Town & Country House Magazine
Artists on Summer Art
by Rose Gamble
23 May 2013
Not sure which festival to book or art exhibition to attend? Rose Gamble asks artists, singers and actors for their advice.
Bruce Munroe
Artist & Lighting Designer
What’s hot? Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum at the British Museum (until 29 September; britishmuseum.org) where art and everyday objects have been preserved from a volcanic eruption 2,000 years ago. The murals are exquisite.
What are you collecting? Works by Alan Moulding, a Somerset-based print maker and joiner. I have been collecting his pieces for 20 years. His etchings are a joy.
Summer festival recommendation? Glastonbury (26-30 June; glastonburyfestivals.co.uk). My wife and children always go, I stay at home and watch it on the television.
One to watch? Howard Hodgkin, he is a wonderful painter who captures the essence of experience.
Cantus Arcticus: an arctic landscape imagined through light and sound by Bruce Munroe at Waddesdon Manor (until 27 October; waddesdon.org.uk)
Annie Kevans
Concept Based Portrait Artist
What’s hot? Works on paper are big at the moment. The idea that you have to make large canvases or sculptures to make an impact is outmoded. The Saatchi Gallery will be showing my series Boys, depicting 30 dictators as children, in The Power of Paper, later this year.
What are you collecting? Gorgeous pieces by Tessa Farmer who creates skeletal creatures who fly around on bees.
What have you bought tickets for? Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901 (until 27 May; courtauld.ac.uk). I grew up with Picasso all around me as I was raised in the South of France.
Summer festival recommendation? The Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2-26 August; edfringe.com).
Ones to watch? I love the work of Tala Madani, Paul Chiappe, Tessa Farmer and Henny Acloque.
Annie Kevans’ work can be seen in A House of Many Windows, Collyer Bristow Gallery, London (until 12 June; collyerbristow.com) and in The Power of Paper, Saatchi Gallery (dates TBC; saatchi-gallery.co.uk).
anniekevans.com
Nic Fiddian-Green
Sculptor
What’s hot? Bronze at the Royal Academy was inspirational. So too are The Elgin Marbles at the British Museum (britishmuseum.org), which I have just revisited for the first time since 1981 – that was when I first saw the horse of Selene, sparking my lifelong passion for the horse’s head.
What are you collecting? Nothing, I’m too busy making!
What have you bought tickets for? Becoming Picasso: Paris 1901 (until 27 May; courtauld.ac.uk), Royal Ascot (18-22 June; ascot.co.uk) and Don Pasquale by Donizetti at Glyndebourne (8 June to 2 August; glyndebourne.com).
One to watch? Folk band Mumford and Sons.
New carvings by Nic Fiddian Green at Sladmore Contemporary, London (5 June to 26 July; sladmore. com), Nic’s 15-ft Trojan Horse in copper can be seen at the Economist Plaza, St James’s and at Ascot Racecourse and the Nic Fiddian Green Sculpture Park will be open this summer at The Wintershall Estate, Surrey.
nicfiddiangreen.com
Polly Morgan
Taxidermist
What’s hot? I have noticed a resurgence in painting. Richard Prince, Keith Tyson and Mat Collishaw have all recently had great painting shows.
What are you collecting? I wish I could afford to collect art – I can’t afford my own work! As soon as I have some disposable income I’ll head to degree shows to spot new talent.
What have you bought tickets for? The Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair. I hear a rumour it’s the final one – it might be the last chance to snap up affordable work from Peter Blake and Gavin Turk.
Summer festival recommendation? All Tomorrows Parties at Camber Sands (atpfestival.com). It is a great antidote to hippy festivals, which I hate.
One to watch? I love the small, instriguing paintings of Ivan Seal, a British artist living in Berlin.
Polly Morgan will be selling limited editions at The Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair (9 June; artcarbootfair.com)
pollymorgan.co.uk
Philip Mould
Art Dealer and Art Historian
What’s Hot? Collecting miniatures – it’s perfect for those who have run out of wall space and are intrigued by a more intimate portrayal of the human face.
What are you collecting? I have just bought a set of eight sketches by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. I am also a huge fan of the Old Masters.
What have you bought tickets for? Masterpiece Fair (27 June to 3 July; masterpiecefair.com). There’s always something for everyone, from a Spitfire to a portrait.
Summer festival recommendation? The Festival of Gardens and Writing for the Garden Museum (29-30 June; gardenmuseum.or.uk).
Ones to watch? Modern day portraitists – Jonathan Yeo, Stuart Pearson Wright or Julian Opie.
Philip Mould will be exhibiting Old Master Paintings from 1500 to Modern, and Fine Portrait Miniatures at the Masterpiece Fair (27 June to 3 July; masterpiecefair.com)
Susan Bullock
Soprano
What’s hot? I am looking forward to singing the title role in Gloriana at Covent Garden to celebrate 60 years of The Queen’s Coronation.
What are you collecting? I love porcelain and although I do not have many pieces in my collection, my opportunities to window shop are many and varied.
What have you bought tickets for? Art Antiques London (12-19 June; haughton.com). There’s not only a wonderful array of Old Masters, jewellery and ceramics, but it also has the best location of any fair and is light, airy and beautifully presented.
Summer festival recommendation? The Love Supreme Jazz Festival (5-7 July; lovesupremefestival.com) at Glynde Place in Sussex. I am looking forward to hearing my friend Branford Marsalis play.
Susan Bullock is singing the title role in Gloriana by Benjamin Britten at The Royal Opera House to celebrate 60 years of The Queen’s Coronation (20 June to 6 July; roh.org.uk)
Craig Hassall
CEO of Raymond Gubbay Ltd
What’s hot? The Hofesh Shechter Company has returned from Londonderry City of Culture and continues to thrill with an amazing dance piece, Political Mother, at Sadlers Wells (3-7 July; hofesh.co.uk).
What have you bought tickets for? Propellor’s production of The Taming of the Shrew at The Hampstead Theatre (3-20 July; hampsteadtheatre. com). If it is even half as good as their previous work, it will be a sensation. And also Australia at the Royal Academy (21 September to 8 December; royalacademy.org.uk).
Summer festival recommendation? Meltdown at the Southbank Centre (14-23 July; meltdown.southbankcentre.co.uk). It is curated by Yoko Ono this year, so is bound to be kooky.
One to watch? Rupert Goold, who has just taken over the Almeida and is bound to be terrific.
The Hofesh Schechter Company’s Political Mother
Raymond Gubbay Ltd present over 600 productions a year including ballet, opera and a variety of concerts.
raymondgubbay.co.uk
Mieka Sywak
Fair Director of LAPADA , The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers
What’s hot? With communication and social media making reportage instant, there has been a boom in professional photography. One of our LAPADA members, Plus One Gallery (plusonegallery.com), has embraced this, showing work from artists exploring photorealist and hyperrealist art.
What are you collecting? I recently bought an 18th-century pencil drawing by Ted Few, a wonderful dealer.
What have you bought tickets for? The Bush Theatre in West London is launching an exciting season, opening with the UK premiere of Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar (17 May to 22 June; bushtheatre.co.uk), a hit American play about ambition, culture and faith.
Summer festival recommendation? The Proms at The Royal Albert Hall (12 July to 7 September; bbc.co.uk/proms). There is always a unique atmosphere.
Ones to watch? rAndom International. Every time I see their work I am in awe. They mix technology, experience and art beautifully.
LAPADA Art and Antiques Fair (25-29 September; lapadalondon.com)
Marianne Elliott
Theatre Director
What’s hot? Table at the National Theatre (until 18 May; nationaltheatre. org.uk). It’s a wonderful, moving story of the life of a wooden table. It will have you weeping.
What have you bought tickets for? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (from 17 May; charlieandthechocolatefactory.com) and Punchdrunk’s The Drowned Man (2 July to 29 September; nationaltheatre.org.uk). Their shows are unconventional and will change the way you think of theatre. Also Baz Luhrman’s The Great Gatsby. Anything he does is bound to be big hearted and extraordinarily designed.
Summer festival recommendation? Camp Bestival is a great festival for parents who are trying to still rock, and their kids! (1-4 August; campbestival.net). Manchester International Festival is an eclectic mix of theatre, music and art (4-21 July; mif.co.uk).
Ones to watch? Rosalie Craig. She’s a young actress with a voice like an angel. She’s going to be in The Light Princess (a new musical by Tori Amos) that I’m doing at the end of the summer at the National.
Marianne Elliott directs Sweet Bird of Youth at The Old Vic. (1 June to 31 August; oldvictheatre.com)
Hattie Morahan
Actress
What’s hot? The new Park Theatre in Finsbury Park (parktheatre.co.uk) is opening its doors to the public in May. It’s got a brilliant and varied opening season.
What have you bought tickets for? I’m excited to see the full version of Will Adamsdale’s The Victorian In The Wall at the Royal Court (11 May to 8 June; royalcourttheatre. com), having caught an early work-shopped version. It’s utterly original, deeply silly and touching, and has awesome sound design and live music. And the new Almodovar film, I’m So Excited. It sounds a treat – camp and barmy in equal measure and Penelope Cruz is in it, which is always a good thing.
Summer festival recommendation? Yoko Ono’s Meltdown curation at the Southbank Centre (14-23 June; southbankcentre.co.uk). Worth queuing for returns for Patti Smith, for starters. And Reggie Watts is a genius.
Ones to watch? Eloise Laurence was astonishing and mesmerizing in Broken – I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Hattie Morahan plays a leading role as Laura Knight in Summer in February. (4 June; summerinfebruary.com)