We began 2026 with “Revolution”. This theme led to a variety of interpretations. A roundabout in “Penzance Fair” by Laura Knight was one. Eugene Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People” was another. The American revolution, whose 250th anniversary occurs this year, with “Washington Crossing the Delaware” by Emanuel Leutze was also discussed. The effect of the industrial revolution as shown by one of L S Lowry’s depictions of workers heading towards a factory was considered. Scientific revolution was represented by William Blake’s “Newton”.
Communication(s) was chosen for February. Two artists who made impactful contributions to the world of magazines and advertising were looked at. Barbara Kruger, b. 1945, was influential in magazine design. She also created installations in which messages in carefully chosen, and often large, fonts were placed on walls, ceilings and floors of galleries and other spaces. Cassandre (Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron, 1901-1968) was a Russian-born poster artist and type face designer whose work in many ways exemplifies the Art Deco period. We considered his poster advertising the liner “Normandy”, which is a dramatic depiction of power with a low angle view resulting in an abstract geometrical composition. Rodin’s “Lovers”, or “Kiss”, exemplified a far more direct form of communication. The well known “Annunciation” by Leonardo then gave a complete contrast.

Barriers was the topic for March. A physical and aspirational barrier was shown in “The Girl at the Gate” by George Clausen (1889). A rural scene showing a young woman standing at a farm gate, and possibly dreaming of escaping to a different life. Monet painted several versions of “Cliffs at Etretat”. This natural barrier is a well-known feature of the Normandy coast, and there was discussion of how erosion has changed it over the past 140 years. An anonymous landscape with a gate provided a breath of rural peace. Joseph Edward Nuttgens (1892-1982), who was one of the foremost exponents of stained glass both in churches and elsewhere, showed how the barrier of a window can be an instrument of enlightenment. In 1968/9 Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped a one and a half mile stretch of Little Bay, Sydney in fabric to form a sculpture of part of the landscape.
One of us recently spent two days at The Henry Moore Institute in Leeds exploring the exhibition “Beyond the Visual”, which examines the multi-sensory aspects of sculpture: visual, tactile, audible and olfactory.
Keith Hatter

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