Davydtchenko is the artist-in-residence at Hong Kong’s The Catalyst gallery, an independent art space in Sheung Wan, until September 15, where he is sharing records of his extreme experiences as a multimedia show and offering unique gastronomic experiences in which members of the public can take part.

Challenging conventional norms has long been Davydtchenko’s agenda. His work – mostly installations and performance art that focus on food – explores issues such as waste in capitalist society, human survival and the collapse of civilisation.

The latter has plagued him since he was young, he says. Born in 1986 in a closed military town in Russia called Arzamas-16 – now renamed Sarov – he grew up in St. Petersburg, where he saw first-hand the violence of far-right groups.

Projected on a wall in his temporary home in Sheung Wan is an image showing a tattoo of three long lines running from his head down to his lower back. It was partly inspired by the tattoos he has seen on young Russians who have embraced radicalism.

“I turned the same painful act to myself, using a symbol of low-class violent Russian youth as a way to better understand their violent ways,” he says.

He has another tattoo above his right eye: the logo of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. He had that done during the Covid-19 pandemic to question whether there were alternatives to approaching the virus beyond what we were told by “Big Pharma”.

In 2021, while sporting the Pfizer tattoo, he filmed himself eating a small, live bat outside the European Parliament building in Brussels and offered the video for sale as what he claims to be the first NFT (non-fungible token) of a performance work. The extreme act prompted public outrage and he was briefly detained by Brussels police.

“When I found out that a specific mutation of bat was the source of the virus, I decided to ‘vaccinate’ myself by eating a live one,” he explains.

He insists that what he puts in his mouth has never harmed him, and that it is a capitalist myth that “anything wild in nature is dangerous, scary and should not be touched or eaten at all cost”. To prove a point, he underwent blood tests every three months while making Go and Stop Progress, each time getting the all-clear.

People accustomed to having food delivered to their table – or bought packaged and sanitised from a supermarket – might find Davydtchenko’s self-sufficient scavenging style hard to swallow.

Rats were his main source of protein during his time spent living with “the cataphiles”, a community of urban explorers who illegally tour the network of unused tunnels underneath Paris. (Later, in 2021, he lived in the rat-infested suburbs of Cologne, Germany, where he ate 100 of the vermin for his work titled Rat Race.)

Video footage of his time deep beneath the French capital plays at Catalyst, with some scenes showing him cooking in near darkness. Another shows him butchering a dead sheep he found as roadkill.

He is documenting his stay in Hong Kong and taking images that will be included in his upcoming book, called Death Book, which will be published in October.

He will also invite audiences for weekly gastronomic experiences.

“I am collaborating with chefs from Shia Wong Hip,” he says of the snake restaurant in Kowloon’s Sham Shui Po district that is known for serving snake soup. “The lady helping me with the gastronomic performances is nicknamed ‘Snake Queen’ – her real name is Chau Ka-ling.”

Audience members will be able to register to receive information on upcoming underground events.

As shown by Hong Kong’s snake soup tradition, what may seem unacceptable to some is sometimes merely an alternative culture that exists outside mainstream Western capitalist standards.

During his years living on roadkill, Davydtchenko worked with chefs known for preserving traditional French foods, their presence becoming part of his “performance”.

He honed his skills in butchering and brining, and experimented with different cooking techniques such as khorkhog, a Mongolian barbecue dish prepared with hot stones.

“I collected river stones and heated them with fire and put the whole animal inside, leaving it to cook over several hours … it gives a special flavour to the meat,” he says.

“In another technique, I buried the whole animal underground with hot coals and stones and left it for 24 hours to 48 hours, depending on its size, to slow cool the meat – it was very tender.”

The most ancient techniques, he says, were the most effective. Even vegan chefs were interested.

“Because the animal’s death was accidental, they [vegan chefs] could accept touching it and cooking this meat – they were excited about this. I got so immersed I did not consider myself an artist during this time frame.”

A graduate of London’s Royal College of Art, Davydtchenko is affiliated with A/political, a London-based arts organisation that for 10 years has pushed the boundaries of contemporary art.

“A/political represents the most radical voices in art and music,” a spokesman told the Post, “embracing taboo subject matter that usually comes with controversy and risk, pushing diverse and controversial perspectives to the foreground of a media sphere dominated by mainstream narratives.”

Above all, A/political provides artists with support, guidance and confidence to materialise artworks and ideas that other organisations would not, the spokesman says.

“Petr Davydtchenko is unique in his practice, dedicating years of his life to becoming the work himself in extreme situations.”

“Death Book”, The Catalyst, 2 Po Yan St, Sheung Wan, tel: 2773 1120. Ends Sep 15.

A talk from the artist on his past and current projects takes place on August 18, 5pm.

Gastronomic events start mid-August, limited seats only. Interested parties can email The Catalyst to register.

Artists who work out of an affordable studio space in central Hamilton say they have less than two weeks left before they’re forced to vacate the premises when they thought they had until next year.

The three-storey building on 29 Harriet St. was owned by the real estate management firm Forge & Foster. The building was being leased to Centre[3], a non-profit arts organization, in partnership with Aeon Studio Group, to be subleased as affordable studio spaces for artists in the city.

The studio spaces opened in July 2023 with Centre[3] touting it as a “top-of-the-line venue … at an affordable price” and a way to support “artists at every stage of their career.” 

One of the artists renting a studio in the building is Melanie Cheung, who has been renting the space — about 200 square feet with large windows and tall ceilings — for around $500 per month.  

“I was so happy to be able to have this space,” she said. “It’s like a basically a dream art studio for anybody who is an artist.” 

Forge & Foster appears to be selling off a number of their properties, including at 211 York Rd. in Dundas, Ont., and 72 James St. in downtown Hamilton. The latter property went into receivership earlier this year, according to court documents.

Cheung and other artists were told by Centre[3] in late April they had until February 2025 to leave the Harriet Street studio, according to emails seen by CBC Hamilton. Centre[3] said the building was repossessed by the lender and sold to a new buyer.

But more recently, on July 26, they were told in another email they’re now required to leave by Aug. 15.

CBC contacted Forge & Foster for comment but did not receive a response. 

As an abstract painter, Cheung said having access to bigger floor space to work on in the studio is “crucial” to her work. If she can’t find an alternative studio space, she is planning to move all her work home. 

“We all had summer plans and things, so now with this short notice we have to schedule a move with all of our equipment,” she said. “It’s going to be a bit of a struggle.” 

Matthew Gibson, the lawyer representing BFT Mortgage Investment Corp, which repossessed the building according to a document sent to the Cheung by Centre[3], said he did not have instructions to comment on the matter. 

Yvonne Felix, who became the executive director of Centre[3] earlier this month, said she understands how the short notice to leave the studio was “shocking” to the artists still in the building. She said the organization is trying to work with the tenants and the real estate firm that sold the building to find a mutually agreeable solution. 

“The best outcome is that the community doesn’t feel like it’s being pushed out and that the seller feels that… they’re hearing what community is telling them,” she said. 

Felix said she doesn’t know who the new buyer of the building is. 

Rent for the studios in the Harriet Street building ranged from $500 per month for a 200-square-foot studio to $800 per month for a 600-square-foot studio, said Cheung. 

Cheung said she doesn’t know of any other dedicated art studios on the west side of the city and that other commercial spaces available for leasing are likely to cost twice as much. The east end’s Cotton Factory is comparable, she added, but often has longer-term leases. 

Cheung said she’s concerned about the message recent events send to artists working in Hamilton and how the city will be able to attract new artists when resources are limited.

“The promise of something like this felt so exciting… But then for it to be cancelled it just very disappointing,” she said.

Cameron Kroetsch, councillor for Ward 2, said he has been in contact with the artists still renting space in the building. He said he shares the concerns Cheung has about the need for affordable spaces artists and the importance of supporting the arts community in the city.

“It’s really disappointing to hear that not only are these spaces going to be gone, but that people are being asked to get out of there immediately,” he said.

Kroetsch said there isn’t a lot the city could do as the building is owned by a private company. He’s looking into finding them another space to work. 

“I’m hopeful that they’ll be a solution here and we can find some affordable spots for these folks,” he said.

Press Release, Orbis Research –The Physical Art Investment Tool Market Research report includes an analysis of different product types, applications, and geographical areas where Physical Art Investment Tools are used.

Request a sample report @ https://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/7196576

The Research delves deeply into the present patterns influencing the Physical Art Investment Tool market. It examines the factors behind industry growth in addition to the opportunities and challenges that exist.

By carefully studying data and conducting research, the report identifies the key factors that are increasing demand for Physical Art Investment Tools across several important industries.

Physical Art Investment Tool market Segmentation by Type:

Cloud-based
On-premises

Physical Art Investment Tool market Segmentation by Application:

SMEs
Large Enterprises

Direct Purchase the report @ https://www.orbisresearch.com/contact/purchase-single-user/7196576

Some of the main sectors covered in the report include:

1. Consumer electronics
2. Automotive
3. Telecommunications
4. Industrial applications

The competitive environment in the Physical Art Investment Tool industry is also examined in detail in this report. It provides information on the major companies operating in this space, including:

– What strategies these companies are using
– What products do they offer
– How they position themselves in the market

Key Players in the Physical Art Investment Tool market:

Clipchamp
Lovo.ai
Speechify
PlayHT
Murf
Synthesys
VocaliD
Respeecher
Speechelo
Wavve
Altered
Listnr
ReadSpeaker
VoCoVo
Semantix
ElevenLabs
Typecast
MicMonster
MetaVoice

For investors and business professionals, the report highlights potential opportunities for investment in the Physical Art Investment Tool market. It seeks to offer a thorough summary that can assist in guiding strategy formulation and decision-making.

Throughout the report, difficult concepts are explained in layman’s words. Even for people who might not be specialists in the Physical Art Investment Tool market, the information should be clear and easy to acquire.

The research methodology utilized in this report is comprehensive and methodical, designed to collect and examine information thoroughly related to the Physical Art Investment Tool market. The approach incorporates several key components:

Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry Expert @ https://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/enquiry-before-buying/7196576

1. Primary research methods: These form the backbone of the data collection process. The researchers engage directly with various stakeholders in the industry through:

a. Interviews: In-depth conversations are conducted with:
– Industry experts who possess extensive knowledge of market trends
– Manufacturers who have first-hand experience with production processes
– Suppliers who understand the supply chain dynamics
– Distributors who have insights into product distribution and consumer demand

2. Focus on market trends: The research pays special attention to current and emerging trends in the Physical Art Investment Tool market. This makes it easier to spot changes in consumer behaviour, technical breakthroughs, and legislative changes that could have an effect on the sector.

3. Customer preference analysis: A significant portion of the research is dedicated to understanding what customers want and need. This includes gathering information on product features that are most valued, price sensitivity, and brand loyalty.

About Us

4. Industry dynamics examination: The study examines the interactions between several industry segments. Studying business rivalry, supplier and buyer power, and the prospect of new competitors or replacement goods are all part of this.

Contact Us:

Hector Costello
Senior Manager – Client Engagements
4144N Central Expressway,
Suite 600, Dallas,
Phone: +1 (972)-591-8191,
Email: sales@orbisresearch.com

PHOTO BY REAGAN WEST-WHITMAN

Two statues entitled “Lives/Works” with holes in their torso. A coffin made of hemp. A semi circle of candles surrounding a pillow.

Contemporary Craft’s current exhibition “Hereafter” explores the themes of grieving, mourning and the celebrating of life through more than 50 works in a variety of mediums.

“Grief and mourning are a part of each person’s narrative at some point in time, and of course we have globally experienced them over the course of the past few years. At Contemporary Craft, we value the opportunity for collective introspection around these topics, through the lens of artwork,” said Executive Director Rachel Saul Rearick in a press release. “This regional artist exhibition will explore intimate memories, as well as moments that might resonate with many. We welcome visitors to join these artists along a journey that processes spiritual and ritual response to loss, and imagines the world ‘Hereafter.’”

PHOTO BY REAGAN WEST-WHITMAN

“Hereafter” is on view until Aug. 24, and numerous programs are planned throughout the month to offer inspirational guidance to help individuals navigate loss and celebrate life as well as illuminate the universal themes of loss and remembrance. 

On Thursday, Contemporary Craft will host Hereafter Program Series 2 – “Death Machine and The Speed of Grief.” The speaker will be Ricardo iamuuri Robinson, an interdisciplinary sound recordist, composer, and visual artist exploring acoustic ecologies and the relationship between humans and their environment through sound. The lecture will “explore how the business of death operates in modern times and the impact it has had on our nature to grieve and process loss,” according to the website.

PHOTO BY REAGAN WEST-WHITMAN

Hereafter Program Series 3 – How the Arts and Artmaking Transform Grief, will take place on Thursday, Aug. 22. Author and grief advocate Sheila K Collins will “offer insights from the new field of neuroarts as to how the arts transform our thoughts, feelings, and experiences of grief.” She and members of her improv troupe, The Wing & A Prayer Pittsburgh Players, will respond to the exhibition with artistic expressions. 

More events, including making a Whisk Broom with exhibition artist Jada Patterson and a guided tour of the exhibition on its closing day, can be found here.

“Hereafter” was open to craft artists based within 250 miles of Pittsburgh. The selected artists are Sue Amendolara (Edinboro), Kimberlyn Bloise (Pittsburgh), Dan Brockett (Leechburg), Cheryl Capezzuti (Pittsburgh), Tom Doyle (Washington, D.C.), Meryl Engler (Akron, Ohio), Sharon Massey (Indiana, Pennsylvania), Zach Mellman-Carsey (Lancaster), Jada Patterson (Pittsburgh), Lucas Pointon (Gibsonia), Katie Rearick (Allison Park), Kate Strachan (Amber), and Hee Joo Yang (Pittsburgh).

PHOTO BY REAGAN WEST-WHITMAN

“In Hereafter, we carefully chose these 13 artists, whose creations resonate with profound emotions and memories drawn from their personal journeys, some intertwined with rich cultural and ancestral threads,” said Associate Director Yu-San Cheng in a press release. “Each piece reveals intricate details and narratives, inviting viewers on a captivating and intimate exploration of grief, mourning and the celebration of life.”

Trolls, the menacing otherworldly beings of folklore, are gaining a foothold across America. They haven’t gobbled anybody up yet, but they still hope to shake everyone who meets them to their core and deliver a new message: Trash is treasure.

“It’s an advertising campaign for trash,” quips Thomas Dambo, the Dr. Frankenstein to over 150 troll sculptures around the world. “I want trash to be the fashion, I want it to be cool, because if it was cool then we would be less wasteful.”

The Danish self-described “garbage artist” has been crafting giant trolls from refuse – mainly old wood pallets – for about a decade. The 5-ton sculptures haunt over a dozen countries and U.S. states. He completed his most ambitious troll installation – five trolls plus other giant sculptures – in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, in June.

Tied by themes of indigenous identity, historical trauma and reverence towards tradition, the Blanton Museum of Art’s newest exhibition, “Native America: In Translation,” features over 60 works of nine contemporary native artists who capture their stories through a different lens — a camera lens. 

The exhibition, open until Jan. 5, 2025, draws upon the Fall 2020 edition of Aperture magazine — a nonprofit publisher based in New York that leads conversations around photography worldwide. Curator Wendy Red Star and Hannah Klemm, curator of modern and contemporary art, oversaw the installment of the gallery at the Blanton.

“(The exhibition) celebrates Indigenous artists and Indigenous ways of thinking across a wide and diverse spectrum of cultural backgrounds and frameworks,” Klemm said. 

Red Star, an Oregon-based artist raised on the Apsáalooke (Crow) reservation, selected the artists that she felt represented Indigenous voices with a multi-generational impact.

“I was thinking about young Native artists and what would be inspirational and important for them,” Red Star said in a press release. “The people included here have all played an important part in … opening up space in the art world for new ways of seeing and thinking.”

Structured to allow for an in-depth look at each individual artist’s collection, the exhibition features traditional photographic work while also challenging traditional boundaries of the medium.

“(The exhibition) is an expanded idea of what photography is, and that’s one of the things that’s really interesting about it,” Klemm said. 

Some of the exhibit’s featured artists, such as Martine Gutierrez and Koyoltzintli, create with traditional photography. Others, such as Rebecca Belmore, who uses photography to recreate her past performance art pieces, and Kimowan Metchewais, who identified as a sculptor instead of a photographer, manipulate photography to supplement other mediums.

Klemm said she considers the work of Guadalupe Maravilla, an El Salvadorian-American with indigenous blood from Central America, as the most loosely associated with photography. His work consists of sculptured “retablos” — traditional Catholic devotional paintings — representing different experiences throughout his life.

“All of (Maravilla’s) practices are also deeply embedded with (Red Star’s) thinking about this indigenous worldview,” Klemm said.

Klemm said that how land, language and sharing can heal trauma associated with painful histories connects different artists’ work, such as Koyoltzintli and Maravilla, who both consider themselves not only visual artists but healers. 

“All of my work is a Trojan horse (for talking) about healing because healing is truly an experience,” Maravilla said. 

Maravilla said his personal journey of healing involved retracing his steps back to his home of El Salvador, where he escaped war as an unaccompanied minor in 1994. He used materials and collaborated with other artists from his ancestral home to open the healing conversation with others through his work.

“These are very difficult topics, but it’s really important for me to shed light (on them), no matter how difficult it is,” Maravilla said.

Klemm said that Curator Red Star put an incredible amount of thought into the curation of the project.

“The themes that (Red Star) was centering the show on our land, memory and language (while) thinking about recognition and sovereignty, but in ways that really contemplate native existences past, present and future,” Klemm said.

An article by Fabian Ritter, head of community at CAST Studios

The way art is created, sold and owned will change forever. Yet the question remains: is digital artwork worth the investment?To answer this question, let’s look closely at the two core elements: Art and Digitisation.

Modern digital art concepts

The digital art revolution has democratised the art market and ushered in a new era that has not only expanded the creative boundaries of artists, but has also fundamentally changed the art market and investment opportunities. Digital art utilises the power of modern technology, such as blockchain, to create artworks that could not exist in the physical world. This development has led to unprecedented accessibility and interactivity that challenges traditional notions of art and its commercialisation.

A key advantage of digital art is its easy accessibility. Artists can distribute their works via the internet and thus reach a global audience. Here, artists are able to sell their work directly to collectors without the traditional gatekeepers. This not only opens up new revenue streams for artists, but also offers collectors unique investment opportunities. In addition to accessibility, digital art is characterised by innovation and interactivity, creating a truly new art market.

Of course, there are also challenges. These include the fact that the market for digital art is particularly volatile and prices can fluctuate greatly. Nevertheless, those who understand and carefully select the art and the technology behind it can realise considerable profits. The keys to success are research, diversification and a deep understanding of the rapidly evolving landscape of digital art and the technology behind it.

Traditional Vs. Digital art

Digital art differs from traditional art in several key aspects. While traditional artworks are based on physical media, digital art often exists only in electronic form. This raises questions about its originality and collectability, as digital artworks, unlike physical ones, are infinitely reproducible without losing quality. The digital art market often utilises online platforms and digital certificates such as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to verify authenticity and ownership, which is a contrast to the traditional art trade. CAST Studio’s platform and the link to its cryptocurrency Castello Coin offers this opportunity.

Digital art offers exciting new opportunities for investors. But despite everything, many interested investors still lack one thing above all: trust.

Digital art is only really becoming a relevant investment object thanks to cryptocurrencies such as the Castello Coin. Blockchain technology creates unprecedented decentralisation. NFTs based on blockchain technology make it possible to treat digital artworks as unique assets. They therefore herald a new era. Yet currently, only a low single-digit percentage of the world’s population has invested in cryptocurrency. Why? CAST Studio has identified four key challenges:

• young market with few reliable sources of advice
• technology is complex and difficult to understand
• lack of trustworthy custody options
• lack of emotional connection and human elements

The experts are sure that in order to strengthen trust in the digital component of digital art, there must be a bridge between this new world and the familiar, analogue world. The solution to this is the Castello Coin, which builds bridges by using a physical work of art as a brand ambassador. It is the first coin in the world to utilise a brand ambassador – a work of art made from 24-carat gold. In this way, it positions itself as trustworthy “digital gold”.

As the currency of CAST Studios, the Castello Coin enables investments in digital artworks that are offered on the specially created platform. By utilising blockchain technology, Castello Coin guarantees the authenticity and provenance of each artwork, which is invaluable for investors. Other direct responses to the aforementioned challenges include being based in Switzerland and the associated maximum security and transparency standards as well as exclusive custody and account options.

Conclusion

We are on the cusp of a paradigm shift in art investment, which is more transparent, accessible and diverse than ever before. Ultimately, the question of whether it is worth investing in digital art is primarily a question of whether you can build the necessary trust. But for those who are ready to take the path of the digital revolution, the Castello Coin with the CAST platform offers not only opportunities to invest in digital art, but also a change of perspective on how we value and experience art. The digital art revolution is in progress, and it is undoubtedly worth a deeper look.

Generously supported by the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation, the Catapult + Adelaide Fringe mentorship will provide a funded opportunity for a South Australian visual artist, craftsperson or designer to undertake a 6-month mentorship with a chosen mentor, culminating in a public program, presentation of new work or performance as part of the 2025 Adelaide Fringe.

The Catapult + Adelaide Fringe mentorship program aims to enrich the artist’s professional and creative development through dedicated time spent with an aspirational mentor.

The successful mentorship will receive $7,500:

• Mentee/mentor fees (including superannuation) of $5,000
• Presentation fees (including registration fee and venue hire) of $2,500

The mentorship outcome can take the form of public programming, presentation of new work or performance during the 2025 Adelaide Fringe program, to be negotiated with the recipient. Adelaide Fringe will support the identification of a suitable venue location.

Catapult + Adelaide Fringe is presented in partnership by Guildhouse and Adelaide Fringe with generous support from the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation.

CLOSING MONDAY 26 AUGUST 9AM ACST

MORE INFORMATION AND TO APPLY: https://guildhouse.org.au/call-out-catapult-adelaide-fringe/ 

The National Gallery has not always been housed in a neoclassical palace on Trafalgar Square. Two hundred years ago, the national collection first opened its doors to visitors with a fine if modest collection of 38 paintings from the private collection of John Julius Angerstein down the road in his townhouse at 100 Pall Mall. The current building, designed by the architect William Wilkins, opened in 1838 and today the National Gallery has about 2,400 paintings, spanning the history of Western European painting “from Giotto to Cézanne”, or from the mid-13th century to around 1900. The story of the shaping of the National Gallery’s collection—which marks its bicentenary this year—is, as Susanna Avery-Quash, lead curator at the gallery explains, one of opportunities opened up by the French Revolution, artist leaders, intransigent royals and inspiring women.

In the late 18th century, there was a vogue in Western European courts for establishing national art collections, which would be open to the public and serve as an opportunity for states to show off how suave and cultured they were. France, as ever, led the advanced guard. The revolutionaries opened the palace of the Louvre as a museum in 1793, with the majority of works on display from royal and confiscated church collections. The Dutch established the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in 1808, and the Spanish the Prado in 1819. There was then no British equivalent. Around this time, though, in 1798, a mysterious organisation called the Bridgewater Syndicate emerged, led by the “canal duke”, Francis Egerton, Duke of Bridgewater, his nephew Lord Gower and the Earl of Carlisle. On to a good thing, the Syndicate bought the French and Italian works from the renowned collection of the Duke of Orléans, who needed the cash as the French Revolution had put him in dire straits.

While the syndicate kept some of the best paintings for themselves—such as Titian’s Diana and Actaeon (1556-9), which would ultimately find its way into the national collection in 2009—they showed the Orléans Collection to the public in several pioneering selling exhibitions, which encouraged public appreciation for Old Master paintings. There was a new feeling that the British need not be a nation of philistines after all, and could stage public art displays at least as well as the French, Spanish and Dutch.

With the successes of the syndicate in mind, some influential public servants believed that Britain would hamper its ascendant global standing without the soft power that came with a national collection (and, significantly, an impressive building to put it in). Many saw a national gallery as also essential for the development of competitive design education and the resurgence of a national school of painting in Britain. The radical MP John Wilkes, best known for introducing the first bill for parliamentary reform in the British Parliament, campaigned to have Sir Robert Walpole’s collection at Houghton in Norfolk as the basis of a national gallery at the British Museum. After some early enthusiasm, this idea was kicked into the long grass and the Houghton collection was sold to Empress Catherine the Great of Russia in 1779; the collection still graces the Hermitage today. It would be another half-century before Wilkes’s ambition for a national collection would be realised.

When the National Gallery was founded in 1824, and based at Angerstein’s townhouse on Pall Mall (first at number 100, between 1824-34, and then at number 105, from 1834-38), it was what might be called a “gentleman’s collection”. This meant that its specialisms were narrow but deep, and fashionably consistent with the tastes of the day, as promoted by leading international art academies. Those tastes were mainly 16th- and 17th-century historical, mythological or religious paintings, such as those by the Bolognese artists Annibale Carracci and Domenichino, and the French Baroque by Claude Lorrain and Nicolas Poussin. The first painting in the collection’s original inventory—NG1—is Sebastiano del Piombo’s The Raising of Lazarus (1517-19), originally commissioned by the future Pope Clement VII.

Artist-led spirit

The UK’s National Gallery would not be formed based on a royal collection, which was the convention on the continent, despite the royal collection then including important works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian. The early lack of contributions from the royal family was the source of some resentment among the National Gallery’s early pioneers. Further, there was no regular state purchase grant for pictures when the gallery was established, and the institution thus relied heavily on gifts and bequests in its earliest decades. Luckily, the gallery received a patriotic bequest by the painter J.M.W. Turner, who died in 1851, and left everything in his studio, including the celebrated Dido Building Carthage (1815), to the nation.

Indeed, living artists have played a central role in the National Gallery’s mission from the beginning. For some 30 years between 1838 and 1869, the eastern half of Wilkins’s National Gallery housed the Royal Academy, consistent with the architect’s desire for a “temple of the arts, nurturing contemporary art through historical example”. Two days a week, the gallery would close to the public and only card-carrying artists could wander the corridors for their edification and inspiration.

This artist-led spirit has endured, and there is a rich tradition of artists engaging with, and making new works inspired by, the collection. Between 1977 and 1990 the National Gallery hosted a programme of ten inventive exhibitions, The Artist’s Eye, in which an artist was invited to curate paintings from the permanent collection in whatever way they wished, with interventions by, among others, Anthony Caro, Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon and David Hockney. This August, as part of the bicentennial celebrations, the Yorkshire-born artist returns with Hockney and Piero: A Longer Look, promising to be a fascinating display documenting Hockney’s love of Piero della Francesca’s works, especially The Baptism of Christ, which he describes as “wonderful pictures that are marvellous and exciting to look at, that delight you”.

In 1853, a radically minded select committee accused the gallery of having no clear plan to develop the collection, and produced a 1,000-page report, which condensed the evidence offered by hundreds of witnesses, recommending a new management structure. There would now be an all-powerful position of director, rather than a keeper, and the first to hold this post in 1855 was Sir Charles Eastlake (affectionately “Sir Chas”). Avery-Quash told me that “the National Gallery we have today is largely due to Sir Chas’s vision” and is fond of an insightful character assessment by his friend, the architect and writer Charles Robert Cockerell RA, who said that “Eastlake is always admirable, through good and evil report. His Presidency [of the Royal Academy from 1850] is invaluable—earnest, steady, most judicious, business-like, kind, full of tact, consideration and even policy—but of an honest and wholly unselfish policy, and when need be, bold, as backed by honesty.”

Eastlake, who likewise displayed these attributes as the first director of the National Gallery, and together with his wife Elizabeth Rigby, art historian and translator of important German art historical texts, became the leading light of the London art world; indeed one contemporary described him as the “Alpha and Omega” of the Victorian cultural scene. During his decade in office, Eastlake purchased over 150 paintings, expanding the original gentleman’s art collection into a collection able to tell visually the story of Western European painting from its origins in mid-13th century Italy. Many of Eastlake’s early Italian and Netherlandish picture acquisitions were considered at the time “unsightly” and not the best teaching models for aspiring artists to follow—and as president of the Royal Academy, Eastlake doubtless agreed—but wearing his other cap of office, as director of the National Gallery, he explained that such pictures were critical as milestones in the history he was attempting to narrate, particularly the “rude beginnings” through which Italian art “developed” over the centuries, reaching its perceived apogee in the era of Raphael and his contemporaries.

As the 19th century became the 20th, the historical ambition of the directors, benefactors, and curators at the gallery meant that the collection was on solid ground. The National Gallery was now the custodian of a world-respected repository of Old Masters, as well as special paintings from both before and after Raphael. But the thing about art collections, whether public or private, is that even an impressive one may begin to look rather staid if it doesn’t keep up with contemporary fashions in taste and collecting. At certain later points in its history, the gallery has not been as advanced in its collecting as Eastlake had been when he pioneered the public purchase of early Italian art. A good example of the gallery falling behind the collecting curve came during the early 20th century, when some of its more conservative-minded trustees were slow to appreciate the merits of modern French art and could not conceive of them adorning the gallery’s “hallowed precincts”. To push their thinking forwards, Samuel Courtauld, a textile industrialist, Francophile and man about town, gave a large sum of money towards the purchase specifically of exciting French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painting for the national collection. His £50,000 gift brought important paintings into the gallery by Edouard Manet, Paul Cézanne, Georges Seurat and Vincent van Gogh, including the joyous Sunflowers (1888), bought in 1924, the gallery’s centenary year.

Later in the century, extremely wealthy philanthropists bolstered the collection further. Most significantly, in 1986, Sir Paul Getty established an endowment fund in his name to the tune of £50m, which enabled the gallery to purchase, amongst other treasures, Caravaggio’s Baroque masterpiece Boy bitten by a Lizard (1594-95). This painting is one of two versions that Caravaggio made on this subject (the other now held by Fondazione Roberto Longhi in Florence), which some scholars believe to depict either the artist’s ruffle-haired lover and model Mario Minniti, or else a stylised self-portrait with fingers splayed like an artist holding a palette while painting. Boy bitten by a Lizard is now one of the major paintings by the leading late 16th-century artist in a public collection outside Italy.

As the purse-strings that controlled expenditure in the arts were tightened under the premiership of Margaret Thatcher, the gallery thought creatively about new ways to secure great paintings and started to complete joint purchases to share costs. In 1988, Nicolas Poussin’s The Finding of Moses (1651)—which utilised a Nativity scene format to draw links between Moses and Christ, and found extraordinary contrasts between deep pockets of dramatic darkness and fiercely coloured dresses in reds, blues and yellows—as jointly bought by the gallery and its sister institution in Cardiff, Amgueddfa Cymru—National Museum Wales.

From the mid-1990s, grants from the newly established Heritage Lottery Fund added an important source of acquisition funding for the gallery. In 1995, Georges Seurat’s The Channel of Gravelines, Grand Fort-Philippe (1890) was acquired for £16m, with £8m coming from a Heritage Lottery Fund grant. In 1997, George Stubbs’s Whistlejacket (around 1762) was acquired for £11m with nearly £8.3m coming from the fund.

In 2014, funds from the Sir Paul Getty endowment were bolstered by a grant from The American Friends of the National Gallery to acquire George Bellows’s Men of the Docks (1912), a soberingly realist rendering of a group of day labourers, wearing overcoats smeared in filth, standing at a dock in Brooklyn together with some draft horses, for some $25.5m. For the first time, a work by an artist who made their mark across the Atlantic was included in the collection. At this point the collection changed its strapline to say that the National Gallery was a collection of paintings reflecting the “Western European tradition”, rather than being Western European pictures per se.

More works by women

Each of these keystone acquisitions are of work by male artists: perhaps gentleman’s collections, like some gentleman’s clubs, can take a couple of hundred years to welcome women wholeheartedly. But there are some landmark works in the collection by women artists, including the French Impressionist painter Berthe Morisot’s popular and idyllic Summer’s Day (around 1879), acquired through the Sir Hugh Lane Bequest in 1917. In 2018, Artemisia Gentileschi’s now much-loved Self-Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria (1615-17) made its way to Trafalgar Square, and was sent on a ground-breaking tour to unusual locations round the UK, including a public library, a girls’ school and a female prison.

Most recently, and especially during this bicentennial year, the gallery has made loud noises on the diversification of its collection as it seeks to include more works by women artists. Eva Gonzalès’s The Full-length Mirror (1869-70), an atmospheric depiction of the artist’s sister Jeanne facing her reflection, which was made just after Gonzalès became Edouard Manet’s only formal pupil (the gallery, by the way, has a portrait by the master of his pupil), was brought into the collection earlier this year in part by the generosity of three women patrons.

Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 790 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

Gallery G at Lavelle Road in Bengaluru is hosting a group exhibition this month, featuring the works of eight artists from across India. Titled Mosaic of Modernity: Exploring Diversity in Art, the artworks span Indian motifs, landscapes, religion, and urban life.

The profiled artists are Jai Khanna, Dinesh Magar, Aarohi Singh, Damodar Aware, Tushar Shinde, Runa Biswas, Annamicka Kuchhan, and Tridib Bera. See Part I of our coverage here.

“We looked for pieces that not only displayed technical excellence but also conveyed relevant stories and perspectives that resonate with the complexities of modern life in India. The artists and artworks were chosen based on their ability to represent this theme with originality and depth,” Archana Shenoy, Director of Curatorial Practices, Gallery G, tells YourStory.

The displayed artworks depict spiritual themes by Dinesh Magar, abstract works by Damodar Aware, urban life and cityscapes Tushar Shinde, collage and mixed media by Runa Biswas, nature themes by Annamicka Kuchhan, and societal issues by Tridib Bera.

“Visitors have appreciated the diversity and thought-provoking nature of the artworks. The feedback highlights the emotional and intellectual impact of the exhibition,” Shenoy proudly says.

She calls for more art appreciation in India through enhanced education and accessibility. “Incorporating art education into school curriculums can foster an early appreciation and understanding of art,” she suggests.

Public art installations and community projects can make art more accessible to a broader audience. “Digital platforms and virtual exhibitions can reach people who might not visit traditional galleries,” Shenoy adds.

She also advises holding more dialogue and engagement through workshops, artist talks, and interactive sessions. They help deepen appreciation for artists’ work and strengthen the broader ecosystem.

Gallery G offers artworks for sale in several categories: modern, contemporary, and traditional art, as well as photography. The team sources from and represents collectors of antiquities and rare heritage pieces such as Mysore Tanjore paintings and Tibetan thangkas.

Artworks are also evaluated based on inputs from peer galleries, curators, consultants, auction houses, and collectors. Other services include restoration, preservation, and art investment advisory.

Painting frames are sourced from Bengaluru and Kolkata, or even imported. Exhibitions are curated at the gallery and in public spaces such as corporate lobbies, hotel gardens, airport terminals, and mall atria.

“Success as a curator is defined by the ability to create exhibitions that resonate deeply with audiences and provoke thoughtful dialogue. It’s about curating shows that not only display artistic excellence but also engage with social and cultural issues in meaningful ways,” Shenoy explains.

This involves supporting artists in their careers and contributing to the cultural landscape as well. “Ultimately, it’s about making a lasting impact through the exhibitions curated,” she says.

In that regard, the ongoing exhibition is a testament to the talent and diversity of contemporary Indian art. “I encourage everyone to continue engaging with art, supporting local artists, and fostering a culture of appreciation and dialogue,” she urges.

“Together, we can create a vibrant and dynamic art community that enriches our society,” Shenoy signs off.

Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?

(All photographs were taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at the gallery.)