Graham Sutherland, Untitled, 1970, watercolors on canvas, cm 48 x 76, Courtesy Galleria d’Arte Maggiore g.a.m., Bologna | Paris | Venice
Always poised between the real and the imaginary, the cryptic creations of Graham Sutherland (1903 – 1980) immerse us in allusive metamorphoses, giving life to a “mystery” whose conclusion we will never know. We are in the presence of one of the greatest innovators of contemporary British painting whose works are hosted by ACP – Palazzo Franchetti in Venice, within the exhibition with the theme “Bittersweet”. Curated by Roberta Perazzini Calarota, the exhibition investigates some of the artist’s most cherished themes – nature with its landscapes immersed in greenery and the animal world – through a core of important oil and watercolour works and a careful selection of lithographs belonging to the most famous cycles, among which “The Bestiary” stands out. Graham Sutherland is artistically crucial for his very personal contribution in the reinterpretation of the historical avant-gardes of the early twentieth century and for the variety of media used, including oils, watercolors and lithographs, but also costumes and sets for theatrical performances. His art presents expressionist, cubist, surrealist and abstract elements, which come together in a completely original mix. The result is a figuration based on a sophisticated deconstruction of forms then recomposed in a new, visionary, and bittersweet reality captured in its incessant flow and in the precarious tension of opposites: happiness and sadness, joy and horror, nature and introspection. The works on display reveal the ever-increasing emotional intensity that the artist experiences, after an initial part of his career dedicated essentially to idyllic landscapes of neo-romantic style and the strong influence exerted by artists such as Samuel Palmer and William Blake. Most of the selected works are therefore significant examples of Sutherland's mastery, from Twisted Tree (1973) to Road with setting sun (1977).
Graham Sutherland, Untitled, 1977, oli on canvas, cm 91 x 72, Courtesy Galleria d’Arte Maggiore g.a.m., Bologna | Paris | Venice
Until 27th July 2025, acp-palazzofranchetti.com