DeCarava and Wylie

Afternoon at David Zwirner's

Artistically nourishing day out in Mayfair

Photograph by RoyDeCarava

I have a friend who visits London a couple of times a year and is always interested in art shows or doing unique things together. We went to see an exhibition of Roy DeCarava’s photography in David Zwirner Gallery at 24 Grafton Street. It was an artistically nourishing day out in Mayfair. 

Donald Byrd playing for the mountains, photograph by Roy DeCarava

DeCarava used to take pictures of famous jazz musicians he knew privately: Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, Donald Byrd, Hazel Scott and others. The exhibition showcases an atmospheric collection of black and white images from the 1950s and 1970s. They feel like a photographic notebook. Amongst perfectly executed shots are under or overexposed sketches, with the main character randomly positioned or out of focus. 

The intimate selection leaves you with a feeling of nostalgia. Fleeting moments recorded by DeCarava follow Monet's artistic legacy. Although he uses photography, some images look like impressionistic paintings, where imperfections and the passing seconds are of significant value.  

Billie Holiday and Hazel Scott in an atmospheric scene, photograph by Roy DeCarava

The exhibition has got some points of reference for every artist, like me, looking for inspiration or connection with the work of those before me, as if they were my mentors. It was interesting to see the private aspects of DeCarava's creativity.

On the top floor of David Zwirner Gallery, there was a small but precious selection of Rose Wylie's work. I wrote about her before, as part of my article about Frieze London 2021.

Rose is now in her late 80s, but she continues working as an artist. Her oeuvre improves with time, like a good wine. She is inspired by cartoons, often combining images with text in her 2D works. Her style is intuitive and sketch-like, capturing a symbolic meaning of the moment, rejecting photorealism altogether.

 

Pineapple by Rose Wylie / Photograph: Agnes Prygiel

Red Girl (no face) and Red Girl (face) by Rose Wylie / Photograph: Agnes Prygiel

David Zwirner presents a smaller version of Rose Wylie's famous pineapple, her primordial paintings,  drawings, and  powerful sculptures. 

Both exhibitions have a common element: they document the artists' creative process, not only the final, best work. It makes me realise the most talented minds in the history have a method of choosing the works they wish to present to a wider public or keep as mental notes for themselves. 

Agnes Prygiel, London 16.02.2022

Christmas Special Reinvented

The Nutcracker by Matthew Bourne

It is hard to believe how quickly time flies! A couple of weeks ago, I celebrated the premiere of Matthew Bourne's new play "The Midnight Bell" during the night out with Ken Loach and my friends. Now I am counting the days to Christmas, delighting in another production by the same director.

For theatre and ballet enthusiasts, "The Nutcracker" is like "Kevin Home Alone" for film lovers. It is a Christmas must-see! Experiencing the play for the first time in Bourne's interpretation last Sunday in the Sadler's Wells Theatre teleported me into the world of magic. I was walking the streets of London feeling light-hearted as if I had entered a new dimension.

This hugely celebrated play has been reinvented for us using modern technology such as 3D mapping, creating magnificent effects on stage. Lengthy ballet sequences have been removed from it altogether. The baseline of the story and the music by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky stayed the same.  

In the beginning, we see a sinister orphanage in a distorted perspective. Monochromatic costumes and collapsing angles of the set bring op art and Salvador Dali's paintings to mind. Everything is for a show in this grim institution where discipline rules over love. Kids perform daily activities in front of wealthy benefactors and, in return, are given Christmas presents, amongst which there is an unusual nutcracker in a shape of a boy puppet. 

When the kids fall asleep, one of the girls dreams up an alternative universe with all the characters from her daily life in new roles. In her fantasy, the nutcracker comes to life as a Frankenstein oddity. He comes across as frightening at first but soon wins the orphans' trust by helping them escape from the oppressive establishment, leading them into the beautiful world of imagination. 

The colours and the set change, contrasting with the previous sombre background. Soft light and feathery shapes dominate the scene. The actors appear in new costumes: fluffy hats, floating skirts and white suits. The second act moves us more into the Alice-in-the-Wonderland-like reality, with bonbon decorations, unusual new characters and even more flamboyant outfits designed by Anthony Ward. To the young girl’s despair, the Nutcracker turns into a handsome young man but regrettably falls in love with an overconfident and cheeky Princess Sugar. Will the unimposing orphan be able to win him back?

I can only use one word to describe the show: impressive. Like in all Matthew Bourne's plays, dance, acting, set design, costumes, and sound come together, forming a fantastic theatrical experience. It is like nothing you have ever seen before. 

Matthew Bourne's interpretation of "The Nutcracker", co-written with Martin Duncan, had its' first premiere in 1992. From that moment on, it has been inspiring new audiences worldwide. The director mentions essential changes introduced this season. If you have seen the play before, I am sure it will surprise and leave you speechless, moving your heart and imagination again.

Agnes Prygiel, 14/12/2021 London