Review by Davide Madrigrano
There is much to enjoy at Kettle’s Yard’s new exhibition, Handpicked: Painting Flowers from 1900 to Today. Whether you’re a keen gardener or a horticultural novice, this exhibition explores the presence of flowers in art and everyday life. It’s not only timely, beginning in spring and ongoing into summer, but it marries wonderfully with the Kettle’s Yard house, where fresh-cut flowers have adorned its interiors since it opened in 1957.
Winding down the steps into the exhibition space, I felt a sense of tranquillity. The lighting and pale walls welcomed a meditative way of observing, punctuated by the bursts of colour from each painting. Henri Rousseau’s Bouquet of Flowers, on loan from the Tate (pictured), is the first to greet you, followed by a selection of other significant 20th-century artists from Vanessa Bell to Winifred Nicholson.
Despite each work being of varying media and style, the flower remains the constant. It is the shared language of expression; drawn out by the curation. From personal grief to politics, Handpicked challenges us to view flowers as more than just decorative. In this way, I found this collection to be full of surprises.
Though from afar some artworks appear as ordinary bouquets, there is often a more complex story awaiting and I found David Bomberg’s Flowers to be the most striking. Painted during World War II, dashes of maroon paint make it unclear whether you are viewing a flower or an explosion.
It is also clear from the diversity of themes that this exhibition was created with the help of Kettle’s Yard Community Panel. With a subject as universal as flowers, this is a welcome approach and provides for a rich collection of art that feels engaged with the present.
As any gardener knows, much can be learned from growing a plant. This exhibition suggests the same for the painted flower, proving even the most familiar subjects can surprise.
The exhibition runs until 6 September; visit kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk