Van Gogh and Britain

By New Worker correspondent

Vincent van Gogh, the post-impressionist artist, is undoubtedly a household name. His paintings are displayed in galleries all over the world.  But on the street little is known about one of the most influential figures in modern art, apart from the fact that he inspired Don McLean to write a song about him that got to number one in the charts in 1972.

Although some may recall the films and drama-documentaries that inevitably focus on his struggle against poverty and mental illness that led him to cut his ear off and eventual suicide at the age of 37 in 1890, few realise that the Dutch artist spent three years living in London in the 1870s. Now the Tate Gallery in London seeks to redress the balance with an exhibition that opened in March and will run until 11^th August this year.

This major exhibition brings together over 50 sketches and paintinga by Vincent van Gogh in an art show that the Tate claims will reveal how he was inspired by Britain and how he inspired British artists.

Van Gogh was clearly impressed by Gustave Doré’s harrowing scenes of London's hovels and he was an avid reader of Charles Dickens. But whether he really was inspired by his sojourn in London and whether those 19^th century British Victorian artists on display really had much influence on Van Gogh’s work is clearly debatable.

We do get to see a handful of Van Gogh’s priceless works – including Sunflowers, Shoes and L'Arlésienne along with Starry Night over the Rhone, which some visitors mistakenly think is The Starry Night of the McLean song that now stands in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Although Van Gogh won the respect and admiration of other avant-garde artists, he never made a penny out of his paintings. Now they can command millions on the open market. This exhibition doesn’t come cheap either. It’s £20–£22 per ticket and a fiver for children!

Art and Peace in London

By New Worker correspondent
 

Londoners got a glimpse of contemporary Chinese art at an exhibition in the Mall Gallery in the heart of the capital last week. The exhibition showcased highlights from the Beijing International Art Biennale, including paintings in ink, watercolour and oil, as well as wood block prints and sculpture, all by renowned Chinese artists. They have been selected to be part of the Chinese Art World Tour to demonstrate the pursuit of peace through art, and to strengthen understanding and the exchange of ideas between the China Artists Association and groups of artists around the world.

Sino-European Arts, a London- and Hong Kong-based art consultancy and exhibition service, hosted the week-long exhibition. Managing Director Suzanna Mu said that she was really excited about presenting the exhibition. “The works include ink paintings, oil paintings, wood block prints, sculptures, watercolour paintings and mixed media, all by renowned Chinese artists. Collectively, they demonstrate the Chinese nation’s pursuit of peace through art from 2003 to 2015.”

At the opening ceremony,  Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming, said: “For the first time, this exhibition brings to Britain contemporary Chinese art works that had been the highlights of the Beijing International Art Biennale exhibitions from 2003–2015. Under the theme of ‘Art and Peace’, this exhibition will be an art gala for building friendship and peace. It has three-fold significance.

“First, the art works represent the Chinese people's keen aspiration for peace.

“The Chinese are a peace-loving nation… For the Chinese nation, the pursuit of peace, concord and harmony is a way of life. It is in our blood and soul. It is at the heart of Chinese culture. And it is an unchanged theme for generations of Chinese artists.

 “The Art & Peace exhibition covers various kinds of artistic works, including ink painting, oil painting, wood block prints, sculptures, etc. These works showcase China's traditions and modernity, and the harmonious co-existence between man and the nature. They are meant to extol life and the nature, and to express the Chinese people's love and pursuit of peace.

“Second, today's event reflects the common wish of humanity for lasting peace in the world.

“When we look at the world today, we see peace remains unachieved in many regions. We see a complicated and changing international landscape. We see global problems propping up one after another. We see uncertainties and instabilities on the rise. It is against such a background that the {Art & Peace} exhibition is coming to London.

“Through a rich variety of artistic expressions, this exhibition emphasizes China's commitment to building a community of shared future for mankind.

“It conveys a profound reflection by Chinese artists and their aspiration for world peace and development. It is a worthwhile attempt at interpreting the tireless pursuit of humanity for lasting peace in the world.

“I believe that viewers visiting this exhibition will gain a deeper understanding about the value of peace, about the healing power of art, and about the importance for humanity to pursue and uphold peace together.

“Third, the event today adds new highlight to the broad cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Britain.

“This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Ambassadorial diplomatic ties between our two countries. It is also a year for consolidating the China–UK Golden Era. In such an important year we are very happy that the China Artists Association is bringing its finest collections to London. This exhibition and the seminar you are going to hold for academic exchanges will contribute to the overall China–UK cultural ties and people-to-people bond.

“They will promote the exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and British artists, and help them build consensus.

“They will display the charm of the contemporary Chinese art to the British public.

“They will bridge the hearts of our two peoples and increase the friendship and mutual understanding.

“Finally, they will reinforce our joint efforts to build a world of harmony and a world of lasting peace.”

Witchery in Dagenham

by Carole Barclay

Valence House in Dagenham may seem to some an unlikely venue for an exhibition about the occult arts – but the Bruja exhibition, the word is simply the Spanish for witch, has considerable interest in the London borough that was once part of south Essex.

This modest display of sketches, paintings and ‘magic’ paraphernalia by Alisha Ward is tucked away in one of the rooms of this historic moated manor house, which goes back to the 13^th century. It now contains permanent exhibitions on history and life in Barking and Dagenham, including displays from the old London County Council’s massive Becontree Estate.

Alisha Ward is an artist, illustrator and art student from London. She says that her work traditionally “takes the basis of the female form, using this as a catalyst for ideas which revolve around mental illness and the human condition, and takes a narrative form incorporating mythology, folklore, gothic, literature and pop culture references.”

In this exhibition in the Whalebone Gallery, Alisha combines the iconography of magic with her interest in folklore, film and the spooky side of life to create a narrative of the landscape of human experience.

It’s well worth a visit if you’re in the area and the rest of the museum is packed with interesting displays that reflect life in the borough from the Stone Age onwards, as well as a gallery dedicated to the social impact that the building of a massive council estate in the 1920s and the subsequent arrival of the Ford Motor Company had on what had been a rural village on the outskirts of London. There’s a ‘cinema’ that shows newsreels about Dagenham on a continuous reel and a very good café at the nearby visitors centre.

Valence House is not the easiest to find if you don’t know your way around the estate, so take a map with you. The nearest stations are Chadwell Heath and Dagenham Heathway, but they are both a 20 minute walk away from the park. Admission is free and the museum is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00; and the exhibition runs until 6^th May. Admission is free at:

Valence House Museum

Becontree Avenue

Dagenham RM8 3HT

Phone: 020 8227 5293 or 2034