British Art Lands at the Pac in Milan
Contemporary British art is now presenting its noticeable quote of inspiration to highly stylized eccentricity, characterised by harsh radical beauty without frills.
The interesting occasion is provided by the exhibition which is taking place until 13th September at the Pac in Milan with the title "Passports.
Travelling with art - 75 years of painting, photography and installations from the British Council collection".
Therefore, it is not only a celebration of the anniversary of this famous British institution, but also a way to retrace a journey among the greatest stars of 20th and 21st century British Art.
The choice was difficult: the Irish painter Michael Craig-Martin, who curated the event, has selected about forty famous works from a collection, the British Council art collection, which boasts more than 8 thousand works.
The title of the exhibition, "Passports", refers to the journey made by the works since they were purchased.
An actual itinerary in art across international boundaries, which will show to the spectators the passport of each piece, consisting of all the museums and galleries which have hosted them over the decades.
Documented movements on exhibition.
So for instance: the picture Hill House by Peter Doig, one of the most extraordinary painters of our days, arrives from South Africa, while Chris Ofili's work, realised with elephant dung, from Nigeria.
If the British Council's works, for their fate, travel so much, they initially cost very little.
Following an accurate purchasing policy, the curators of the British institution intercept emerging artists.
A couple of examples for everyone: the famous Girl with Roses by Lucian Freud, one of the greatest living figurative painters, was bought in 1948 for 158 pounds, while Apotryptophanae by Damien Hirst was bought in 1994 for 8,500 pounds.
Both Freud and Hirst are now worth dozens of millions.
Highlight of the works on view at the PAC is definitely the already mentioned masterpiece by Lucian Freud Girl with Roses (1947-48), a portrait of Kitty, the artist's first wife, characterised by a strong psychological impact.
The work has been to more than twenty-five countries at over eighty exhibitions since it was bought in 1948 by the British Council.
Unmissable Anish Kapoor, definitely one of the most significant authors in the world contemporary art scene.
His works, in constant dialogue between two-dimensionality and three-dimensionality, have allowed him to gain a prominent role in the New British Sculpture, name with which the critics have designated the new scene of English sculpture which includes artists like Tony Cragg, Richard Deacon, Bill Woodrow and Antony Gormely, all obviously present at the event.
Another outstanding presence for his sculptural technique is Henry Moore, sublime master of British sculpture.
There is also the provocative and irreverent bad boy of contemporary art, Damien Hirst.
The artist from Bristol, who at the age of 44 can already boast a mind-boggling wealth achieved by immersing the Young British Art into blue formalin, is showing us with Apotryptophanae a less known but very interesting aspect of his art, because despite the scabrous and revolting themes of his most discussed and famous works, Hirst is an extraordinarily philosophical and skilful artist, and his compositions are extremely elegant, with a great attention for materials and for formal and chromatic values.
"Passports.
Travelling with art" is an exceptional overview in which we can also admire the desecrating and ironic art of the Gilbert & George duo, continuing with Douglas Gordon, Richard Long, Sarah Lucas and next to the images by David Hockney, Frank Auerbach, Graham Sutherland, we can appreciate Bridget Riley's optical waves and Sean Scully's grates dominated by a rigorously simple abstractionism.
The exhibition, considered a unique chance to admire the early works of the great names of contemporary art made in the UK, is also an event to launch "The Fifth Curator", a competition for aspiring curators which will allow the winner to access the British Council's collection to realise an exhibition planned for 10th April 2010 at the Whitechapel in London.
The interesting occasion is provided by the exhibition which is taking place until 13th September at the Pac in Milan with the title "Passports.
Travelling with art - 75 years of painting, photography and installations from the British Council collection".
Therefore, it is not only a celebration of the anniversary of this famous British institution, but also a way to retrace a journey among the greatest stars of 20th and 21st century British Art.
The choice was difficult: the Irish painter Michael Craig-Martin, who curated the event, has selected about forty famous works from a collection, the British Council art collection, which boasts more than 8 thousand works.
The title of the exhibition, "Passports", refers to the journey made by the works since they were purchased.
An actual itinerary in art across international boundaries, which will show to the spectators the passport of each piece, consisting of all the museums and galleries which have hosted them over the decades.
Documented movements on exhibition.
So for instance: the picture Hill House by Peter Doig, one of the most extraordinary painters of our days, arrives from South Africa, while Chris Ofili's work, realised with elephant dung, from Nigeria.
If the British Council's works, for their fate, travel so much, they initially cost very little.
Following an accurate purchasing policy, the curators of the British institution intercept emerging artists.
A couple of examples for everyone: the famous Girl with Roses by Lucian Freud, one of the greatest living figurative painters, was bought in 1948 for 158 pounds, while Apotryptophanae by Damien Hirst was bought in 1994 for 8,500 pounds.
Both Freud and Hirst are now worth dozens of millions.
Highlight of the works on view at the PAC is definitely the already mentioned masterpiece by Lucian Freud Girl with Roses (1947-48), a portrait of Kitty, the artist's first wife, characterised by a strong psychological impact.
The work has been to more than twenty-five countries at over eighty exhibitions since it was bought in 1948 by the British Council.
Unmissable Anish Kapoor, definitely one of the most significant authors in the world contemporary art scene.
His works, in constant dialogue between two-dimensionality and three-dimensionality, have allowed him to gain a prominent role in the New British Sculpture, name with which the critics have designated the new scene of English sculpture which includes artists like Tony Cragg, Richard Deacon, Bill Woodrow and Antony Gormely, all obviously present at the event.
Another outstanding presence for his sculptural technique is Henry Moore, sublime master of British sculpture.
There is also the provocative and irreverent bad boy of contemporary art, Damien Hirst.
The artist from Bristol, who at the age of 44 can already boast a mind-boggling wealth achieved by immersing the Young British Art into blue formalin, is showing us with Apotryptophanae a less known but very interesting aspect of his art, because despite the scabrous and revolting themes of his most discussed and famous works, Hirst is an extraordinarily philosophical and skilful artist, and his compositions are extremely elegant, with a great attention for materials and for formal and chromatic values.
"Passports.
Travelling with art" is an exceptional overview in which we can also admire the desecrating and ironic art of the Gilbert & George duo, continuing with Douglas Gordon, Richard Long, Sarah Lucas and next to the images by David Hockney, Frank Auerbach, Graham Sutherland, we can appreciate Bridget Riley's optical waves and Sean Scully's grates dominated by a rigorously simple abstractionism.
The exhibition, considered a unique chance to admire the early works of the great names of contemporary art made in the UK, is also an event to launch "The Fifth Curator", a competition for aspiring curators which will allow the winner to access the British Council's collection to realise an exhibition planned for 10th April 2010 at the Whitechapel in London.
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