Gogh - View of Saintes Maries
Rembrandt - Two Old Men disputing
On my desert island I will have variety, landscapes to linger over & flowers to cheer me up.
Alphie
That's quite a selection! I'm more predictable.
DeleteI would only take one Rembrandt's Night Watch
ReplyDeleteWell, it is quite big!
DeleteI was going to write a post after a couple of weeks break, but after reading your post I am completely distracted by this "challenge" (while also keeping half an eye on a programme about Dutch art. By the time I have my list ready you will be on your next post I should think.
ReplyDeleteSomething to muse over whilst you're going about your daily chores. That's what I did.
Delete