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Sir Cedric Morris, The Eggs, 1944, oil on canvas, 61.5 x 43.2 cm, Tate Collection. Source

The pastel shades of Sir Cedric Morris’ piece The Eggs have got me in the mood for this Easter weekend. It’s amazing how just a colour palette and one motif - the eggs - can evoke such a strong springtime mood, no lambs, chicks or bunny rabbits required.

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Juan Gris, Houses in Paris, 1911, oil on canvas, 52.4 x 34.2 cm, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Source

Houses in Paris is one of at least 6 canvases painted by the Cubist artist Juan Gris of the Montmartre district in Paris. Though he was born in Madrid, Gris spent the majority of his life working in France.

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Roger Brown, Cloudy Night, a Picture That Can Be Hung Upside-down, 1978, oil on canvas, 91.5 x 91.5 cm, The Art Institute of Chicago. Source

I love the perspective of this piece by the American artist Roger Brown. Imagine this displayed on the ceiling above your bed!

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California Dreaming: San Francisco to Los Angeles

I never seem to be capable of organising a relaxing holiday and this two week Californian road trip was no exception. Starting in San Francisco, my boyfriend and I travelled to Yosemite then back down the coast to Los Angeles, stopping at Monterey, Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara. As usual, I had a jam-packed itinerary that would certainly pose a challenge! But amazingly, we managed to fit everything in (except for Disneyland, but that's still a sore subject).

Below are my artsy highlights, enjoy!:

SFMOMA

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is one of my all-time favourite galleries. I’m a sucker for a sculpture garden - this one includes a version of Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE text - and the Don’t! Photography and the Art of Mistakes exhibition was a cleverly humorous presentation of purposeful photographic blunders. I also enjoyed seeing so many Alexander Calder mobiles in one space; it took me back to the magical Tate Modern retrospective from a few years ago.

Hearst Castle

Along the Californian coast, roughly halfway between San Fran and LA, lies the grand estate of Hearst Castle. This extravagant landmark was designed to sprawl across a hilltop once the foundation of the Hearst family ranch. William Randolph Hearst, a publishing tycoon, wanted to create a home luxurious and impressive enough to attract even the biggest names from nearby Hollywood during the Roaring Twenties. He worked with the architect Julia Morgan between 1919 and 1947 to design and build this incredible place, which really has to be seen in person to be believed. The surrounding gardens feature sculpture from the Ancient Greek and Egyptian periods, whilst the grand rooms themselves are covered from ceiling to floor in paintings and tapestries, primarily from the Italian Renaissance. One of the real talking points on our tour of the grounds was the two swimming pools: the outdoor Neptune Pool, and the indoor Roman Pool lined with Murano glass tiles.

The Getty

My one regret about our visit to The Getty? Not allocating enough time! We spent just a couple of glorious hours exploring the gardens and galleries, but really this place requires a whole day. I was like a woman possessed wandering around the grounds with a huge grin on my face. And what a beautiful art collection, too: highlights include Still Life with Apples by Paul Cézanne and Van Gogh’s Irises, the latter painted during the artist's last year of his life spent at an asylum in Saint-Rémy, France, where the vivid blue flowers grew in the institution’s garden.

The Broad

After several recommendations, and owing to our limited time in each location, we decided to cut the LACMA from our LA schedule and visit The Broad instead. This free gallery is located next to Frank Gehry’s iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall building and features a stunning collection of modern art, from Jeff Koons to Andy Warhol, Kara Walker to Yayoi Kusama. 

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So many bright, beautiful canvases at the Other Art Fair. These works from @elainekazimierczuk @geraldines_galleri and @stacygibboni were my absolute favourites #art #painting #canvas #theotherartfair #london #artfair #artgallery #culture #artist #artistsoninstagram #artistsofinstagram #nature #naturepainting #colour #landscape (at The Truman Brewery) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvCdY2KAepV/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10wi3nv5327cy

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The Mechanical Galleon, 1580-1590, Augsburg; silver, iron, enamel, brass, with gilding; 104 x 78.5 x 20.3 cm; The British Museum, London. Source

This complex ship ‘toy’ was displayed in the British Museum’s 'A History of the World in 100 Objects' exhibition back in 2010. It would have been originally used as a table ornament during the Age of Enlightenment and shows the period’s interest in nautical discovery.

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Albert Oehlen, Untitled, 1993, oil on canvas, 200 x 200 cm, Saatchi Gallery, London. Source

Having worked for a German company for the last 4 years, I have become pretty familiar with the work of Albert Oehlen: TASCHEN have published a number of books on the artist over the years and we currently have a huge screenprint in store!

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Aïda Muluneh, Strength in Honor, 2016, pigmented inkjet print, 80 × 80 cm, MoMA, New York. © 2018 Aïda Muluneh. Source

Aïda Muluneh is an Ethiopian photographer and artist based in the country’s capital city, Addis Ababa. The image above is taken from her series The World is 9, inspired by a quote from her grandmother: ‘The world is 9, it is never complete and it’s never perfect.’ Muluneh created 28 pieces of work for this project, each of which explores questions of love, life, history, time and space - click here to see the rest of this gorgeous series.

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Tooi [Tuai], Drawing of Korokoro's moko, 1818, paper, 30 x 50 cm, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries.

‘Oceania’ at the Royal Academy

★ ★ ★ ★

I have been truly spoilt this year with regards to my love of all things Pacific: from my trip to New Zealand, to the numerous exhibitions in London covering various areas of the subject. The Royal Academy’s ‘Oceania’ showcases the art from island nations across the world’s largest body of water. Over 200 pieces are on display, including canoes, traditional clothing, ceramics and sacred sculptures, and are presented thematically to reveal the stories and narratives that have shaped the history of these indigenous peoples.

Ahu ula (feather cloak) belonging to Liholoho, Kamehameha II., early 19th century, feathers, fibre, painted barkcloth (on reverse), 207 cm, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge.

The exhibition covers over 500 years of Pacific culture, right up to the modern era. My highlight, in fact, came from New Zealand contemporary artist Lisa Reihana. Her work in Pursuit of Venus [infected] is a reappropriation of the 19th-century panoramic woodblock piece Les sauvages de la mer Pacifique. The latter was a romanticised vision of colonial discovery in the Pacific, whereas Reihana takes a more realistic approach to the dramatic encounters between native islanders and the European settlers. Her piece is a slow-spanning panoramic film, featuring animation and filmed reenactments. Visitors can sit in the darkened cinematic gallery and observe mini-storylines, such as a colonial artist being attacked by native insects whilst trying to paint, and a tense confrontation between tribal warriors and gun-wielding soldiers. It’s addictive viewing, though it lasts a full hour, so make sure you have enough time to experience it thoroughly!

‘Oceania’ is on at the Royal Academy until 10th December. All images are courtesy of the Royal Academy.

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Various Japanese tsuba, or sword hand guards, in the Victoria & Albert Museum Collection. The first was made by Mogarashi Soten in the 18th century using copper with gold alloy. The second was made in Awa in the 1600s, and the last tsuba is dated to Kyoto, c.1700. It was made by Sasaki Shobei, who used gold-leaf to cover nearly the entire copper base. Source

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Sights of Santorini, featuring glorious architecture and a world-famous bookshop

What was the only thing to do after a few manic months at work, a stressful house move, and a bout of flu? Head to Greece for a week, of course! Or the island of Santorini to be more precise. An October visit meant the scorching summer heat had passed and we were left with the perfect warm weather for sightseeing, plus the occasional laze on the beach. Below are a few of my art-related highlights:

Atlantis Books

The northwest coastal town of Oia is a labyrinth of passages lined with shops selling all sorts of goodies, such as jewellery, handmade fabrics, vintage clothing, pottery and paintings. Topping the list of tourist haunts is Atlantis Books, a cave-like independent bookstore usually found on lists of the best bookshops in the world. I could have spent hours browsing the packed shelves, though it was perhaps a good job my time was limited - I managed to spend a small fortune on pocket-sized versions of The Little Prince and some poem anthologies. Each book is stamped upon purchase, so every time I take a peak inside, I am reminded of this very special place!

Oia architecture

Away from Oia’s packed side streets, towards the caldera edge of the town, the buildings become so white and spotless, they seem to glow under the rays of the sun. This aesthetic quality is perhaps what Santorini is most famous for and leads to Insta-perfect pictures, no filters required. The occasional blue dome or accent, such as in the image above, creates a gorgeous contrast and adds an element of patriotism, with a subtle nod to the Greek flag.

Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral

I usually visit more churches and religious buildings when I’m abroad (I can’t resist the peaceful atmosphere and breathtaking architecture), but many of the churches in Santorini were quite secluded. The Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral in Fira, however, could not have been more central. In fact, it is so deeply nestled in the town’s busy centre that it was quite difficult to get a good photo of the outer building up close, which is really stunning and definitely worth a quick Google search. The church was originally built in 1827, but was later fully renovated in 1956 after severe earthquake damage. Inside are stunning frescos by local artist Christoforos Asimis (1945-) and a number of precious icons to be gazed upon.

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Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Two Sisters (On the Terrace), 1881, oil on canvas, 100.4 x 80.9 cm, The Art Institute of Chicago. Source

This is one of my all-time favourite Renoir paintings, and it also serves as the cover of TASCHEN’s Renoir. Painter of Happiness book, which never fails to brighten up my day.

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Lana Almedia Marcellus Jeffery, Bedcover or Parlor Throw (Crazy Quilt), 1896/1900, silk-based mixed media, 196.4 x 169.3 cm, The Art Institute of Chicago. Source

This gorgeous quilt was made by American designer Lana Almedia Marcellus Jeffery. Its impressive production process involved numerous sessions of weaving, painting, printing and embroidery.

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Alex Prager, Desiree (from The Big Valley), 2008, c-print, Alex Prager Studio.

‘Alex Prager: Silver Lake Drive’ at The Photographers’ Gallery

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

It has been well over a year since I visited a solo exhibition in the photographic medium (Wolfgang Tillmans at Tate Modern, February 2017, for those who care). I was actually recommended ‘Alex Prager: Silver Lake Drive’ by a kind client at work, and though it is not in character for me to follow such advice when it comes to exhibitions - especially for a show I’d never even heard of - boy, am I glad I did.

Alex Prager, Four Girls (from Polyester), 2007, c-print, Alex Prager Studio.

Prager (1979-) is an American photographer and filmmaker whose work takes on the aesthetics of mid-20th-century Hollywood cinema and stylised fashion photography. Boldly saturated colours, glamorous costumes and almost comic make-up feature in her work, but don’t think Prager is solely focused on the ‘look’. Layers of emotion and storytelling are there for the viewer to find, particularly in the Crowd series, in which groups of individuals in public spaces are depicted in sharp focus and detail. And because everyone is equally emphasised, the eye is constantly darting across the image, seeking new characters and objects to analyse.

Alex Prager, Anaheim, 2017, c-print, Alex Prager Studio.

Prager has also mastered the moving image. I don’t usually spend too long in the film sections of exhibitions, but these pieces are utterly irresistible. Face in the Crowd from 2013, starring Elizabeth Banks, features a series of monologues from a diverse range of characters, interspersed between claustrophobic bustling crowd scenes. This, and 2010′s Sunday - two nearly identical frames simultaneously showing the same faces in a sports crowd before a startling conclusion - were my stand-out works. I could watch Prager’s images all day and would love to see her meticulous style in a full-length feature film, though that’s probably just being greedy.

Anyway, this is IT, you guys - the show of the summer. Don’t miss it!

Alex Prager, Crowd #7 (Bob Hope Airport) (from Face in the Crowd), 2013, archival pigment print, Alex Prager Studio.

Alex Prager: Silver Lake Drive is on at The Photographers’ Gallery until 14th October. All images are my own.

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Irene Chou, Circles upon circles, 1995, mixed media, 106.5 x 152.5 cm, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Source

Irene Chou (1924-2011) was a Chinese artist known for her ink-based works. She worked primarily in Hong Kong, but spent the last 20 years of her life in Brisbane, Australia. Chou was also one of the founders of the two leading artist groups in Hong Kong—the In Tao Art Association and the One Art Group.

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Sydney Parkinson, Three Paddles from New Zealand, 1769 © British Library Board

‘James Cook: The Voyages’ at the British Library

★ ★ ★ ★

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: the British Library are experts at immersive curation. The objects displayed in ‘James Cook: The Voyages’ are set amongst a backdrop of ice white walls, evocative of sweeping glaciers, that guide the visitor through each of Cook’s global expeditions. It has been 250 years since the HMS Endeavour set sail from Plymouth for the Pacific Ocean - followed by two further voyages in the 1770s - and this exhibition celebrates the scientific and navigational work of Cook and his team, which would change the world forever.

My visit to the show brought back some wonderful personal memories. I wrote a number of essays for both my BA and MA art history courses on mapmaking and expeditionary art, so a number of the drawings, maps and journals on display were familiar to me. It felt like visiting old friends! Furthermore, after my recent travels Down Under, I’ve been feeling a little consumed by wanderlust. This little escape from my busy London life did provide satisfaction, albeit temporary!

John Webber, View of the harbour of Huaheine, 1777

‘James Cook: The Voyages’ is on at the British Library until 28th August 2018. All images are courtesy of the British Library.

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Arthur Lismer, Fishing Village, New Brunswick, 1929, oil on wood, 29.8 x 40.4 cm, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Source

After my recent trip to Australia and New Zealand, I have been reminiscing about previous travels and thinking about places I’d like to revisit in the future. I went to Canada when I was 15 and would love to go back some day and explore the coastal provinces. This lovely scene from Group of Seven painter Arthur Lismer looks so enticing!