https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/walter-sickert
This was an excellent show – not too large but it seemed to encompass all stages of his career. I liked an early self-portrait where the intelligent commentary helped us see more in an otherwise apparently conventional image – and the matching of the rather cold blues in the background building and on the artists face as he seemingly talks to an unresponsive female was very nicely done. His music hall scenes are fascinating as they really capture particular moments in particular places. And a picture of the St Jacque facade has wonderful light contrast. I also, in another world, very much admired, not liked I think, images from Camden Town Murders sequence. I recall a number of years ago that these featured in a crazily speculative book about the identity of Jack the Ripper whom I think the author fingered as a possible suspect making use of these grim slab of meat images. Very Lucian Freud as confirmed by a Freud in the show.
One remark at the end of the otherwise excellent commentary irritated me. The writer remarked that recently critics et al had asked is Sickert was ‘objectifying’ women in such images and speculated about the power dynamics between the artist and the models. That reaction is in the mind of the viewer surely not imposed in the unknowable mind of the artist. And one could argue that all paintings necessarily objectify their subject, particularly if the focus is a human – male or female.
A number of the last images were interesting as they were taken from photographs – some, like Edward VIII being well known. As was pointed out, rather Warholian.
But a fascinating show.