Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Mexicans at the Pallant

Great Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's exhibition at Pallant House. A modest show hung in three small rooms and curated from just one collection (Jacques & Natsha Gelman) but really well put-together and featuring  a few iconic works. But the pictures that made the biggest impression on me were three or four photographs by her one-time lover, Nickolas Murray: saturated with colour but at the same time very natural (one right). The Riveras were good too. I was intrigued to read Richard Dorment's review which described Rivera as "hideous". Big for sure, but hideous?! 

There's also an accompanying exhibition of photographs by Manuel & Alvarez Baro. And last year they showed a group show of Leonora Carrington, Remedios Varo and Kati Horna, three Surrealist painter friends who lived much of their lives in Mexico - indeed they were close neighbours. In fact I just heard that the under-acknowledged Carrington died just two months ago aged 94. A great artist and character.

Chichester's lucky to have the Pallant.

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