Curiosity exhibition at Turner Contemporary Gallery.

I've been back to see the exhibition Curiosity :Art and the Pleasures of Knowing at the Turner Contemporary gallery. I really like the exhibition with it's mix of historical and contemporay exhibits.
Thomas Grunfeld's work Misfit is quite arresting, I wasn't sure if it was a bit too disturbing at first. But I wanted to sketch it all the same.

A sketch of Thomas Grunfeld's sculpture.

It also appeals to the collector in me and some of the items I definately covet. There is for instance a collection of old German glass sea creatures, which is absolutely amazing. The skill of glass blowing and sculpting is amazing from trailing tentacles to sponges.

Similar glass sea creatures to those on show in the exhibition.

Similar sea creature to those on show at the exhibition.

Another display case holds some beautiful agates with their patterns suggesting landscapes.

I'm also appreciating a look at some of Turners work that is not normally exhibited. In the last exhibition it was some drawings from his lectures on perspective and studies of reflections in glass balls. This time there is a wall full of watercolours of birds, paintings I'd never seen before.

One of Turner's studies

They are lovely, very delicate in colour and feel. A lot of head studies and a few birds that had been collected for his studies after they had died.  The dead Jay and Ring Dove have a softness and lightness of touch that speaks to me of care for the birds in his observation.

Another of Turner's bird studies.

I liked Salvatore Arancio's works that had the look of historical engravings from the nineteenth century.  I made a sketch of one of the pieces. Site with an interview and work by Salvatore Arancio here

 A sketch of one of Salvatore Arancio's works.

Laurent Grasso's reproductions of historical photographs of popes and bishops looking through the telescope in the Vatican, really interested me. It started me thinking of the historical links between astrology and astronomy, which were much closer together in the past. Article about his work here

One of Laurent Grassos works.

The exhibition is on till the 15th September and is well worth a visit.