In July 2026, Polly, Jill, Sue, Lynn, Andrew and John, joined forces to discuss a varied selection of artists and individual art works.
In focus at this meeting were...
Frida Kahlo, a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artefacts of Mexico. Until January 2027, it will be possible to experience Frida Kahlo's art at the Tate Modern in London. Their exhibition is entitled 'Frida: The making of an icon'.
Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese artist whose works mainly involves contemporary sculpture and installations. Residing in a mental health facility since the 1970's, art became a means to express her mental problems. Yayoi is renowned for her dots and pumpkins. The Yayoi Kusama Museum in Tokyo is dedicated to her contemporary art and installations..
Gustav Klimt whose paintings helped to define Art Nouveau in Europe. One of his best known pieces is a portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, dated 1907. Although this painting survived WWII, it was stolen by the Nazis. Later recovered, it now hangs in the Neue Galerie, in New York.
Guernica, a 1937 anti-war oil painting by Pablo Picasso. It conveys the devastation following the aerial bombardment of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. At 25 feet wide by 11 feet high, this artwork covers a whole wall in the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid. Although a fictional work, this book recounts the story of Guernica's involvement in the Spanish Civil War - Guernica, by David Boling.
The iconic 1889 work, 'Starry Night', by Vincent Van Gogh; inspired by the view from his asylum room window. The cypress trees and tumultuous sky dominate the painting. It is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and has a current day insurance value of $600,000,000. For more information on Van Gogh, this resource is recommended - Starry Night: Van Gogh at the Asylum, by Martin Bailey.
And lastly, famous for his landscapes of southern England, John Constable completed 'The Hay Wain' in 1821. It depicts a rural scene at Flatford Mill on the River Stour, bordering Suffolk and Essex. At 6 feet by 4 feet, it is a large scale canvas and part of the permanent collection at the National Gallery in London. For more information on Constable, this resource is recommended - Constable: A Portrait, by James Hamilton.
