I have spoken of my love of Reading Museum in a previous post and I must make a proper visit and post about the museum in future. Today, however, was about a temporary art exhibition on display in the John Madejski gallery called Artic Mirage.
The exhibition displayed the works of Reading-based artist Julian Grater the subject of which was the “High Arctic” or Greenland to you and me. This included paintings, photographs and sketches of both the landscape and the people that live there.
Once again I was in awe of the talent of some people. Grater’s portrait sketches really gave you a sense of the individual pictured with so much emotion showing in their faces. His paintings similarly evoked the landscape they depicted – bleak and cold, wide open spaces but beautiful at the same time.
One slightly weird thing was a comment from Grater regarding the Idea of the North a trilogy of “sound documentaries”. The accompanying text said “The collaged narrative includes varied meditations on the High Arctic environment and its impact upon the human imagination, and it proposes new ideas about de-catastrophising the future. Although made over fifty years ago many aspects of it resonate today”.
I have listened to it so that you don’t have to but if you insist click on the image below to be taken to it.
And There’s More!
What I really like about the exhibitions put on by the museum is that they don’t just exist in isolation. As with the previous “In the Company of Monsters” there is a whole supporting series of events ranging from talks from the artist through to a series of children’s activities. As part of this, we are booked on to an “Ice Experiments” event being held during half-term. Fortunately, I have a grandchild to drag along!
Artic Mirage is on until Saturday 20th July 2024.