Rosalind Ormiston

I am an art and architectural historian. I write features for art magazines and newspapers, with many books published, on art movements, and artists, including Hieronymus Bosch, Vermeer, Vincent van Gogh and Rembrandt, Paul Gauguin, William Morris, Egon Schiele and Edward Hopper.

I am based in London. I joined Kingston University as a visiting lecturer 2002-12 teaching art, architecture and design history.  I write for consumer and academic publications, with books on art for several publishers. I write travel features too, and when possible, visit places that hold my interest, from Kalkan to Den Bosch, Penrith to Puglia, Newcastle to Naples. On other pages, you will find information on commissioned books and selected interviews.

SEPTEMBER 2018

Amsterdam: Invited to press view of 'Gauguin and Laval in Martinique', a brilliant reason to visit the Van Gogh museum again, where the show is on until 13 January 2019. Pairings of paintings by French  artists Paul Gaugiun and Charles Laval shows their artistic similariites and differences. Their lives in Martinque are explored too. A wonderful exhibition, co-curated by Maite van Dijk and Joost van der Hoeven, (who were lucky enough to undertake part of their research in Martinque). There is an excellent catalogue Gaugiun and Laval in Martinique, with contributions by the curators. Worth having for the new research, and if you can't get to the exhibition.

https://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/en/whats-on/exhibitions/exhibition-gauguin-laval-in-martinique

Viewed new exhibition 'Ribera: Art of Violence' at Dulwich Picture Gallery (on until 27 January 2019). Superbly curated, it's what DPG does best, to highlight a less-exhibited artist to a British audience. This is first exhibition of the art of Spanish Baroque painter Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652) in the UK. A room dedicated to skin and the five senses includes a piece of tattoed skin (body unknown) but it is the paintings and drawings that will take your breath away. 

https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/2018/september/ribera-art-of-violence/

Just viewed the new sculpture exhibition  'Space Shifters' at Hayward Gallery, London, celebrating 50 years of the Hayward with sculpture created over the past 50 years. Favourite works, like Richard Wilson's '20/50' are there. Loved it.

https://southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/hayward-gallery-art/space-shifters

Viewed work of the four finalists for 'Turner Prize 2018' at Tate Britain (on until 6 January 2019). All are filmmakers: Naeem Mohaiemen, Charlotte Prodger, Luke Willis Thompson, and the collective Forensic Architecture. To watch all four films will take approx. 4.5 hours. Winner announced on Tuesday 4 December.

Viewed 'Courtauld Impressionists: From Manet to Cezanne', at National Gallery, London. It's the Courtauld collection temporarily on loan to NG, and mixed with NGs own impressionist paintings. Fabulous - opens 17 September.

https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/courtauld-impressionists-from-manet-to-cezanne

***Viewed part of 'The Clock', a 24-hour video installation created from 10,000 film clips by Christian Marclay. At Tate Modern, London, 14 September - 20 January 2019. Free to view.

https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/christian-marclay-clock