Coming to London? Like art?

[mazolaman]

Hi all,

Just had a bit of a cricket tour, and decided to go and see the Lowry exhibition at the Tate Britain.

What a great exhibition.

Far from just "match stick men", his art represents the changes made by the industrial revolution in Britain.

He was influenced by the Impressionists, a few of whom are also shown here, to demostrate this. But whereas they tended to overdo the beauty of nature, Lowry painted more truthfully, showing many industrial, smoggy landscapes, the collectivism of the people who lived and worked in the industrial towns, and frequently the harsh lives they endured, seen through his work as a rent collector.

His art shows his influences from his tutor Valette, and Delacroix and heavier oils look like Van Gough. Some industrial scenes look cartoon like, almost modern art.

The Tate Britain also has some excellent British art, both classical and modern, and is also worth wandering round, as it is not so huge as to wear you out. A great place to visit.

You can catch the Thames river taxi from Waterloo, which is a great way to arrive, then after the gallery, catch it back up to Greenwhich. It's a good way to get a different perspective of London.

Or you can do as I did, catch the tube to Victoria, or walk, down to the ever-so-wealthy Belgravia, and buy a cigar at Tom Tom, sitting outside in the sunshine, and have a drink...

[SeeGar]

I've been meaning to see that exhibition for a few days now. Maybe tomorrow. Lowry is great, and the museums here are large enough to get really meaningful collections together.

If anyone wants to do a double-header, there is a river ferry that runs between the Tate Britain and the Tate Modern called... wait for it... the Tate a Tate.

[canadianbeaver]

Looks fantastic. Went to the site about the exhibit, read about L.S. Lowry and saw more of his paintings. I was blown away. The illustrative, quality of the work, some bordering on folk art or children's book illustration makes is absolutely loveable.

Then you go to the historic and industrial side and see what a versatile painter Lowry was / is. And for the most part, self taught.

Thanks so much for sharing.

[mazolaman]

Cheers folks, I hope you get the chance to go.

Interstingly, there was uproar from the cognascenti regarding the Tate showing the work of Lowry.

I think they thought of him as some kind of folk artist, not worth the space.

Ahh the foolish snobbery of the high orders.

Having seen his art, it is beautifully painted, and with meaning.

[canadianbeaver]

Interesting about that opinion... Not saying price alone determines the appreciation or significance of an artwork, but it does show how established an artist is in the appraisal/longevity process.

[mazolaman]

Interesting about that opinion... Not saying price alone determines the appreciation or significance of an artwork, but it does show how established an artist is in the appraisal/longevity process.

Yes indeed.

In some ways Lowry had become a bit of a stereotype, of Northern England, or at least his art had.

As the country has long since turned away from the Industrial revolution, perhaps it would choose to forget it.

But I feel his form of impressionism was a kick against his mentors, who painted an exagerated vision of the beauty of nature, he painted an impression of the reality he saw.

Interestingly, he was more apreciated in France, and regularly exhibited in Paris. Perhaps the French got the point. But I suspect his lack of recognition also has roots in the good old British class system....