Reviewed by Regina Su
This
year, the Art Gallery of New South Wales plays host to a collection of pieces by
surrealist, Francis Bacon as part of the gallery's International Art Series. Spanning
from the early nineteen forties until the
late eighties, the exhibition covers approximately five decades of his artistry
and showcases many unseen stimuli from his workshop and personal interests. The
works have been drawn from over 37 different collections, including the Museum of
Modern Art of in New York as well as the Tate Museum in London.
Bacon
passed away in 1992, but was revolutionary for his time. In this collection of post-war
pieces, Bacon exemplifies controversial modern art. Throughout the commentary of
the exhibition, we learn of his influences, from studying the works of Impressionists
such as van Gogh and abstract expressionists, such as Picasso. As the exhibition
progresses, we see the influential nature of these and other sources to Bacon's work. Controversial
and radical for it's time, the art of Francis Bacon is experimental in textures
and style, as well as subject matter, for a lot of his work presents a level of
homosexual oppression. Throughout the exhibition,
we are shown his social commentary in works like " The Crucifixion" and
"Figure in landscape," and these are said to encapsulate his social interests
in human brutality and Nazi Germany, as well as his personal interests in radiography
and lovers. Both of these artworks highlight the interrelation and combination of
subject matter that Bacon exemplified in most of his pieces.
The
exhibition itself is a mixture of different mediums- photography of Bacon and his
studio, films from at critics and influential films from the 1920's, as well as
artifacts from his studio. The exhibition is a great showcase of selected works,
however I felt that I need an introduction to his artistic capabilities and endeavors/career
in interior design, rather than just a focus on his internal angst and social commentary.
I felt that the exhibition was a little narrow in selection and I was Ieft wanting
to know more of his progression through artistic styles and why those interested
him. For example, late 2012, the gallery showcased the works of Picasso and they
displayed the progression of his works- from his ability to sculpt and sketch like
Michelango at age 11, to his deconstructionist abstract expressionism. It was because
of this chronological progression that I understood the motives and reasoning behind
a lot of the later works. I felt that this is was was lacking from the current Francis
Bacon exhibition, although it was very interesting to see the masterpieces from
one of the most intellectual and controversial artists of the 21st Century.
As
an intellectual endeavor, I recommend catching this exhibition before it ends on
the 24th of February.
