Paul Gauguin

Tate Modern

30 Sept 2010 - 16 Jan 2011

 

I went to see Gauguin's exhibition at the end of Oct 2010

but I just could not write about it. 

He is one of my favourite artist among all 

and read so much about him and I loved him. 

However, seeing so much of his work at once was

I think quite overwhelming in a negative way.  

This is the first exhibition that I felt depressed afterwards.

Not sure if you know what I mean....

I guess I was so attached to Gauguin and admired his works

to an extend that I even engaged at an emotional level.  

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I first encounter with Gauguin was not through his art works 

but through 'The moon and sixpense' by Somerset Maugham

when I was a teenager who had wild imaginations.

It gave me a sense of freedom in how he was living his life. 

Then shortly after I saw the film 'Total Eclipse' which 

reminded me of the life of Gauguin though it is based on 

a French poet, Rimbaud. I enjoyed the film but it did not 

get good reviews and Dicaprio commented that it was his worst film.

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I got to see some of the pieces that I really wanted to see. 

I preferred his earlier works and I was surprised that 

I felt quite sad seeing this late works where his 

fantasies and dreams come to live

and his primitiveness that I liked is mostly reflected.

Discovering so much of his calculated aspect of 

his work and approach to art may have put me off 

slightly as I don't only enjoy his painting on its own

but his values and attitude towards his art which was

disappointing at times. Of course, there is no doubt 

that he was a great artist but it was my relationship 

with him that had some discrepancy that I found 

difficult to come to terms with.  

 Tate Modern was using an iPod 

for its audio guide which was quite impressive. 

I was tempted to just run away with it!