What’s On – Art & Design In London

Enjoy our latest London art & design update from our man about town…

TATE MODERN

SE1

Gerhard Richter until 8th January

A fantastic retrospective of the 79 year old German painter. The early works use readymade photos as the starting point which he painted in monochrome and blurred the images using a dry brush dragged across the surface…this process was explored throughout his career and developed into a process involving the use of a squeegee to blur the paintings.

Alongside these he started to paint photo realist works including the painting of his daughter Betty facing away from the viewer and looking at one of his earlier Grey paintings. There were also a series of Candle paintings and a collection of works based on images of the Baader Meinhof group.

CAMDEN ARTS CENTRE

Arkwright Road, NW3

Haroon Mirza & Nathalie Djurberg until 8th January

The Haroon Mirza is a great installation entitled ‘I saw a square triangle sine’ which uses a collection of electric appliances, keyboard, drum kit, radio and other components to create an audio composition. The viewer is invited to play the drums and so become part of the experience.

Nathalie Djurberg has created a series of animated claymation short films which have naive, disturbing stories dealing with taboos or difficult aspects of existence which are shown alongside large displays of glass like objects some of which loosely resemble vases and other containers.

BRITISH MUSEUM

Gt Russell St WC1

Grayson Perry: The Tomb of The Unknown Craftsman until 19th February

Grayson has had free rein to select pieces from the museums collection and display these alongside his own specially produced works which include a tapestry, motorbike and numerous ceramic vessels bearing his signature imagery which reflect 21st century culture in its widest forms.

WELLCOME COLLECTION

Euston Road NW1

Until 26th February

Infinitas Gracias: Mexican Miracle Painting

Another fantastic gathering of Mexican votive paintings, mainly on tin, depicting thanksgiving to saints who have prevented all varieties of disasters from happening. They are relatively naive in style and include blessings and thanks offered to the saints for relieving pain, preventing disasters and prolonging life.

Felicity Powell: Charmed Life: The Solace of Objects

The artist has collected an extensive group of amulets borrowed from the collection of Edward Lovett. These range from metal coins, glass pendants, carved bones and many other items. She has also produced a collection of works all on the backs of circular mirrors where she makes wax relief images of body parts which have a fabulous ethereal quality about them.