Alice Neel

 

Alice Neel is to my mind one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century, so it was a thrill to find a major show of her work on at the Whitechapel Gallery in London (until Sept 17, 2010). I loved the show, every bit of it. Many of the great paintings that I know are there -- Nancy and Olivia, Hartley (her son, arms casually behind head), Meyer Schapiro, Andy Warhol, an Irish trade unionist banging his fist on the table, her nude self-portrait at the age of eighty. All just pure, pure pleasure. Loads of others too that aren't so well known, but will be. The twins dressed in red pinafores is an amazing painting, I can go on looking at it for ages. I'd have bought the book there and then but it's heavy to cart back to Trinidad. At some stage I will get it. There's an award-winning film by Neel's grandson accompanying the show, well worth watching. Overall, I just can't do her justice, so I've collected a set of reviews, each of which adds something to the mix. These are:

• Review by Adrian Searle in the Guardian -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2010/jul/08/alice-neel-whitechapel-gallery-art-exhibition
• Charles Darwent in the Independent -- http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/reviews/alice-neel-painted-truths-whitechapel-art-gallery-london-2029051.html
• Laura McLean-Ferris in the Independent -- http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/reviews/alice-neel-painted-truths-whitechapel-gallery-london-2025769.html
• Richard Dorment in the Telegraph -- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-reviews/7911011/Alice-Neel-Painted-Truths-at-the-Whitechapel-Gallery-review.html
• Robin Blake at FT.com -- http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/89945048-8b78-11df-ab4d-00144feab49a.html

Since the show, I'm seeing Alice Neel people everywhere, in the tube, in shops, on the street. It's uncanny and it shows how an artist can change the way people see the world.