Tuesday 22 April 2014

Tues 22nd April: Matisse "Cut Outs" at Tate Modern





For the first time since 1953 all of Matisse's paper-cuts have been reunited for this spectacular specific showcase at the Tate Modern.  His use of colour is glorious and a real testament to the fact that creativity never runs out, as it was all conducted in the later years off his life.  He transformed the hindrance of his ill-health to invent and develop a totally unique new medium of mark-making by using scissors to create shape in the same way a sculptor moulds with tools.  There is a clip of footage showing this process in his heavenly studio which he had covered with plans as a physical proto-type of a design for the interior of a chapel.  The vast gigantic wall size pieces are so breathtakingly beautiful and totally timeless that you just want to sit there all day to take it all in, as you can't take it home!  The best bit is the collection of off-cut scraps which he never threw away and were turned into a record for reference of the variations of colour which he mixed up in Gouache.  That's something I did take away from the exhibition - I never knew that the coloured paper was all hand tinted rather than using existing stock.  GENIUS and so, so adorable.  Go Matisse!
Watch Goldie's guided tour for The Culture Show on iPlayer here.

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