Henri Matisse – Paper Cut-Outs at Tate Modern
Matisse was one of the most innovative painters of the C20th, but for the last seventeen years of his life due to health problems turned to an entirely new approach of making work, cutting shapes from painted paper and then layering these pieces to create shapes which were attached to a larger plain canvas.
In the exhibition we see cut-out shapes of birds, fish, coral, leaves, plants etc and also his work with stained glass. The 'Blue Nudes' series which is perhaps one of his most memorable works and a most striking example of what Matisse himself called 'cutting directly into colour', the paper's flatness co-exists with a sense of figures intertwined limbs. Paper cutting is a way of drawing and sculpting at the same time.
The Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945 – 2014 at V&A
A wonderful exhibition of Italian fashion from the end of the Second World War to the present day, and explores through key fashion designers and organizations that have contributed to Italy's reputation for quality and style, and showcases the exceptional range of techniques, materials and expertise from which 'Made in Italy' brand has become renowned.
Designers and labels featured include 1950's and '60's Hollywood stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, Prada, Versace, Gucci, Armani, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Pucci etc.
The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier – From Sidewalk to the Catwalk at The Barbican
Over the past for decades, Jan Paul Gaultier has shaped the look of contemporary fashion, with his witty and boundary-pushing designs and his ceaseless interest in society and identity. Keenly interested in all of the world's traditions and cultures, Gaultier has conceived a new kind of fashion in both the way it is made and worn.
Designed as an installation rather than a conventional fashion retrospective, this theatrically staged exhibition presents over 180 cutting-edge couture and ready-to-wear garments created between the early 1970's and now, many of which are being shown in Britain for the first time.
