Arts Beyond the Classroom

A group blog for families to share experiences of culture in London.

New Year's Day with Epstein and friends

from Michelle Hepworth | Comment (2) | Jan 5, 2010 Michelle Hepworth

So on New Year's day there was beautiful sunshine, perfect for a walk through London to the Royal Academy. Royal Academy was chosen by virtue of being one of the only places open on the bank holiday!
The current exhibition there is about 3 sculptors and their output in the decade or two before World War 2 (Wow - I actually remembered some facts from the exhibition - usually I forget all of the 'info' stuff). The sculptors are Jacob Epstein, Eric Gill and Henri Gaudier-Brezsca (I've probably spelt that wrong). Anyway, there were some great pieces - mostly stone carvings. I particularly liked some of Gill's very human versions of the traditional Madonna and Child arrangement. The scariest thing is Epstein's huge robotic creation astride a menacing drill.  No doubt such artwork comments on the state of the world at that time but even without that context, it was pretty powerful stuff.
The exhibition also gets my vote for being small enough to digest (only three rooms). Much bigger than that and I get a bit mind-boggled!
I think the exhibition just started so it's probably on for a good while, in case you fancy it.  


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