Hello again everyone
At the beginning of July we (my other half and me) went to the Tate Modern and at the end of the month we went to the Tate Britain, and two more contrasting exhibitions you could not find. One was a celebration and showcase of 40 years of Tracey Emin’s groundbreaking work and the other, a look at the cosmopolitan James McNeill Whistler and some of his most beautiful paintings including, of course, the one of his mother.
Both were outstanding in very, very different ways.
Now who knows of Tracey Emin? Here in the UK she has had a very mixed reputation and is probably best known for her depiction of her unmade bed and some rather out-there appearances in various venues.
Instead of turning up our noses at the sight of the bed and its surrounding area, we all stood in rapt attention.
Basically I thought of her as more a performance artist than anything else. If that is all you really know of her (and that would be me) her exhibition is a revelation. Why? Because, my word, her artistry is phenomenal and we see many pieces of sculpture, textiles with incredible embroidery, writing, paintings, videos of her talking and, of course, installations like her unmade bed and her studio.
The whole exhibition was a revelatory experience as I thought I was going to see something outrageous. Instead I felt quite emotional as I listened to her talking about her early life (in Margate) her teenage years, her abortion, and her thinking about that years later. Everything about this exhibition touched me deeply and I felt I know her far better than I ever did. I acknowledge now what an extraordinary artist she is. This is a must-see to anyone who is able to open their eyes, and change one’s opinion. And btw I took no photographs (that one of her bed was taken by Bill) as I was in the moment, listening, seeing, and coming to understand one of our country’s great artists. She just took my breath away – go see it if you can. It is on until the end of August.
As for the Whistler exhibition, this also took my breath away. Why? Because of its beauty. If you are feeling that, really, the events in this current era are near to overwhelming, go immerse yourself in beauty. This was such a delightful and indeed insightful exhibition, and my word, I learnt a thing or two, as I had one image of him, which was the painting of his mother.
I also learnt he was an American! A very cosmopolitan one who had lived in St. Petersburg and travelled extensively around Europe and Japan. I had previously seen him as just one of the many pre-Raphaelite painters who were mainly British. Forgive my ignorance of him, which was huge. He was at the forefront of Impressionism and his paintings ranged from society portraits, etchings to landscapes that recalled some of Turner’s light touch.
I had this one on my wall for years – not sure where it went.
And here below he is at his most Turneresque, I think.
In some of his paintings Whistler made bold scrapes down the canvas, and in others there was this incredible detail, as there is in the above painting of Wapping.
Here’s my other half, Bill, standing admiring the work of Whistler.
Whistler was a fascinating man, well ahead of his time, but probably quite a difficult person as he was always falling out with people. The exhibition included one whole set piece of a room he designed for a wealthy patron, who did not like the result (you walk through the room and it is absolutely beautiful). The room has recording of the words (Whistler is played by the actor Anton Lesser) in the letters sent to each other. There’s a lot of shouting! Unfortunately a court case of libel brought by Whistler, against a derogatory comment made by Ruskin of one of his paintings, bankrupted him. He had won the case but was awarded one farthing!
Look at his eyes. This man does not tolerate any nonsense or criticism but there in those eyes you can see how he could be so far-seeing and ahead of his game, using his new and innovative techniques. The Tate describes Whistler as a boldly experimental artist, and someone who was in pursuit of truth, beauty and progress.
It’s an excellent exhibition, do go if you can. It is on until the end of September.
Now what did I wear. I’ve forgotten what I wore to the Tracey Emin. As for the Whistler I wore the coolest (in the weather related sense) dress-up dress I could find that was worthy of an art exhibition. I always dress up for these exhibitions.
It’s a lovely dress bought from the platform Idaretobe, which actually doesn’t suit me all that well, as there are no sleeves and the dress is rather cut-out at the arm level. But the material is divine, with two layers: one of cotton with stripes going one way and a tulle layer with stripes going the other way, so it looks like a chequer board. So I said to myself I’ll put a white t-shirt under it. That looked great. And I would have liked to go with that. But it was so blooming hot to wear, I began sweating buckets as I was getting ready! So I kind of ruined the effect of the ‘fab’ dress by wearing my scruffy, un-ironed half-tee. But dear readers – it felt cool and it covered my otherwise exposed bony shoulders!
There you go, there’s the un-ironed half-tee. But hey, we have to adapt to this hot (for the UK) weather.
It felt good to wear this outfit, which is the point of all clothing, isn’t it?
We met my friend from nursing at the Tate – we’ve known each other for 61 years!
I just want to draw your attention to the rollator. Two things. First is: I love using this contraption as I am now not clinging on to anyone. I call it my Liberator! And second: this is my own rollator, which I brought up to London. We used public transport throughout. If anyone is unsure how to do this – bring equipment onto a train – I booked ‘assisted travel’ on the way up. Oh my word, everyone was amazing. People turn up with a ramp, take you to the specific area in the train for wheelchairs and other equipment, get you on the train and take you to where there are priority seats for anyone needing assistance. And, most important make you feel it is no bother whatsoever. They then contact your destination and people are there waiting to get the ramp for you as you get off the train.
The London bus we took to the Tate (the C10) was also good, with enough space and designated seats for those who need them, and again, space for the rollator.
Coming back was even more amazing as we used ‘Turn up and go’ at the train station. Literally, you just turn up and say where you want to go and as long as there is enough time, the same effort goes into making you feel it is no bother at all. I mean everything is done to be helpful as possible. I was astonished at how lovely the people were, and l will never feel any nervousness now about using trains with the rollator. What a great service. And btw if you are wondering – costs nothing.
That’s all for now, with love PennyX
I travelled to London with a friend from Dorset who uses a wheelchair. By train. The staff were wonderful. The service also provided a wheelchair friendly taxi for the last 2 stops as the train would have taken us to the the wrong side of a non navigable
Footbridge with steps, which would have left us stranded. I could not have been more impressed by the helpfulness of all the staff involved.
I found the entire service went ‘above and beyond’. Everyone was so helpful and even happy to make you feel everything was no bother at all. Hats off to the lot of them. I’ ve given them a very very good rating on the usual survey you get afterwards.
Yes, it was all very impressive.
Thanks Diana 🙂
Afternoon Penny,
A very interesting post, thank you. Great to see you out and about with your ‘Liberator’. I’m glad you found something comfortable, cool – and delightful – to wear in this unforgiving weather. And I’m pleased to hear about the excellent service/support you received on the trains. Very useful to know, and to pass on to friends.
We went to Tate Britain and Tate Modern, about a month ago. Not to see Whistler but Jamaican/English artist Hurvin Anderson’s exhibition. His art expresses the connections and the tensions between the two countries/communities – and the communities within the communities. It was fabulous: modern, big, colourful, exciting, sad and thought-provoking.
We’ve also seen Tracey Emin’s exhibition at Tate Modern. I wasn’t aware of her sculptures, and was very impressed with them. I had read a bit about her before our visit, and read all the writing in the exhibition. (I felt as though I’d paid to read her therapy journal!) I loved her dancing and was less revolted by the bed this time around, but did not linger. All in all, I would not recommend the exhibition.
We saw the David Hockney exhibition at The Serpentine, which we both loved. But, then, we’ve loved him/his work since the 60s. Ironically – and sadly – he died the day after we went, and in Oxford at the Ashmolean we saw In Bloom – how plants changed the world. Lots of information (much I didn’t know) and stunning art of all kinds: paintings, ceramics, drawings, cloth… and several fun interactive ‘constellations’.
You were talking about films the other day. I have only seen one lately – The Invite – which I’d definitely recommend. It’s funny, deep with crisp dialogue and tight script – all set in one apartment (it had originally been a play). It stars Edward Norton, Penelope Cruz (wow! she is a stunning-looking woman – and a very good actor), Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde (who also directed it).
Keep on trucking, all the best, Mary
Ah yes I’ve heard of The Invite, but it’s not come as yet to our independent cinema.Will look out for it or if it’s been missed I will stream it when it gets to that stage. I like Edward Norton’s acting very much and will definitely see it.
As for Tracey Emin, I knew so little about her and yes, read a lot of her writings (but not all). It’s the range of her talent that impressed me so. But I do admit her art is quite hard to look at in some areas of the exhibition. I wasn’t phased as having been a nurse have seen a stoma before but did wonder what people who are a bit nervy about the body would think.
Whistler is an exhibition that is well worth seeing. He was a superb artist and I learnt so much from seeing how he developed different techniques. On till the end of September.
Talking about September I am planning to go the Mole Clinic for my annual check during that month. Not booked yet. Will liaise with you.
Thanks Mary 🙂
Two interesting exhibits! I joined Jodie for 2 museum visits and I really enjoyed the Phoenix art museum! I wore skirts and flowy dresses during that trip since it was so hot!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
I think flowy dresses are the coolest to wear in humid very hot weather. We’ve just had another heat-wave but not quite as hot and not as long as the last one, and during this I wore a long skirt and top which was bearable.
Exhibitions and museums generally are far more interesting than their reputation of being boring and dull. Neither of these were dull at all! Especially the Emin one!
Thanks Mireille 🙂
I don’t think I’ll be getting to visit London anytime soon, so thank you for your descriptions of the two exhibitions. You’ve got me really interested in seeing more of Tracy Emin’s work; I confess, I only really know about the Unmade Bed. Whistler also sounds to be an interesting character, I agree some of his work seems Turneresque.
Glad to hear that you are getting on well with your rolator and that you received excellent service from rail staff – we usually only hear in the press about things going wrong. Also, really love your dress! All the best, Penny x https://pennyhampson.co.uk/
I have to admit it was hot in London. Going on the C10 bus was no problem but coming back to Victoria the bus was near unbearable it was so hot – how Londoners put up with it all I don’t know. But the train and the Tate itself is air conditioned so no problems there. If at all inclined do have a look and think about the Whistler as it is on until the end of September. But the true revelation was Tracey Emin – I had no idea of her range of artistic talents. Amazing woman.
The rollator is my ‘liberator’! And the service I got from ‘assisted travel’ on the train was above and beyond. It is so nice to be able to praise a service for being so excellent. If only (and that is another story altogether) flying was as easy. There are some horror stories in the press about how awful they are to people who need wheelchairs. Anyway, train travel here in the UK is 10/10 experience.
And thanks Penny re: the dress. It could have looked better with an ironed t-shirt and a jacket, but with the half-tee I was cool, which was the point!
Thanks again 🙂
I love your museum posts! You see the most incredible art and have such insightful remarks about them. I am not the biggest fan of contemporary art, but I joined the Contemporary Core at the museum just so I could learn more about it. I’m definitely coming round to it as I understand more about what the artist is trying to convey. I’m sure I would have thought the same thing about the bed. I love that you were in the moment. I try so hard to do that these days. Or, I will give myself a time limit on how many photos I can take, and then I put the phone away. I remember seeing a Whistler exhibition in Washington, DC years and years ago. I couldn’t wait to see his mother, but the line was long. The guards wouldn’t let you linger so you just got a gander and then had to move on. I can definitely see Turner in his work. But, I didn’t know he was such a pill! Maybe we need to do a Whistler painting for Style Imitating Art. Thanks so much for sharing your trips with us. I’m so glad you’re finding the Liberator to be just that, and people are so accommodating for you. I keep trying to talk Mike into one of those. We have one of the short little ones (it’s borrowed), and he doesn’t like it at all. It’s so good to read your thoughts on how this has changed your life.
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Tracey Emin’s exhibition was a true revelation as she has a very particular reputation in the UK as being ‘out-there’ and a bit of a, not quite sure how to describe it, but she’s not been well-liked for that unmade bed and other things. But oh no, that’s not what she’s like. She is an incredible artist who uses so many ways to express her art. I understand her far more now and – respect her. What an exhibition it was! So worth going to.
As for the Whistler we read a very good 5* review of this exhibition and it totally merited 5*. It was outstanding as we learnt so much about him and I now think he was one of the ‘greats’. Interesting to see how his techniques varied and changed over time. It was a very, very good exhibition.
That rail journey was such a good experience – the assisted travel was just wonderful. How nice to be able to say that about a service.
Always be fitted personally, face-to-face for a rollator. I’ve emailed you with more thoughts on this.
Thanks Marsha 🙂
What a service that is! Here it is such a hassle to travel by train with a wheelchair. I don’t even dare too. I am glad you enjoyed the exhibitions!
Oh Nancy, this ‘assisted travel’ makes you feel that nothing is too much trouble and ‘don’t you worry about anything, we’re here to help’. The service given for free was outstanding. Btw, all trains and buses have spaces for wheelchairs and seats for those with disabilities and anyone sitting on them or in that space with a bike for example, have to give way. However, I know that flying is altogether a different matter and there are many horror stories about that form of transport.
Also think of the most enormous buggy for the disabled ever. As in VERY big. One got on our carriage going back home. It was so big it didn’t get into the space for wheelchairs so it stayed right by the exit blocking anyone from coming through that door. The person on the buggy was so funny – she had a very cockney accent and a very loud voice. When the train stopped and people tried to get on, she would shout, ‘Oy you can’t get on ‘ere.’ In a very loud cockney accent. I did admire her attitude, which was get out of my way, mate!!!
Both exhibitions were excellent in their different ways.
Thanks Nancy 🙂
Lovely to read about those wondrous exhibitions. Sir Henry Tate the sugar merchant/philanthropist was born in Chorley in Lancashire .The Georgian house he lived in at one time eventually became an accountants’ office and I worked there briefly 50 years ago!
Oh I love that connection. And what a great word, the two exhibitions were indeed, wondrous.
Thanks Hillary 🙂
Both of these exhibitions look so impressive and a total contrast to each other. I know a little of Tracey Emmin’s work but had no idea of its scope. The Whistler works look wonderful.
I think the dress looks good on you and it must be so cool and comfortable to wear in the heat.
The train service is very commendable . One of the ladies I saw interviewed on Advanced Style calls her rollator her chariot. All the best Penny.
The Tracey Emin exhibition was indeed a revelation as I had no idea of the range of her artistic abilities. I learnt a lot from it. Same for the Whistler exhibition, we both learnt much about the man, and it definitely merited the 5* review which we’d read and thought it was a must-see. There were also many beautiful paintings there which was an added bonus.
Well the dress could have looked better and will probably in the autumn or winter when I wear it with a jacket and chunky boots. It is a lovely dress and whilst at the Whistler it was undoubtedly cool to wear and that was the point of wearing it as I did. However, I did look at the pics afterwards and cringe slightly!!!
Thanks so much Jill and all the best to you too 🙂
I’m seeing the Whistler next Saturday! I’ve seen all of Tracey Emin’s exhibitions. I find her fascinating but sometimes her work is so difficult to see. She uploads so much emotion. I remember an exhibition shortly after she’d had major surgery which saved her life. Nearly every painting was in red, with blood dripping across the frames. Visceral and shattering.
Oh indeed Tracey Emin’s exhibition wasn’t for the faint of heart. There was plenty of blood. It was an exhibition of her entire work so the blood was there as was her stoma! But I was very impressed by her range of artistry as her work encompasses so many aspects of art. There was much of her writings – and I did not read all of it, then there was the embroidery on large blankets and sheets, and more than anything there was her talking about her life – that I found fascinating. Altogether it was quite an emotional experience. It”s quite possible that some people would not like all this emphasis on her body. But her body is her art and her art is her body. Loved it!
Thanks Gail 🙂
Just got back from vacation. Chincoteague is probably the only place I wear shorts these days and do not pay so much attention to what I wear. As you said, sometimes comfort is as important as looking stylish. I enjoyed seeing the museum visits along with you. Whistler figured prominately in a recent series of lectures I attended this past year on American art. We had great weather on vacation, sunny and moderate temperatures. We took a couple of boat trips around the island to see nature. In spite of development there is still so much unspoiled beauty. Love, Darby
Chincoteague seems to be a very similar place to Dungeness – both appear to be unique. Dungeness is very unspoiled too. These places are to be treasured. It’s so nice we can go to them.
I loved the Whistler but do forgive my ignorance of him. What a fascinating albeit difficult man. And what beauty he gave to the world.
And phew, we’ve just had a few minutes of rain. The first rain for many, many days. By no means enough, but just enough to freshen up the garden and produce that lovely smell of wet earth and grass.
Thanks so much Darby 🙂