Reviews

Monday 30 January 2012

The Mystery of Appearance

Verdict: Go see it
Where: Haunch of Venison, Mayfair
When: 7 December 201118 February 2012

This exhibition at the newly refurbished Haunch of Venison gallery focuses on ten of Britain’s most important post-war painters, who would go on to influence the current crop of British artists.

Usually when a smaller gallery displays works of renowned artists, you always assume that they will have their lesser works on display and the real stars will be the less recognised artists.  In this instance both shine through.

In terms of star power, there is a brilliantly humorous painting by David Hockney entitled ‘Man in a Museum’ where a painting is watching the visitor, and Francis Bacon’s ghostly re-imagining of Velazquez’s portrait of Pope Innocent (pictured below).


However, the real star of the show has to be Leon Kosoff’s works with his multilayered style of painting bringing palpable texture to his work and blurring the line between painting and sculpture (an example pictured below but this flat view doesn't do it justice).


It’s impressive that they’ve amassed such a collection and, as some of the works have never before been on public display, it’s an opportunity not to be missed.

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