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London's summer exhibition calendar delivers a study in contrasts – a quietly devastating survey of 17th century Spanish painting at the National Gallery sits alongside a Tate Modern blockbuster that trades on a famous name while offering little of the artist's actual work. We look at which show rewards the visit, and which one to leave well alone.
By Olivia Paterson
Arcove Uncovers explores a diverse range of artistic and cultural topics, from the historical to the contemporary. Free from geographical boundaries, our articles examine moments of significance, emerging ideas, and the perspectives of our writers on their lasting impact.
The National Gallery has delivered the stand out exhibition of the summer; a concise show of utterly brilliant paintings by the 17th century Spanish master of Seville; Francisco de Zubarán. These are dark paintings - but lavishly dark, and totally human, as if the artist has dipped his brush in empathy. What also struck me is how completely modern Zubaràn's paintings are. The portraits may be of monks, martyrs and saints but they are just like us - victims of tragedy, human caprice and disaster. And the still lifes! I would take every painting home with me if I could.
Definitely skip seeing this show at Tate Modern - unless, instead of seeing Frida Kahlo’s paintings, what you really want to see are rooms of pseudo-homages and thinly disguised merch. I understand how difficult it must be to put together coherent group of masterpieces by this important artist (particularly when many are in museums and private collections on the other side of the world), but it begs the question; why do a Frida Kahlo exhibition in the first place then? When you do accidentally come across an original work in the show by Kahlo, it is a beautiful thing. It is shocking to see what a brilliant painter she is, particularly when one considers the life-changing injuries she sustained in a traffic accident in 1925. Her paintings are about strength, triumph, sensuality, and surrealism; I only wish there were more of them!
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