The Sonia Delaunay Exhibition is currently running at Tate Modern until 9th August. I had the treat of going along to the ‘after hours’ curators talk for this. It felt wonderfully decadent to have the whole exhibition to ourselves and to wander freely from one painting to another without stretching to see over someones shoulder.
The exhibition is a beautiful retrospective collection of Delaunay’s paintings, textiles and clothes. Each room is an imaginative riot of vibrant colour and abstract, showing collaborations she had with poets, dancers and commercial organisations. All of this is evident in her work. Grace and movement can clearly be seen in some of the works she produced during time in Spain and Portugal and there is a lovely scarf with a poem printed on it which she alternately wore and displayed in her home.
Delaunay believed that art should be worn and the room displaying her clothes and fabrics is testimony to why she believed that. Her abstract and geometrical patterns lent themselves to stunning items of clothing.
If you happen to be in London and have a penchant for shape and colour then I urge you to pop along.
This is the sort of art that gives me flashbacks to my 80s/90s childhood, lots of bright colours and fuzzy lines. I’m tempted to visit, if only for the memories.
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The colours are great, I found it all quite uplifting. Anything that gives flashbacks to the 80’s is alright by me!