Calling all artists:
First of three hour long programs at nine (or two forty if you cannot sleep!) tonight on BBC four.
Archive clips of artists talking from 1907 onwards
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In the first episode of the series, this programme unlocks the BBC archives to tell the story of the birth of modern art, in the words of the artists who created a cultural revolution –
from the startling innovations of Picasso to the explosion of colour in the paintings of Matisse, to LS Lowry’s industrial cityscapes and the often shocking work of surrealists like Max Ernst, Magritte and Dali.
Three of my favourite artists all in one programme: Man Ray – is there such a term as a superartist? Leonora Carrington – proof that the female of the species is twice as surreal? And Rene Magritte – paintings like pictures of crossword puzzles (“a poetry of ideas”, says Grayson Perry) and a personality like Eric Morecambe pretending to be Gilbert and George. Hurrahs all round – thank you BBC4!