Walter Sickert’s evolving practice and lasting influence are the subject of the first exhibition dedicated to the artist at Tate since 1960.
Immersed in a vibrant artistic community, Walter Sickert developed a distinctive style that saw him become one of the most notable artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. His remarkable depiction of ordinary life relied on original compositions, unconventional subject matter and a raw materiality – all of which are on display in this major retrospective at the Tate Britain.
The largest solo exhibition of Sickert’s work since a retrospective at the Royal Academy in 1992, the showcase charts a shift from the artist’s impressionistic style in the 1880s to his groundbreaking use of photography in the 1930s. An early reflector of the rising fascination with fame and the media, Sickert painted a collection of well-known figures from press photographs, later courting celebrity status of his own by changing his appearance, name, and conducting controversial painting stunts.
This modern outlook, and the subjects Sickert adopted, are evidence of what best sparked his imagination, his fascination with current events including the Camden Town Murders among the many facets explored in this extensive exhibition.
