Alan Cristea Gallery

Howard Hodkin As Time Goes By

You must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss,
A sigh is just a sigh...
The fundamental things apply,
As time goes by

Howard Hodgkin’s latest offering of impressionist art was inspired by this famous song from the film Casablanca. As Time Goes By is the title of both his colossal pieces of artwork which each measure 8ft by 20ft and are his largest paintings to date. I can just imagine him in his studio singing along to the song; feeling like his work is never ending because of the sheer size of the canvas.

The sugar-lift aquatint with carborundum relief, hand painted work (no I’ve no idea what that means either) will be displayed at the Alan Cristea Gallery from 3rd June 2009 – 11th June 2009. Hodgkin’s work is eye catching, bright and dramatic whilst still maintaining an air of simplicity and elegance.

Each of the paintings fill an entire wall in the gallery and are displayed in their rawest form so you can see the hand-torn edges of the 350 gsm Moulin de Gué paper. It’s a real spectacle and enhances the beauty of the work.

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Don’t forget to take a wander into the other rooms where you’ll find just as engaging pieces (only on a slightly smaller scale). The rest of the collection is comprised of similar style etchings which show off Hodgkin’s excellent use of colour and contrast. ‘Venice, Morning’, ‘Venice, Afternoon’, ‘Venice Evening’ and ‘Venice Night’ transport you through four very different moods and tones.

It’s a great spectacle but once you’ve seen the 20ft paintings, the rest can get a bit samey, but if you’re in the area then it’s definitely worth popping in.

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This is a great gallery which holds consistently good exhibitions. Shows great things by Julian Opie, Roy Lichtenstein and Patrick Caulfield