St.Ives Society ‘Spring Open’ 2024
The St Ives Society was the one Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson left to form the Penwith Society in the height of St Ives’ fame when modernism flourished here and in America.
Now two open shows per year provide varied art and useful income for the society which exhibits in the Mariners’ Church.
The opening was crowded, 323 works had been submitted and most it seems were accepted.
Marie Keeling had arranged them, grouping by themes and types, grey- blue abstractions together, a wall of flower paintings, seascapes, geometrical arrangements, plus ceramic vessels and sculpture and a case of delicate jewelry. It’s a giant installation of what is going on in the local scene. Much the same mix as last time with nothing controversial, nothing overtly political.
A lot of artists do much the same things repeatedly so if you like what they do it’s fine and if not it’s tedious. Many have exhibited here for years but I met a couple who submitted there for the first time and were delighted to be included.
Could any of these artists become famous beyond St Ives?
How does that happen?
Are these local shows similar globally?
Should clear pastiches of the famous such as Basquiat be either not accepted or at the least acknowledged?
Could innovation be encouraged?
Does the variety mirror that in the contemporary art world?
Is it just harmless fun and a welcome outlet for the many who belong to a loose knit community catering to the tourist trade?
As in football there are a few with genius status who are famous worldwide and become wealthy and then the others, in various leagues down to those kicking a ball about in a nearby cul de sac and all of it shows the importance of art and football at every level in our so hierarchied society.
Images are Jenny Beavan, .energised water' porcelain, glass and pebbles, £475
and El Matador Del Muerte, 'Hold Fast' concrete, paint and resin, £265
