David Hockney was 16 when he first came across the work of Vincent Van Gogh at Manchester Art Gallery. “I do remember thinking he must have been quite a rich artist. He could use two whole tubes of blue to paint the sky in one painting,” he remarked during an interview with Hans den Hartog Jager. Ironically, Hockney goes on to become the world’s most expensive living artist and one who is inspired by the work of Van Gogh.

After a well-received show at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam last year, Hockney-Van Gogh: The Joy of Nature makes its way to Houston, Texas, marking the first exhibition for the two visionary artists together in the US. The initial exhibition was highly praised for the way it drew comparisons between both artists’ rich use of color and fascination with the changing of the seasons, despite the fact that Hockney’s scale often dwarfs Van Gogh’s studies.

The exhibition reveals Van Gogh’s unmistakable influence on Hockney in a selection of carefully curated landscape paintings and drawings. Through bold use of color and experimentation with perspective, both artists craft worlds that are unique and true to them, yet offer mass appeal. 50 of Hockney’s vibrant works, ranging from intimate sketchbook studies to iPad drawings and monumental paintings are presented next to 10 carefully chosen paintings and drawings by Van Gogh.

The scale of works like Hocnkey’s The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011  – a painting 10 meters wide, and made up of 32 individual canvases – makes clear that Hockney is continuing to bring fresh ideas and innovative styles to his work. Alongside the large-scale canvases and watercolours, the exhibition will include iPad drawings; The Four Seasons, Woldgate Woods (Spring 2011, Summer 2010, Autumn 2010, Winter 2010), as well as a video installation work in which nine cameras, placed at different angles, were driven through the same part of Yorkshire woodland at the mid-points of the four seasons, with the four videos playing simultaneously on facing walls. In addition to Hockney’s use of the iPad,  ‘photographic drawing’ In the Studio, created with the help of 3D-scanning technology, will also be displayed.

Hockney – Van Gogh: The Joy of Nature, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, through June 20. 

The arts and tech are only becoming more intertwined and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has recognised this having just announced the recipients of its inaugural Knight Arts + Tech Fellowship. Five artists have been selected for the new fellowship, which recognises their “innovative approaches to technology and new media” with an unrestricted grant of $50,000.

“For decades, artists have found novel ways to leverage technology in their art,” Knight’s vice president for the arts, Victoria Rogers, said in a press release. As a relatively new facet to the art world, the intersection of art and tech can allow for incredible and unusual experimental works. With ample room to explore comes difficult terrain to navigate as an artist as the field requires much time and resources.

Thus, the Knight Arts + Tech Fellowship aims to support those artists progressing the field through their use of technology, such as AI, AR, VR, digital mediums, immersive installations, and software, among others, in “thoughtful, creative, or poetic” ways. In addition to an unrestricted grant, the fellows will benefit from various “channels of support” ranging from contacts with art world professionals to collaboration opportunities. A new publication presented by the Knight Foundation and guest edited by artist and researcher Salome Asega will be one such networking avenue, as the Knight Arts + Tech Fellows will be featured in it. The publication, called Shift Shape, will be published online on the 24^th of March.

The five inaugural Knight Arts + Tech Fellowship recipients are:

• Black Quantum Futurism (Philadelphia, PA) – A collective founded by artists Camae Ayewa and Rasheedah Phillips exploring “Black temporalities and community futurisms” through a variety of mediums, including digital projects, performance, film, installations, writing, and music.
• Rashaad Newsome (Oakland, CA) – With an emphasis in “constructing a new cultural framework of power that celebrates Black contributions to the art canon and creates innovative and inclusive forms of culture and media,” Newsome is an interdisciplinary artist. His works consist of a blend of various mediums including photography, collages, computer programming, software engineering, an performance art.
• Rodolfo Peraza (Miami, FL) – Often creating works for public spaces, both physical and virtual, Peraza is a multimedia artist with a particular interest in data visualisations related to internet culture and its impact on society.
• Sondra Perry (Newark, NJ) – Working through video, computer-based media, and performances, Perry in an interdisciplinary artist exploring issues of race, identity, family history, and technology.
• Stephanie Dinkins (Brooklyn, NY) – The Kusama professor of Art at Stony Brook University and a transdisciplinary artist, Dinkins’ work “creates platforms for dialog about AI as it intersects with race, gender, aging and the future.”

The fellows were nominated by artists and art professionals before they were selected by Knight, United States Artists, and a panel that included Global placemaking lead for Google Josette Melchor, Creative Technologist and Found of Afrotectopia Ari Melenciano, and Director of NEW INC Stephanie Pereira.

“We’re thrilled to champion the work of these five gifted artists,” continued Rogers, “whose practices experiment with new ways to bring to light and address today’s issues.”

The Knight Arts + Tech Fellowship grant is funded by United States Artists, a US non-profit that has supported artists and creatives since 2006, having distributed more than $33 million in direct funding.

From Netflix’s new film to exciting discoveries in England and Wales, a trio of archaeology headlines prove not all things that come in threes are bad.

Netflix & (The) Dig

A new Netflix film beautifully portraying a major 1930s archaeological discovery in the English countryside has received a lot of attention.

The Dig tells the story of Edith Pretty (played by Carey Mulligans), the daughter of a wealthy Yorkshire industrialist family who, with the help of self-taught amateur archaeologist Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) and a team of archaeologists, uncovered a trove of ancient artefacts that forever changed our understanding of the Anglo-Saxon period. The movie, based on a 2007 John Preston novel by the same name, traces how Pretty and Brown unearthed a Great Ship Burial on Pretty’s Suffolk property, an estate named Sutton Hoo. Although dramatized for the silver screen, The Dig is a fairly true-to-life interpretation of the challenges the late-1930s excavation faced, not least of which being the lead up to World War II.

The excavation of three mounds at Sutton Hoo yielded a number of treasures that were spectacularly diverse, a fact that surprised those working at the site and historians, alike. Ultimately, the uncovered artefacts were gifted to the nation by Pretty and are now housed at the British Museum. The significance of the artefacts to the understanding early medieval Anglo-Saxon history (~410 CE to 1066 CE) cannot be overstated. “The discovery in 1939 changed our understanding of some of the first chapters of English history,” Sue Brunning, curator of early medieval European collections for the British Museum told Smithsonian Magazine. “A time that had been seen as being backward was illuminated as cultured and sophisticated. The quality and quantity of the artifacts found inside the burial chamber were of such technical artistry that it changed our understanding of this period.”

Was there a Welsh precursor to Stonehenge?

As for one of the world’s most well-known and mysterious sites, researchers have made discoveries that could shed more light on Stonehenge. It is known that portions of the bluestone pillars that make up Stonehenge travelled around 150 miles to their Wiltshire home, but it could be that some were formerly part of another, older monument in Wales known as Waun Mawn.

Research into this theory was led by Mike Parker Pearson, a University College London professor of British later prehistory, and he and his team’s findings were recently published in Antiquity, a peer-reviewed archaeology journal. Thanks to four stones still in the Welsh field, researchers were able to locate buried stone holes that bear a similar shape to the bluestones found at Stonehenge. These stones that once stood in Wales also created a diameter that is nearly identical to that of Stonehenge. Finally, adding logistical evidence, the Welsh site is just three miles from where the bluestone was quarried in Presli.

This discovery gives credit to a theory proposed a century ago by geologist Herbert Thomas. It was Thomas who posed that the massive stones in Wiltshire were transported there after having been erected in Wales, but his theory was discredited as “doubtful and insignificant.” For Pearson and his team, the discovery is a long time coming. “I’ve been researching Stonehenge for 20 years now,” Pearson told The Guardian, “and this really is the most exciting thing we’ve ever found.”

A documentary presented by Professor Alice Roberts covering the findings aired on BBC Two on Friday.

Expected yet surprising discoveries at the Wittenham Clumps

Just 50 miles from Stonehenge in Oxfordshire, archaeologists have made yet another exciting discovery while excavating at the Wittenham Clumps. In preparations for redeveloping the visitor centre there for Earth Trust, the charity that cares for this historic site, bringing in archaeologists was the first step as the land is known to have been occupied for more than 3,000 years.

What archaeologists have discovered is an iron age settlement consisting of more than a dozen roundhouses that date from between 400 BCE and 100 BCE as well as a late third to early fourth century Roman villa. They have also discovered stone corn-drying ovens and more than 40 graves that span two Roman cemeteries.

The Wittenham Clumps are made up of two hills situated next to the Thames River. They are named for the clumps of beech trees – the oldest known planted beeches dating back 300 years – that sit atop each hill. Known as Round Hill, the taller of the pair, and Castle Hill, which was the site of an Iron Age hill fort, the hills have born evidence of Roman, Bronze Age, and Iron Age peoples.

So, when work began on the new visitor centre, archaeologists were hopeful that they might unearth something, but what the found was described as “astonishing” by Lisa Westcott Wilkins, co-founder of DigVentures, the unique archaeology team that lead the work at the Wittenham Clumps. “With so many people being confined to their homes, we’re really excited to be able to provide a glimpse of what ancient homes were like,” Wilkins said in a statement. “People will be able to find out what was happening along the River Thames in Oxfordshire during the Iron Age and Roman periods, and learn more about their homes – based on the evidence we’ve uncovered.”

The fun this is, is that if after watching The Dig, you’ve got an itch for more archaeology, you can follow along with DigVentures on the discoveries they make at the Wittenham Clumps

For artist David Breuer-Weil, art and art making became what he described as a “lifesaver” during the onset of the pandemic and the months that have followed. Breuer-Weil, who is based in London and well-known for his “Project” installations and large-scale bronze sculptures, has released a new book that compiles some of the work that he’s created during the pandemic. Fittingly titled Golden Drawings, the book showcases a series of work that are somewhat different to his oeuvre but offer a stunning reflection on life during the pandemic.

On the 20^th of March last year, just days after the whole of the UK was plunged into what would be its first national lockdown, Breuer-Weil began to experience COVID-19 symptoms. For the next six days, as his symptoms worsened, he began a series of drawings embellished with gold leaf that became like a buoy. Thankfully, Breuer-Weil recovered from the virus, but he continued the series of drawings for weeks as the pandemic and lockdown continued, making 66 drawings in total.

Dubbed the “Golden Drawings,” Breuer-Weil brought them together to create his newest book by the same name. Alongside each of the 66 drawings, which are on view in an online exhibition through June, Breuer-Weil recorded his thoughts which accompany his drawings offering incite and context for the works.

If I’m honest, when I cracked Golden Drawings open, I was a bit hesitant; if 2020 taught us anything, it was to be cautious, right? If I was nervous that the book might offer too lofty a perspective on the state of the world or that I might leave its pages feeling forlorn as the UK perseveres through its third national lockdown, I wouldn’t have been more wrong.

Golden Drawings, while rooted in Breuer-Weil’s personal and intimate experience with the pandemic, offers a sense of connectedness in a time when physically connecting has become difficult if not impossible. The drawings are a beautiful interpretation of the artist’s walk through the early months of the pandemic. Meanwhile, the juxtaposition of graphite against gold leaf is stunning and each time you look at one of the drawings, there’s something new that catches your eye.

All 66 of the drawings are beautifully complimented with excerpts of Breuer-Weil’s thoughts, that read much like a running journal entry. Golden Drawings is somewhat of a narration of the lived experience of the pandemic.

This is the first time that the artist has written his own accompanying text, his words are relatable, thought-provoking, and comforting. Therapeutic undertones run through Breuer-Weil’s drawings and writings, connecting artwork after artwork, page after page. I found it impossible not to let those threads run out of the book and into my own experiences.

I sat down, planning to start the book and just a few hours later, I was turning the last page; I couldn’t put the book down. What struck me about Golden Drawings was how refreshing it was in being immersed in another’s pandemic experience and realising the commonalities we shared. Breuer-Weil’s drawings became an opportunity to meditate on the past year in a way I’ve yet to do.

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to chat about Golden Drawings with Breuer-Weil on the phone. Today, we’re sharing that interview with you:

Katherine Keener: Your drawings and writings feel cathartic. Was publishing them together as a book kind of the culmination of that experience?

David Breuer-Weil: Normally, when I’ve created books before, I have an art critic or a scholar write the introduction to the book. But in this case, the words came as I was drawing and so it was a decision to put my own words with the drawings, which I like as an idea. There’s a tradition of doing that in the past with people like William Black, who published poems with pictures at the same time. It’s not done that often these days, but I think it could be quite a nice genre, that thing of words with pictures.

KK: I do agree, your writings offered context and incite without pigeonholing the drawings or even what the viewer or reader was meant to experience. You touched briefly on your process, but how did you choose your subjects? Did your drawings come first, dictating your writing?

DBW: I would say that the drawings are primary, because that’s my primary expression. I don’t really consider myself a writer, although I have written quite a lot. So, I tried to make the writings as natural, heartfelt, and simple as possible. And people did actually respond to it well as writing, which was quite interesting, so I think that’s a question of just being modest and natural about it.

KK: The first six “Golden Drawings” were created quite quickly, one each day while you were sick. After that, you can see by the dates found on the drawings that some took a day while others were completed over a few days. Was that simply the natural progression of the series? Or, as time went on, were they requiring more preparation? 

DBW: I think in the first few drawings, I’m discovering a new medium, because I hadn’t really used much gold before. Actually, I resisted using it because it’s too decorative. But I found the gold was quite uncanny; it added a level of unreality and allowed a look into a different world. The gold brings a different psychological dimension. With the first drawings, I didn’t know what to expect. I was exploring. Then as time goes on, as I’m using the medium more and technically becoming more familiar with it, I’m using it to express more and expanding outwards. In fact, since Golden Drawings was published, I’ve been working on a new, very ambitious piece, which is large scale drawings in many parts kind of based on the Bayeux Tapestry. So, the early “Golden Drawings” are about finding a new medium and running with it.

KK: I was going to ask you about your use of gold leaf, because you do describe it in the introduction to your book as “too decorative,” which you’ve echoed. Why were you drawn to such a flashy medium during a pandemic and a year that most would probably describe as having been bleak? It could feel like an odd juxtaposition to have this beautiful, bright gold leaf set against what many might describe as a desolate year?

DBW: I think there are a few reasons for this. The first is just a feeling you have when you make art and it feels right. So, the feel of it is number one and I felt that quite strongly. The second reason is that years ago, I worked with and studied a lot of medieval manuscripts. Many of those are illuminated with gold leaf and a lot of them were actually from quite early in the 14^th century, which was the age of the Black Death. A lot of the manuscripts reference that and have this gold leaf. So, I’m making a deliberate connection between the pandemic now and older pandemics, where the reaction was often, artistically, a kind of apocalyptic imagery in connection with this kind of gold background. But the third reason is that during the first lockdown, there was, for England, quite unprecedentedly wonderful weather. We had this glorious sunshine every day. So, there was all this weird stuff going on and at the same time nature was out in all its glory. I wanted to express that paradox of while the world’s going through this terrible thing, the weather, at least in England, was marvellous, which is not typical for the country. So, the choice to use gold leaf was a combination of those three factors.

KK: From Drawing One to Drawing Sixty-Six, there seems to be an evolution that has taken place. The first drawings feel as though there is an urgency to create them and get them down on paper, but as you progress through the drawings, they take on a much more reflective nature. This is emphasized by your writings, which towards the end of the book are hugely introspective and meditate on current life, the past, and the future. Do you feel as though you’re the later Golden Drawings are reacting not only to the pandemic but to the issues that society is facing that began to come to the surface after the pandemic took the spotlight for a while?

DBW: I definitely think that’s correct to say. The pandemic is one thing, but there are a lot of other things going on in the world that were very important and powerful and I think that art, at least for me, needs to reflect the moment you’re living in. I think there is a lot of art that has become preoccupied with the art market and money, which is not really what it’s about in the long-term, in my opinion. In 100 years, or 200 years, when people look back at this time, they are going to want something that expresses what was happening. Much like those medieval works, which reflected their times.

KK: How do you think this series and the pandemic have affected your work as an artist?

DBW: I think there are a lot of images that have come from the pandemic, the cover of the book [Drawing Forty Five], which depicts the clapping hands is a good example of that. You have this tragic image from the pandemic, but it’s also unbelievably positive when we came out every Thursday night clapping for the NHS. Sometimes the worst times bring out the best in humanity. That’s the kind of paradox that is really quite interesting and is expressed in the art. So, I think that you get these marvellous things about humanity in bad times and the art is this marvellous thing that stays there after the bad times. It’s taking something positive, out of all of the negative, which does happen with art quite a lot.

KK: You’ve mentioned these drawings being documentation for future generations can look back to. What has struck me is the accessibility of these drawings and your writings. Even if someone has no background in art, you can empathise with and connect to Golden Drawings…

DBW: I think one of the things to come out of the pandemic is that the whole world is in this together. Different kinds of elitism have been broken down and one of those is art, where for a long time, art was catering to a small group of people who are, in a way, art world insiders. I think it’s important to reclaim art as a tool and as a language for the whole world.

Towards the end of our conversation, Breuer-Weil added that the drawings sparked another series of large-scale oil paintings that took up much of his time during the second lockdown and found inspiration in the Duveen Galleries at Tate Britain. So, while the “Golden Drawings” are works in their own right, they became studies for Breuer-Weil’s larger piece.

Perhaps that is symbolic of the pandemic. The trauma, loss, frustration, and joy in the things we once took for granted, all of these things and more have made up a complete period, that has reshaped the world. The pandemic has been an unexpected period of upheaval but, it’s also a period that will play a role in society as we move forward, and perhaps it will prove to be preparatory for a better future. A future where we find the glint of gold in all that surrounds us.

Over the past year, it’s been tough for art lovers to get their fix in reliable ways. With galleries and exhibition spaces in flux with the tide of the pandemic- and some finding their doors shuttered permanently because of it- there has been a revolving door of celebration and disappointment when it comes to viewing opportunities. Montreal has started to inch its way out of yet another lockdown, and with the province of Quebec nearly tied for the highest case totals in Canada, it likely won’t be the last one. But for the time being, there’s some celebration in seeing Montreal galleries reopen like the Musée d’art contemporain and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Since October of 2020, we haven’t seen Montreal galleries reopen to the public. This long-awaited opportunity to view art in person once again comes from Quebec premier François Legault loosening certain restrictions on businesses within the province. While many believe there hasn’t been enough done to assist those in the fine arts sector during the pandemic, the announcement has been met with an outpouring of support from citizens, reaffirming just how valuable these institutions are to the culture and daily life of a city.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is now currently able to have just over 100 visitors in its space at a time. Individuals have to reserve a spot online before arrival to ensure protocols are followed. Unfortunately, the permanent exhibits have remained closed for the time being, but they have done what they can to maintain the works on loan. 

Yehouda Chaki’s collection A Search for the Missing is of note in the gallery’s reopening- a series of hundreds of paintings bearing the assigned numbers of Holocaust victims. These haunting works of ghoulish visages were available to view online over the past several months, but this will be the first time they can be seen in person at the museum.

The Musée d’art contemporain has the entirety of its space available for viewing upon reopening, as well as four new exhibitions on display. One such exhibition is John Akomfrah’s video installation Vertigo Sea, weaving together excerpts of nature footage from the BBC’s archival library as well as his own staged footage. Juxtaposing visions such as polar bear hunts, whaling, slave ships, and refugees fleeing by boat, it “weaves together multiple narratives that portray the ocean as a site of terror and of beauty.”

With so much time cut off from the simple viewing pleasures we enjoyed, and with so much of the future still uncertain, small victories such as these are certainly a reason to celebrate. Any art lover can tell you that moving beyond the screen and sharing space with art once again is a truly wholesome and enlivening prospect. Here’s hoping that with Montreal galleries reopening, they’ll get to stay that way.