New Nash exhibition to feature lost work
A sculpture previously thought to be destroyed or lost will be on display as part of a new exhibition of Paul Nash’s work.
Running from tomorrow (October 26th) to March 5th 2017, the Paul Nash exhibition at the Tate Britain promises to be the most comprehensive look at the British artist’s work for a generation.
Featuring everything from drawings to landmark paintings from throughout his life, the display will include the particularly exciting rediscovery of Moon Aviary 1937 – a sculpture that, until very recently, was presumed destroyed or lost.
The sculpture had last been displayed in surrealist exhibitions in the 1930s. However, it was unearthed in a private collection earlier this year, and on Friday (October 21st) was reassembled ready for the opening of the Tate’s new exhibition.
Made from a combination of wooden egg crates, ivory bobbins and other delicate items, Moon Aviary has sat in storage for approximately 70 years.
Speaking to the BBC, the exhibition’s co-curator Emma Chambers said: “There were a few other things we were approached about, but this was the one where we all looked at each other and went, ‘Wow – we can’t believe this really survived.'”
The display is being billed as the most comprehensive collection of Nash’s work to be put on display for a generation. Showcasing a lifetime’s work, it will feature drawings from his early years as an artist to some of his most iconic war paintings, for which he is most famous, in addition to the newly rediscovered sculpture.
For art lovers, it presents an opportunity to explore the artist’s multifaceted portfolio of work. While he is particularly famous for his war paintings, such as Totes Meer, he also produced a variety of pieces depicting British landscapes. These reflect his fascination with the nation’s landscape and ancient past.
In addition to Moon Aviary, among the notable works on display will be Menin Road – a three-metre-long painting he created in 1919. Again, this work is war-focused and was painted with representations of heroism and nobility in mind.
Also particularly worth looking out for is Circle of Monoliths. On display for the first time, this painting was created on the back of another work. To display it, a special two-sided frame has been created to allow visitors to view both works.
Born on May 11th 1889 in Kensington, Paul Nash was primarily a landscape painter who worked in oils and watercolour, but he was also a book illustrator, writer and designer for applied art. His first one-man exhibition took place in 1912, and he held several exhibitions, including one in Cheltenham 1945, shortly before his death in on July 11th 1946.