Galleries - February 2011

ing is one of North Wales’ most respected commercial galleries, Oriel Tegfryn . Established in 1963 it had a long association with Kyf- fin Williams over many years and has shown the likes of Gwilym Prichard, William Selwyn and Donald McIntyre. Now, recently acquired by Martin Tinney, the gallery has just emerged from a major refurbishment to hold an exhibition of major 20th C. and Welsh Art, Tinney making it very clear that he intends to build on its proud tradition and in fact alter very little, art or staff wise. Finally, one victim of the down- turn does have to be mourned, the wonderful King of Hearts in Nor- wich which closed at Christmas as owner Aude Gotto felt the pinch. More of a community space than commercial gallery, with lectures, musical events and all sorts, Nor- wich needs to replace or reopen it quickly if its reputation as an arts city is not to suffer . . . IMPRESSIONIST DELIGHTS Unusual among London’s main- stream galleries for its focus on the work of one, admittedly ex- traordinary, artistic family, Camille Pissarro and his descendants, Stern Pissarro has, since 2009, left Notting Hill Gate for rather larger premises in St James’s, a move that has enabled it to do rather more ambitious shows around this strictly adhered to theme. Their February show is a prime example. Entitled simply vamping. For example, ex-Offer Waterman director Jenna Burl- ingham , who has recently started a gallery (of the same name) in Kingsclere. Dealing in Modern British and Contemporary high end artists like Craigie Aitchison, John Piper and Julian Trevelyan downstairs, less established con- temporary artists and craftsmen such as Liz Taunt and Andrew Hazleden upstairs – this would ap- pear to be a smart move in an area close to Hungerford and Newbury, rather better known for its antiques and auctions than fine art. Then there’s The Art Gallery in Tetbury, a huge new space oc- cupying the ground and lower floors of Spencer House, a grand Georgian property in the heart of this beautiful and prosperous Gloucestershire town, which is fo- cusing rather more on the young- er up and coming end of the market. Meanwhile down in Cornwall, the Market House Gallery in Marazion has been going through another phase in its history. First opening in 1998 as the Sims Gallery, it was taken over in 2001 by Jonathan Grimble (now of Westcott’s in St. Ives) before Kevin Dickerson took it over in 2005. Since 2007 Paul Longthorne has been in charge, setting in mo- tion a return to its roots in top quality 20th C. Cornish and con- temporary artists, that has recently seen a revamped website and plans to mount six one-person and mixed shows a year. Also in the process of regroup- ‘Impressionist and Modern Art’, it contains the kind of painterly de- lights you didn’t expect even the London art-market to rise to these days – a superbly breezy Sisley of the Seine at St Cloud (1877), a striking Berthe Morisot portrait of her daughter Julie Manet as well, of course, as three Camille Pissar- ros from 1871, 1878 and 1884. The modern element of the show‘s title is not bad either with Bonnard, Vlaminck, Severini and Lanskoy, among others in the mix – no SAD syndrome there! 20/21 VISION Now in its fifth year 20/21 British Art Fair’s kid brother the 20/21 In- ternational Art Fair (17 to 20 Feb- ruary) seems to be growing up fast, the latest version, with some 60 galleries, entailing an expan- sion into more space at its RCA venue and a genuinely wide spread of art and artists from around the world. To see what a selection of them will be showing turn to our Fair feature on p32. C RW Nevinson ‘Le Vieux Port’, 1913, oil on canvas. Augustus John ‘Lily in the Welsh Hills’, c.1910-13, oil on canvas both at the Mall Galleries Gino Severini ‘Nature Morte aux Jolies Dentelles’, 1946, oil on board, inscribed Meudon 8 verso. Camille Pissarro ‘Les Carrièries du Chou, Pontoise’ 1882, oil on canvas both at Stern Pissarro Gallery Elisabeth Frink at Jenna Burlingham Fine Art Gwen John ‘A Young Woman in Blue’ (detail), oil on canvas, 1914/15 at Martin Tinney Gallery 9. GALLERIES FEBRUARY 11

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