Barry Flanagan Early Works 1965 - 1982. Tate Britain

I visited this exhibition during the October half term, it was held at Tate Britain at the same time as the John Martin exhibition (see previous blog)

It might be that seeing two such differing exhibitions within an hour ( I had some lunch) was not the best way to view Barry Flanagan’s work, but for whatever reason I really struggled to understand his work.

Flanagan’s  (1941 – 2009) sculptures are ’the product of a unique exploration of the interaction of idea, form, material and process.’ (Exhibition guide 2011) – I have to say I don’t understand what this means (I might do by the end of this course) and therefore I suppose appreciating the sculptures in all of the six galleries was problematic.

The galleries themselves were bright and airy, with few exhibits in each allowing the viewer space to study each piece from several angles.

Flanagan used a variety of materials, sand, rope, cloth and bronze casting which he started to use in 1979.

Working my way through the various galleries, and with reference to the free guide, I was confused by such phrases as;

‘....the context of post-minimalist and anti-form art that prioritised process and material over structure’ (Gallery2)

‘...the two-dimensional beyond the limits of the picture plane; it is a ‘medium of perception’ re framing sculptural form’ (Gallery 3)

It was not until I reached the later galleries did I find pieces of sculpture that I felt ‘comfortable’ with, these being the bronze sculptures of hares, which complimented the two large sculptures in the large internal open space of Tate Britain.

Leaping hare, embellished, 2/3Jan 1980

I think I fell into the trap of saying to myself things like, why is a structure made out of ‘hessian, sticks and string’  which looks like the wigwams we used to make as children art?

Untitled 1970
Hessian, sticks and string

I continued this vein of thought, when walking back to the tube I passed a set of washing lines, one with clothes on, taking a photograph I thought to myself why with a little bit of ‘editing with photo-shop’ would what I’ve created not be considered and  yet ‘line 3 ‘68’ is?

line 3 '68
felt and rope
Barry Flanagan

Blowing in the wind
 2011
fabric, plastic and metal
Tom O'Dwyer

I have much to learn!

It might be that I need to undertake further reading on the subject of ‘modern art’ to gain a greater understanding of what artist were trying to achieve, though I did like the bronze sculptures of hares, I found them amusing and full of life.

Hare with drum