Visual & Decorative Arts Blog

The elegant figures and geometrical, bold designs of Romain de Tirtoff (1892–1990) – better known by the French pronunciation of his initials, Erté – are instantly recognisable and have left a lasting legacy in the art and fashion industries. Much of Erté's success stems from the sheer range of materials his works encompass, with his sinuous shapes and vibrant designs gracing not only magazine covers and book illustrations, but also jewellery, furniture, textiles, stage sets and costumes. Hailed as 'the father of Art Deco', the designer produced more than twenty thousand designs during his long life, and as a keen experimenter, he was growing in fame and continuing to sample new mediums for his art well into his nineties. Today we'll be taking a tour of the myriad forms his iconic, sleek designs took and how his eagerness to learn new techniques kept him and his work at the forefront of the design world.

Street art – or grafitti – has got to be the quintessential art for the masses. It is free to view as part of our environment, is often created by self-taught artists and is a global, democratic phenomenon. These artists want to paint about issues important to all of us, about real life, about visceral, emotional views and feelings that strike at the heart of what it is to be part of society. It is ephemeral art that is in continual development and flux, reflecting the changing nature of life and society and thus has long been a source of politically motivated messages, representing criticism, resistance and anger – it can be a powerful tool in such cases.

The much-loved world of Moominvalley and its rich set of characters have captured the imagination and hearts of generations of children and adults alike. Our previous blogposts have covered the development of the comic strip by the endlessly creative Tove Jannson, and also celebrated the release and initial reviews of the feature film Moomins on the Riviera. In this post we’re going to explore a little of what makes Jansson’s quirky illustrated characters so universally charming, and see how these unique drawings are still able to communicate with their audience today.

This year celebrates the 800^th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta. As an emblem of freedom and people’s rights, it is an object steeped in significance, with a relevance well beyond its time and place. Describing the document’s birth as a ‘practical solution to a political crisis’, the British Library’s recent exhibition celebrated the historical repercussions since the 13^th century document was first sealed.

London: this great city is forever pulsing with activity, a veritable haven of culture and innovation. For art-lovers, there’s a great selection of museums, galleries and exhibitions covering all sorts of tastes, from fashion and design to war memorabilia. There’s always something going on, which can be both very exciting and extremely overwhelming, so below we’ve gathered a pick of our favourite current and upcoming events. Our fantastic range of 2016 calendars is also now available, with a number of our licensed calendars produced in partnership with the cultural hotspots of the capital, including the V&A, the Tate, the RA, the Royal Opera House and many others.

The Mexican painter Octavio Ocampo produces compelling, masterfully composed images that are testament to the idea that a picture’s meaning is constituted at least in part by the observer. Ocampo, who pursued a film and theatre career for some time alongside his art studies, uses the term ‘metamorphic’ to describe his art, which is also often described as surrealist. His evocative optical experiments are impressive, fascinating and somewhat disorientating. As he says: ‘Nothing is quite as it seems’. You look closer at his paintings and suddenly notice the plural realities within them, adding a sort of double-vision to the experience. Today we’ll explore some of Ocampo’s art, touching on the concerns that his paintings share with the works of the surrealist painter Salvador Dalí, the philosopher Ludvig Wittgenstein and the latin poet Ovid.