Tanya Barson

Every time I set a new theme for the book club I run I always end up having a little bit of an existential crisis. Even though I’m the one picking the topic, the wide variety of choices in front of me, the challenge of getting a book in from the library in time, and my inability to read a book that I’m not obsessed with (perpetual DNF syndrome, anyone?) counterbalance the excitement of having a new inspirational task to focus my “to read” list. Thankfully, the May theme (April show more showers bring May flowers) caused slightly less anxiety than usual - even with the shortened timeline between meetings - because I had just picked up this exhibition catalogue on American powerhouse painter, Georgia O’Keeffe, who is known for her gorgeous floral pieces. The exhibition for which the catalogue was produced marked the 100-year anniversary of O’Keeffe’s first showing, with a three-gallery show that served as the first major retrospective of the artist in the 21st century and contained the most wide-ranging selection of her work ever shown. Damn, if my timing wasn’t just the slightest bit off, since the show touched ground in London’s Tate Modern mere months after I visited during the summer of 2016… Thankfully, the galleries made an effort to publish this lovely tome to epitomize the show in memory, and bring it to life for those of us who wished we had been there! As with most art publications, I continue to complain that I want more, more, more, but the heft of this volume is not to be taken lightly. It contains a solid balance of textual narratives that explore the major themes of the exhibition (the artist’s exploration of place, her artistic relationship with her husband, and her impact on future American artists, among others) with lovely reproductions of a selection of the artwork itself. Obviously we aren’t treated to an entire catalogue of O’Keeffe’s work from the show (oh, if only…), but I was impressed by the range presented and enjoyed the fact that I was seeing some pieces that I hadn’t been privy to before (possibly her lesser known work? Or maybe I’m just forgetful, and not a very good acolyte of the artist yet). Scattered throughout, I was surprised to see a selection of historical content, which I don’t feel is often included in catalogues except as a mention or citation, with the expectation of the reader having a solid foreknowledge or looking things up as they read. While I can see this inclusion being seen as an afteraffect by afficionados, it speaks to the historical grounding that the curators took in compiling the exhibition; O’Keeffe may seem to have been divorced from many of the major 20th century global events that we take for granted as having an impact on creative output, but her own writings on her work, the publicity around her shows, and contemporary viewpoints serve to bring her story to life in a way that I don’t feel I’ve seen in many other gallery catalogues - and which the historian in me absolutely adores. What I wouldn’t give to have been able to see this show in London (or in Ontario), as I’m sure the real thing was even more astounding than this lovely book. show less

"Making History" investigates the rich interchange between documentary and art practice in Britain throughout the twentieth century. The term 'documentary' is far from straightforward and its influence on visual culture has been complex and profound. Britain pioneered the development of the documentary form; the filmmaker and producer John Grierson, who coined the term and is widely regarded as the father of documentary, defined it as 'the creative use of actuality'. Artists have been show more involved in the development of documentary practice from the very beginning, and this in turn has had a significant impact upon the visual arts in Britain. Although "Making History" is mainly focused on fine art, film, and photography, it also covers television documentary and docu-drama, poetry and literature, sociology and social anthropology. Documentary continues to be an area where new forms or structures are created, such as the 'fly-on-the-wall' approach. These in turn inspire and transform the language employed by artists, who adapt their techniques to their own ends. This catalogue presents documentary realism as a defining influence on visual culture in Britain, both as an established form for artists to respond against and an area of radical innovation in its own right. "Making History" features work by artists and practitioners including, Bill Brandt, John Bratby, William Coldstream, Tacita Dean, Jeremy Deller, Lucian Freud, John Grierson, Isaac Julien, Martin Parr, Humphrey Spender, and Gillian Wearing. show less

(1) copy TBC Hills