by Carla Scarano D’Antonio
The new exhibition from the Ingram Collection at the Lightbox in Woking has been organised in collaboration with Artwise and coincides with the 60th anniversary of the founding of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The event also refers to COP26 (the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow) in order to raise awareness of this global issue, and displays 25 works of British artists who have been inspired by the natural world.
The four works by Elisabeth Frink (1930–1993) on display are compelling examples. ‘The Cormorant’ (1974), from the seabird series, speaks of the horrors of the second world war that the artist experienced when she was living in Devon. She became obsessed by the war planes she saw fighting in the sky and imagined them falling to the ground. The birds recall the violence of the conflict but also have a defiant attitude; nature challenges the war and the craziness of mankind that caused it. ‘Sleeping Fox’ (1968) shows the beauty and harmony of nature in the relaxed posture of the animal, which is caught in a forgetful rest that resists the frantic life of urban society. Frink had a rural upbringing that is expressed in her pictures of animals, especially horses. In her artwork, work horses and war horses represent a crucial connection between nature and the human world. Horses work in fields and help farmers, and they took part in wars too; they were killed and maybe saved lives. Horses were not only soldiers’ companions but also supported them in tough times. The two artworks on display dedicated to horses are very different from one another. ‘Rolling over Horse’ (1979) in pencil and watercolour is a well-executed and skilful picture of an animal in a playful moment. It shows the beauty of the animal in its round shape and warm colours. ‘Wounded Horse’ (1989) in acrylic depicts the head of a bleeding war horse, emphasising its commitment and sacrifice. It represents the generosity of nature, which is at risk, and the message that is conveyed is that it is our responsibility to take care of it.
Other interesting pieces include two intriguing sculptures. The ‘Elephant Revenge, 2012’ by Emma Woffenden represents the story of the revenge of a young elephant against the poacher who killed its mother. An impressive lion head carved in cherry wood by Seamus Cuddihy entitled ‘Scarface’ (2013) shows the proud portrait of the king of a pride of lions who was blinded in one eye during a fight.
Landscapes in different media and techniques are on display as well. John Craxton’s ‘Landscape, Tresco’ (1954) represents a view of the Isles of Scilly using a figurative technique in watercolours and crayons. The buildings look stable and are protected by a fence, conveying a reassuring sense of order. In the semi-abstract ‘Landscape by the Sea’ (1958), Wilfred Avery imagines a place in which plants, rocks and sea interlace in an apparently flat surface, communicating a playful and vivid impression. ‘Hebrides’ (1999) by Donald Hamilton Fraser is particularly appealing because of the sharp contrast between the ultramarine and indigo blues of the sea and the red of the sky. The picture has been created using silkscreen printing, that is, a stencilling process that allows the artist to play with negative spaces. Sir Terry Frost’s ‘Sun, Sea and Boats’ (1952) reveals a keen observation and a juxtaposition of the objects mentioned in the title as well as an exquisite rendering in watercolours and gouache.
The exhibition displays in a consistent and convincing way the connection between humans and nature and the relevance of plants, animal life and the natural landscape in our world. This relation is vital for our mental and physical survival and needs to be celebrated in art as well as in our everyday experience. We need to change our way of living and fall back in love with nature to make the world a better place.
The Ingram Collection: Art for your World, The Lightbox, 25 September 2021–9 January 2022
Woking Writers Circle 