Visual & Decorative Arts Blog

This year was the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, and it is incredible that his plays have lasted the test of time and are still celebrated to this day. The RSC, better known as the Royal Shakespeare Company, works to stage Shakespeare’s (and his contemporaries’ and modern day) work in order to make it an event; to make it as exciting as it can be. They’re based out of Stratford-upon-Avon, although they also perform in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and London, and they also tour around the globe.

With a name like Roobarb & Custard, who wouldn’t love this animated, five-minute long TV show? Even better is that the main characters are Roobarb, a green, shaggy dog, and Custard, the next door neighbour, who is a hot pink cat. These two are always trying to outwit one another, which leads to absolute hilarity, no matter how old you are.

The Tate Britain has been an unmissable display of British art since its inception in 1897. When Henry Tate tried to release his collection of masterpieces of art into the world to be enjoyed by all, the National Gallery didn’t have the space for it, and so he built his own gallery in which to showcase all of the artworks he had collected. Since then, four Tate galleries have opened (Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives), between them holding an outstandingly impressive collection of British and international art. 

Who doesn’t get excited for Christmas? Even if you don’t celebrate the actual holiday, the time off from work is something to be celebrated and enjoyed. But advent calendars were invented to make people even more excited in the run-up to Christmas.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh was an artist in the 19th century. More than this, he was a multi-talented artist-craftsman: painter, architect, furniture designer; the list goes on and on. His art was incredibly influential, and a lot of the motifs, patterns and principles of his work are still popular with today's audience and artists. 

Ever since Britney Spears used Josephine Wall’s paintings on her website in 2005, Josephine has been one of the most popular fantasy artists in the world. Her paintings depict everything from the Zodiac to goddesses from different world mythologies to well known stories and fables, and with Halloween right around the corner, there is no better time to celebrate the creator of this beautiful imagery of these mythological figures.

On Thursday, a new exhibition on visionary artist, craftsman and activist William Morris opens at the National Portrait Gallery. It is exciting for its angle – rather than focus purely on the work for which he is probably best known (his understandably popular and beautiful wallpaper and textile designs), it will take a thoughtful look at his life, ideas and legacy, 'through portraits, personal items and fascinating objects'. It will explore his passionate belief in the democracy and availability of beauty – an 'art for the people' – alongside the work of his contemporaries (Rossetti, Burne-Jones) and those he inspired for decades to come (from courageously openly gay philosopher Edward Carpenter, and sculptor and typeface designer Eric Gill, to the artists of the 1951 Festival of Britain and post-war designers such as Terence Conran).

The incredible Banksy is based in the UK and is now known as a director, political activist and painter, as well as of course, a graffiti artist. His incredible dark humour mixed with his stark political images have featured on walls, bridges, pavements and even livestock all around the world.

Being that the centennial anniversary of World War I is quickly approaching, many museums are creating exhibitions to honour the globe-changing event. The Imperial War Museum in particular has put together the biggest exhibition of British First World War art in history, and there are masterpieces of art that have made huge impacts in both of its sections: Truth and Memory.

With the Late Turner: Painting Set Free exhibition about to start at Tate Britain, showcasing the 'Painter of light' in a new and fascinating way, one doesn't have to reach deep to find enthusiasm for these beautiful paintings, depicting every kind of landscape, in all variants of light. I for one, cannot wait to visit the show.