Edvard Munch: Love and Angst at The British Museum Seen 03/05/2019
The British Museum is a great curator of prints and this shows in their wonderful catalogue to this show. However, I felt that the show itself added little to the stupendous contribution of the catalogue. Of course it is wonderful to see the prints in contiguity and in series – especially to get the idea of what is meant by a ‘Frieze of Life’, but the curation of this show is a disappointment. It employs a series of radial sets (theatrical in form and feel) focused on little film vignettes made up of still images with commentary of the great cities of Munch’s European residences – ending, of course, with his focus on the movement for the creation of stage sets in the footsteps, I was surprised to learn, of the Nabis (Vuillard, Bonnard etc.). The end presence of Ibsen in Munch’s imagination and national alliance was the best and most moving element I thought.
Nowhere on my visit to London was I as upset about the trend to over-management of crowds of people than in this show however, which managed to turn an experience of expected pleasure into that you might look forward to in queueing for a theatre cloakroom. And, despite the intrusive policy – people let in in 10 minute slots – the crowds around high spots – The wonderful Sick Child – were just as destructive of any meaningful interaction with the art object as I ever experienced.
My own feeling is stay with the catalogue. Though Bonnard and the Van Gogh and The Renaissance Nude exhibitions had similarly wonderful catalogues – the thoughtful and content-led curation made the latter most impressive to see ‘in the too, too solid flesh’.
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