From elegant portraits to details of the opening exhibition at Margate's new Turner Contemporary gallery
Kent art and antiques round-up
Antique of the month
With Tony Pratt of The Canterbury Auction Galleries
His older brother Charles was a renowned sculptor, famous for the figures around the Royal Artillery war memorial at Hyde Park, and his older sister Edith was a noted landscape artist.
Yorkshire-born David Jagger (1891-1958) meanwhile became a portrait painter of considerable merit. His sitters included Queen Mary, Robert Baden-Powell and Winston Churchill, now in public collections and out of reach for the collector.
Like his siblings, David, the son of a colliery manager, went to Sheffield School of Art, but spent most of his adult life in Chelsea. He enjoyed a rapid rise to fame after exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1917-18 and became a leading member of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters and was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1921.
His output was prolific and he painted numerous works, such as this titled The Yellow Breakfast Cup, with a charming elegance that would suit any drawing room. Probably depicting his wife, the oil on canvas illustrates Jagger’s ability to capture a momentary glance from his sitter and the exquisite detail of her dress. The portrait sold for �2,200 in our most recent sale of fine art and antiques.
Turner and Turner
The opening exhibition at the new Turner Contemporary gallery, which opens its doors to the public on 16 April will explore the themes of imagination, discovery, wonder and the creative spirit.
Centred on JMW Turner’s extraordinary but little-known painting The Eruption of the Souffrier Mountains, in the Island of St Vincent, at Midnight, on the 30th of April, 1812, from a Sketch Taken at the Time by Hugh P. Keane, Esqre, 1815 depicting a dramatic volcanic eruption that Turner himself never witnessed, the exhibition will feature new commissions by Daniel Buren, Russell Crotty, Ellen Harvey and Conrad Shawcross, alongside selected works by Teresita Fernandez and Douglas Gordon.
The opening show, which continues until 4 September, will be followed by:
Nothing in the World but Youth
17 September 2011-8 January 2012
An exhibition exploring how youth experience has been reflected in art, culture and the media from the late 19th century to the present day.
Hamish Fulton
14 January-13 May 2012
His first one-person show in the UK since 2002, will include new work made as the result of group walks in Kent commissioned by Turner Contemporary.
Turner and the Elements
28 January-13 May 2012
For more information tel: 01843 294208
Vroom, zoom
Love cars and taking pictures? Then Kent snapper Jason Dodd’s photography courses at the Brooklands car museum next month will certainly appeal.
Jason’s workshops will not only feature some stunning cars but will also be set against the great backdrop of Brooklands, including the world-famous historic banking of the racetrack.
The one-day course is limited to six photographers. No specialised equipment is needed, just a digital SLR and Jason’s is to give participants not only an understanding of composition and manual techniques but also a unique portfolio from an historic venue.
The course costs �120 per person and includes admission to Brooklands as well as lunch, plus the opportunity to look round the museum and site.
Course: Sunday 27 February, 10am-3.30pm at Brooklands museum, Weybridge,
Surrey KT13 0QN
To book a place, contact Jason at: 07732 106192 or carzpix@rocketmail.com.
Please mention Kent Life when you book, as Jason will present the reader who takes his favourite shot of the day with a framed copy.
Museum of life
The Kaleidoscope Gallery in Sevenoaks has recently been home to some high-quality contemporary art shows curated by the new Kent Arts Officer Duncan Brannan. Apokrisis, which continues until 27 January, will be the fourth show in the series. Five Kent artists have been invited to produce work in response to a selection of cutting tools taken from the Sevenoaks Museum’s reserve collection.
For example, hair remnants collected by Rosalind Barker from central Sevenoaks’ hairdressers have been preserved, archived and reinvented in ‘A Hairy Story,’ glass artist Ray Taylor is showing beautiful glass pieces in response to the concept of ‘Cut’ while a small set of false teeth were the starting point for Franny Swann’s work ‘Museum of My Father.’
�— For further information, tel: 01732 453118.
Open Workshop – ‘Cut It Out!’ on 8 January at Kaleidoscope Gallery, Buckhurst Lane, SevenoaksTN13 1LQ.
