ART AT HOME

Section 1: TRAVEL

It’s probably not surprising that – while in lockdown – so many people chose artworks bought while travelling or which reminded them of their travels.

This is my “Niemeyer Corner”
Left: Photograph by French photographer Marcel Gautherot of one of Oscar Niemeyer’s buildings in Brasília,  the Palácio do Planalto (Câmara and Senado), purchased at the Instituto Moreira Sales in Rio.
Centre: Another photograph by Marcel Gautherot, of another work by Niemeyer, the Palácio da Alvorada, purchased at Instituto Moreira Sales in São Paulo.
Right: On the grey wall are sketches by Oscar Niemeyer of his Brasilia Palacio do Planalto (top) and the Serpentine Pavilion (bottom); these were purchased at the Serpentine Gallery the year Niemeyer had his temporary Pavilion in the grounds in London.
P.C.

Rolls Royce (Low Bypass Engine) Turbine Blade, Margaret Duston 2011, 36x24cm C-Type on dibond aluminium

“A photo that could be a painting, of an unrecognisable thing, on a strange matt surface. Pretty much sums up how Marg works, everyday ordinary strange, happy to have some of that at home.”

The Road Home, Tony Scrivener 2007, 23x27cm oil on canvas

“Bought from the Porthminster Gallery in St Ives in February 2007 – a trip and and a painting that was a present from me to me after a long project. St Ives was more or less shut in February, but the Porthminster was setting up a show or moving things about, I don’t remember which, and they kindly let me in. A chance encounter, chosen for the title as much as the painting.”
A.C.

“We saw this artist’s work in Yangon in a gallery in Myanmar.  https://www.tawwinartgallery.com/moe-myint-zaw/
Moe Myint Zaw paints almost exclusively the Pa-Oh tribe from the Shan State of Myanmar. The Pa-Oh tribe believes they are the descendants from a dragon and their trademark colourful headgear resembles the head of a female dragon. Moe Myint Zaw captures the full splendour of the Pa-Oh headgear through paying great attention to detail to the print of the fabric and how it is worn around the head.
The colours just sing and the delicate little hairs at the back of the neck are so wonderful!”
J. B-W.

“I love this windswept Cornish seascape, with it’s typical brooding clouds, that’s in our family room. We bought in in St Ives from the artist Saul Cathcart and I think it’s acrylic and pencil. I hope it’s not the closest I get to Cornwall for the rest of this year. ”
H.B.

“I have travelled widely for many years and have lived in a number of different countries – and now I am back living in London, I really treasure the best reminders of those travelling days – pieces of original art.
These works are all by contemporary artist Victor Uhthoff who lives and works in Mexico City. I met him at the Sunday Art Garden near where I lived and his work always strikes a chord with how I viewed Mexico City as a place of magic realism. The other two panels/ single panel, depicting a jazz club, are a special triptych I commissioned to remind me of my favourite jazz club in Mexico City “Zincos” housed deep inside a bank vault in the centro historico. It summons up wonderful memories of all the amazing music and musicians in Mexico – and the amazing artists too.”
C.B.

“I commissioned this from a traditional Ethiopian artist in Lalibela, Ethiopia, in 1968. It depicts the Battle of Adowa in 1898, when the Ethiopian army defeated the invading Italians – the only African army to repel would-be European colonist invaders. The picture conforms to the stylised codes of Ethiopian art. For example, the enemy (the Italians) show only one eye, while the good guys, the Ethiopians, show both. The artist painted little Union Jacks in the corners as a kind compliment to me. After the revolution in 1973, this kind of art became politically incorrect and I guess it’s died out now more or less although there are still lots of cartoon style pictures of the Somomon and Sheba myth sold to tourists.”
E. L.

“This painting is called “Taking a Break” Oil on canvas.
I have been going to a studio in a small village in Tuscany for several years, during the summer months. Light and colour are the aspects of art that stimulate me to paint.
When I saw this barrel set up as a table with chairs and surrounded by objects on the wall, it inspired me to create a painting. I was particularly  fascinated by the colours and textures of the stonework on the walls outside a small cafe in the Main Street of the village.”
Stewart Ganley Artist

“These two paintings and the photograph were all made by George Blair: the paintings are remembered versions of Dundee, where he grew up, while the very atmospheric photo came from a house we stayed in for a few days in the French Alps, our raincoats hanging in the porch.”
S.L.

“I painted this in the Verrocchio studio that I go to in Tuscany. It’s called Have you seen uncle Nigel.
When I go to Tuscany I usually paint outside or in the painting studios upstairs.
However one afternoon, I went downstairs and sat drinking a cup of coffee in Nigel’s sculpture studio. I was surrounded by a vast range of objects on shelves, tools, casts, containers, equipment and sculptures. Across from where I sat was one of Nigel’s sculptures on a stand.
It was a small child sitting down and an adult bending down looking at the child.
This inspired me to create this painting. I recreated a vibrant colour scheme of the surrounding objects in this composition and titled the painting on the two figures, that I had looked at.”
Stewart Ganley Artist

Click to see the other selections: Artists | Mood | Friendship 

If this post has inspired you to think about adding to your collection, have a look at our website for ideas: Past Exhibitions, and Upcoming Shows and get in touch!