We are making a New World 1918
Paul Nash, Imperial War Museum
Time for an abrupt change of focus; first assignment done and dusted, now on to the next - What impact did the Firtst World War have upon visual culture? A meaty topic, to be approached in my case via a study of the work of Paul Nash, and his idealogical "Englishness", his unpopulated landscapes, and post-war his move to modernism and Surrealism. This painting was completed after the war, from sketches made at the time, and the huge irony of the title is obvious. But the sun keeps rising. Next week we go to the Imperial War Museum - great opportunity to really absorb this and other work of Nash. And taking a long hard look at the Formalism of Clive Bell.
