Beyond the Canvas
On the Exonerated Five
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." - Maya Angelou Just finished watching this amazing documentary made...
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Beyond the Canvas
May 102 min read
The National Gallery turns 200
Fourteen years before moving to the iconic Trafalgar Square location, the National Gallery opened its doors to the public on 10th May...
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Beyond the Canvas
Apr 251 min read
Italy's 79th Liberation Day anniversary
While Italians get ready to enjoy their 79th year of peace and freedom, somewhere not too far from us the winds of war are howling. April...
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Beyond the Canvas
Mar 271 min read
In memory of Richard Serra (1938-2024)
"When you look at my works, you don't remember an object. There remains an experience, a passage." - Richard Serra Serra revolutionized...
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Beyond the Canvas
Nov 28, 20231 min read
Irreconcilable truce
"The Keffieh is full of poetic and political symbolism. The fishnet pattern is a symbol of collectivism and is often interpreted as the...
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Beyond the Canvas
Nov 26, 20232 min read
The cost of "five small pieces of paper".
"The Russian army has bombed an art school in Mariupol where 400 people were seeking shelter from a fire." This is one of the 5 stickers...
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Beyond the Canvas
Jan 21, 20231 min read
Lynette Yiadom-Boakye at Tate Britain, London
In my mind, a portrait is the depiction of an actual person, someone who has lived. Their portrait was made so their story could be told...
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Beyond the Canvas
Nov 20, 20221 min read
Simone Leigh's Sovereignty at the U.S. Pavilion, Venice Biennale
"I like the idea of thinking of femininity as something solid and enduring rather than always something fragile and weak." - Simone Leigh...
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Beyond the Canvas
Aug 14, 20222 min read
The issue of (female) ageing
You know when you're having a conversation with a friend and the following day you read something that exactly echoes your thoughts...
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Beyond the Canvas
Jul 16, 20221 min read
Donatello at Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
If there is an equivalent of Zoom fatigue for art shows, I 100% suffer from it. The ridiculous speed at which I move from one room to the...
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Beyond the Canvas
Jun 8, 20221 min read
In memoriam: Paula Rego (1935 - 2022)
Paula Rego died today. The art world has lost one of the greats. I'm so glad I got to see her some of her work one more time at the...
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Beyond the Canvas
Jun 2, 20221 min read
On Italian National Day, 02/06/2022
On 11 June 1946, the Italian people voted in an institutional referendum to replace the monarchy with a republic. I won't lie, it was...
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Beyond the Canvas
Dec 22, 20212 min read
Drunk on art.
Whether it’s the first one or the latest of many, a visit to Florence’s Uffizi is bound to leave you breathless. Such are the quality and...
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Beyond the Canvas
Nov 24, 20212 min read
Safe and legal routes for refugees NOW
'My piece is not talking about old slave ships; it's about what happens today' says Romuald Hazoumé about his multimedia installation 'La...
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Beyond the Canvas
Oct 9, 20211 min read
Viva Vittoria: knitting against violence
Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation and a public health epidemic. It occurs daily across the world and is widely...
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Beyond the Canvas
Oct 7, 20212 min read
Speaking truth to power: the legacy of Anna Politkovskaya
It's been 15 years to the day since Anna Politkovskaya was murdered for fearlessly and relentlessly telling the truth. Anna was gunned...
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Beyond the Canvas
Sep 4, 20212 min read
Women who defend themselves
At long last, my reading drought has come to an end. I am currently re-reading the original version of The Life Before Us written in 1975...
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Beyond the Canvas
Aug 1, 20212 min read
The memory of open wounds
There are wounds so deep they never really heal. They are the wounds we share with other people, whether we know them or not, the wounds...
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Beyond the Canvas
Jul 15, 20212 min read
Marcus Rashford, footballer, leader, change-maker and all-round beautiful human being.
It's not the first time that this blog talks about Marcus Rashford. The 23-year old mancunian footballer used his social media platform...
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Beyond the Canvas
Jan 8, 20212 min read
May Steven's Dark Flag
"Political activity does not interfere with my work, it feeds it. And if I'm interested in racism and fighting racism, then that should...
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