Thank you for this wonderful piece. I was completely smitten by the NZ women artists when I visited a few years ago and spent many happy hours in Christchurch Art Gallery looking at them all, especially Rita Angus and now you give me another name to explore.
I wonder if you know of a book entitled Bloomsbury South by Peter Simpson. It covers the art movement in Christchurch NZ between 1933 and 1953. I saw it while I was there but just couldn’t carry it back with me. I still covet it! Might be of interest, especially in the way they rebelled against the need for women to travel to England to make their name, preferring to establish their own artistic movement in New Zealand.
It is certainly eccentrically conceived. Not the essay, of course, but what the painter laid down on canvas, appearing to me not as a record of the subjects with any fidelity, but rather as a record of her impressions of the subjects, adjusted heavily to correspond to the mood of the painter at the instant of applying the brush.
What a great read, I love the black and white photos. Thanks for sharing and re-introducing me to Frances Mary Hodgkins, the self-portrait is so familiar. It makes me so happy to learn that she painted with gouache since that’s one of my favourite mediums at the moment to work with.
Thank you so much Victoria for this fascinating extra insight into France’s life and work.I went to a wonderful exhibition of her work in Auckland a few years ago.. living in New Zealand u have always been fascinated by her.. but what a complicated life she had to keep her dream alive.Thank again:)Ursula
This was so enjoyable as well as informative. I especially like Hodgkins' Methodist Chapel. It has a haunted, fractured quality to it that makes me think of the literature in England of the time (Auden, Orwell) that was full of foreboding about the war they knew was coming.
Whenever I read a piece by someone who I vaguely know you always manage to bring them to life and educate me. Thanks for this, great piece.
Thank you for this wonderful piece. I was completely smitten by the NZ women artists when I visited a few years ago and spent many happy hours in Christchurch Art Gallery looking at them all, especially Rita Angus and now you give me another name to explore.
I wonder if you know of a book entitled Bloomsbury South by Peter Simpson. It covers the art movement in Christchurch NZ between 1933 and 1953. I saw it while I was there but just couldn’t carry it back with me. I still covet it! Might be of interest, especially in the way they rebelled against the need for women to travel to England to make their name, preferring to establish their own artistic movement in New Zealand.
It is certainly eccentrically conceived. Not the essay, of course, but what the painter laid down on canvas, appearing to me not as a record of the subjects with any fidelity, but rather as a record of her impressions of the subjects, adjusted heavily to correspond to the mood of the painter at the instant of applying the brush.
What a great read, I love the black and white photos. Thanks for sharing and re-introducing me to Frances Mary Hodgkins, the self-portrait is so familiar. It makes me so happy to learn that she painted with gouache since that’s one of my favourite mediums at the moment to work with.
Thank you!
I sorry!
Thank you so much Victoria for this fascinating extra insight into France’s life and work.I went to a wonderful exhibition of her work in Auckland a few years ago.. living in New Zealand u have always been fascinated by her.. but what a complicated life she had to keep her dream alive.Thank again:)Ursula
This was so enjoyable as well as informative. I especially like Hodgkins' Methodist Chapel. It has a haunted, fractured quality to it that makes me think of the literature in England of the time (Auden, Orwell) that was full of foreboding about the war they knew was coming.
Thank you Victoria. A really super, enjoyable read.
Thanks, Victoria, for another excellent Sunday read.