Friday 23 January 2015

Walls of Water, Maggi Hambling

 
 

Walls of Water, Maggi Hambling, at the National Gallery. 
 
 
 
 
Eight paintings which Hambling began after watching gigantic waves crash on to the sea wall in Southwold, Suffolk, during a storm in 2010. 'It is a very genteel place and then suddenly nature was there like a primeval force... I've never seen waves like it, it was extraordinary. It was very beautiful but terrifying... It was life and death at the same moment I suppose, which I think any art that's worth having a go at is about. I'm trying to paint death with as much life as I can'.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 












 


This exhibition offers parallels with a display of works by 19th century Norwegian artist Peder Balke, (post to follow) which is on at the same time. 

2 comments:

  1. I love Maggi Hambling's responses to water. There was also a fantastic exhibition of her monotypes of water at Marlborough Fine Art recently: http://www.marlboroughfineart.com/prints-Maggi-Hambling-54.html
    I think that she captures the North Sea wondrously.

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    1. She does indeed. And thanks for the link, Olga.

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