The prestigious Holburne Museum located in Bath is about to welcome art enthusiasts to its latest exhibition titled 'Iconic: Portraiture from Francis Bacon to Andy Warhol', opening January 24 and running until May 5. This exhibition promises to be a fascinating exploration of how innovative artists have reshaped portraiture through various media, particularly photography, setting the stage for the modern concept of celebrity.
Among the highlights of the exhibition is 'Dan With Map', a previously unexhibited painting by esteemed abstract expressionist Frank Bowling. This subtle piece features the faint image of Bowling's son Dan and challenges viewers to engage deeply with it. According to Ben Bowling, Dan's younger brother, the painting is particularly enigmatic: "A lot of people don’t see this ethereal image of my older brother Dan at first. It’s so faint you can barely see it... Dan With Map demands the viewer spends time looking at it and it draws you in.”
Created in 1967, this work showcases the process Bowling employed: starting with a black and white photo of Dan at around four years old, he transformed it through silk screening onto canvas, layering it with vibrant oils. Ben Bowling elaborates, saying, "He’s got an inquisitive look, he’s very sweet... There he is peeping out from behind these washes of colour.” The portrait acts as a loving tribute from father to son, embodying not just personal history, but also Bowling's broader artistic motif involving maps.
The exhibition delves deep, featuring works from legendary names like Andy Warhol, Anthony Caro, Francis Bacon, and David Hockney, each engaging with the theme of portraiture uniquely. For Peter Blake's famous 1965 portrait of Hockney, he chose to work from photographs instead of live sittings, invoking themes of distance and nostalgia. Blake captures Hockney’s essence through the lens of popular culture, presenting him as somewhat of an icon. The notion of icons runs throughout the exhibit, particularly prevalent during the 1960s when celebrity culture burgeoned.
Yet, this exhibition also reveals the haunting side of being perceived as iconic. Richard Hamilton’s ‘My Marilyn’ utilizes the pop star's own publicity shots, many crossed out, reflecting her complex relationship with fame and identity. This duality is palpable throughout the show — as we encounter icons of the 60s, like Mick Jagger, juxtaposed against others who feel more ephemeral, like Ursula Andress's glamorous portrayal intertwined with more contemporaneous societal themes.
Warhol’s self-portrait, magnified and engulfing viewers with its vibrant colors, shows the artist grappling with his identity caught between the real and the constructed, indicative of the media's influence on the individual self. "He is all color, all light, all fame. He sees himself disappear," states the exhibition's insight on Warhol's probing of his place within the celebrity zeitgeist.
A centerpiece throughout this showcase is how artists of the 20th century navigated the flood of media and image manufacturing. Joe Tilson, for example, reinterprets famous figures like Che Guevara, codifying the intersection of politics and celebrity through his artistry. The exhibition draws parallels between the advent of photography and the subsequent evolution of celebrity culture, illuminating how artworks have become mirrors reflecting society's obsession and ideals.
Further connections can be made through Colin Self's drawings, which evoke the darkness lurking beneath the superficial brightness of Hollywood and its accompanying allure. These reflections encourage viewers to analyze their perceptions carefully and relate them to contemporary concepts of identity and fame.
This exhibition does not shy away from its lineage either, as it features works from artists like Walter Sickert, whose self-portrait from 1935 suggests early engagement with self-representation and how media portrayals can affect public persona. The historical depth complements the contemporary narratives being explored through each artist's lens.
Enthusiasts and casual visitors alike can expect not just to see iconic artworks but to participate actively in intellectual discussion around the themes of fame, identity, and representation, as viewers are invited to recognize the coastline depicted at the bottom of Bowling's painting, testing their observational skills.
'Iconic: Portraiture from Francis Bacon to Andy Warhol' promises to be more than just another art exhibit; it stands as a significant commentary on societal themes, making it unmissable for those fascinated by the interplay between art and its relationship with image culture. The Holburne Museum’s presentation aptly showcases how artists grapple with identity and representation, shaping not just the art world but cultural consciousness.