Painting the Modern Garden – Monet to Matisse (Exhibition on Screen)

“A ravishing joy from start to finish.”    The Guardian

“A balm for the soul”  James King Film Review, Jo Whiley Show, BBC Radio 2 (Listen to the clip)

“Painting the Modern Garden at its core returns to a mindfulness that feels utterly contemporary.”    Review Hub  (Read the review)

For many great artists the garden has long been considered a desirable subject for the expression of colour, light and atmosphere. Claude Monet is perhaps the most well-known painter of gardens but other greats such as Van Gogh, Pissarro, Matisse and Sargent all viewed the garden as a meaningful focus for their talents. The work of these great artists, along with many others, feature in a major 2016 exhibition ‘Painting the Modern Garden’ from The Royal Academy, London.

This dazzling film takes a magical journey from the gallery to the gardens, to Giverny and Seebüll and other glorious grounds favoured by artists. Here we discover how early twentieth century artists designed and cultivated their own gardens to explore contemporary utopian ideas and motifs of colour and form. Monet said, “Apart from painting and gardening, I’m no good at anything”.

For lovers of art or lovers of gardens, this is an ideal film.

“The film adds detailed views of the canvases, tours of otherwise inaccessible artist’s gardens and interviews with modern artists”    Homes and Antiques

“Mesmerizing”     The Herbarium Project