Natalia Goncharova, Tate Modern - ★★★★☆ - Until September 8, 2019


"Everythingism" was a word coined by colleagues of Natalia Goncharova’s. It described her tendency to appropriate art styles from past and present. The influence of her native Central Russia was constant too. Her lifelong and creative partner was fellow artist Mikhail Larionov and her reputation has probably suffered from their collaboration. She experimented with painting, fashion, textiles and theatre design (often with Ballets Russes). A radical figure who challenged artistic, gender and religious conventions, she often caused a scandal. Displaying Futurist body art on the streets of Moscow did not go down well! "Cubo-Futurism", abstraction and Rayonism were painting styles she developed alongside Larionov. "Linen" and "The Forest" (both 1913) are brought together by this first ever retrospective. They demonstrate avant-garde experiments with Modernist styles. Vibrant colour was a one of her trademarks. Everyday scenes such as "Peasant Picking Apples" (1911) and "Cyclist" (1913) can be contrasted with large four-panel religious work "The Evangelists" (1911) which Saint Petersburg authorities removed from display. Theatre designs for "The Firebird", "Le Coq d’Or" and "Les Noces" are striking. A large painted screen "Spring" (1928) is especially beautiful. Compared to our age of would-be 'disrupters', Goncharova was the real deal.

Reviewed by A.L.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆★ 

WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until September 8, 2019
Sun - Thu: 10 am - 6 pm
Fri & Sat: 10 am - 8 pm
Tate Modern
Nearest tube: Waterloo
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/natalia-goncharova
Map & Location: Bankside, London SE1 9TG, UK

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