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I believe the way we look at visual arts has the potential to change our ideas about history and society, so this is my approach.
To quote the great Toni Morrison: "All good art is political. If it's not political, chances are that it's not that good."
Welcome to my blog (and thanks for reading).
Francesca
Beyond the Canvas
An art blog with opinions


Peter Hujar "Eyes Open in the Dark" at Raven Row, London
“My work comes out of my life. The people I photograph are not freaks or curiosities to me. I like people who dare.” - Peter Hujar...

Beyond the Canvas
Mar 211 min read
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Who poses a bigger threat to society?
Catching up on the news from my 2nd hometown of London, I feel compelled to go off on a rant. It appears that the people threatening the...

Beyond the Canvas
Nov 11, 20231 min read
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Andreas Gursky: Visual Spaces of Today - MAST Foundation, Bologna
"I do see myself as a chronicler. My pictures try to encapsulate our time." - Andreas Gursky Whatever he sees himself as, Andreas Gursky...

Beyond the Canvas
Jul 31, 20231 min read
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Robert Capa at Mudec, Milan
"I hope to stay unemployed as a war photographer till the end of my life." - Robert Capa (1913-1954) Alas, Capa's hopes were destined to...

Beyond the Canvas
Nov 14, 20221 min read
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The issue of (female) ageing
You know when you're having a conversation with a friend and the following day you read something that exactly echoes your thoughts...

Beyond the Canvas
Aug 14, 20222 min read
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Ukrainian artists: Artem Humilevskiy
"During the quarantine period, I began to create staged self-portraits at home. In the photo, which was the beginning of the series, I...

Beyond the Canvas
Mar 7, 20221 min read
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Personal protection: America's love story with firearms
“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be...

Beyond the Canvas
Dec 12, 20211 min read
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On World AIDS Day
"If I have to change my lifestyle, I don't want to live." - Robert Mapplethorpe In this powerful self-portrait Robert Mapplethorpe looks...

Beyond the Canvas
Dec 1, 20211 min read
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Photo print fundraiser in support of women journalists in Afghanistan
Like many, I have been following the recent events unfolding in Afghanistan. I have mostly been feeling sad and powerless while thinking...

Beyond the Canvas
Sep 21, 20211 min read
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Richard Mosse - Displaced, Fondazione MAST
'Beauty is the main line to make people feel something.' - Richard Mosse It's easy to be fooled by the alluring colours of the striking...

Beyond the Canvas
May 24, 20212 min read
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Laura Aguilar's courageous rebellion
“My photography has always provided me with an opportunity to open myself up and see the world around me. And most of all, photography...

Beyond the Canvas
Mar 23, 20212 min read
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Carrie Mae Weems' The Kitchen Table Series (1990)
"I think that most work that’s made by black artists is considered to be about blackness. [Laughs.] Unlike work that’s made by white...

Beyond the Canvas
Aug 23, 20202 min read
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Dwelling: In This Space We Breathe, Khadija Saye (1992-2017)
‘The series was created from a personal need for spiritual grounding after experiencing trauma. The search for what gives meaning to our...

Beyond the Canvas
Jul 27, 20202 min read
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Gordon Parks' chronicles of everyday segregation
"I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs. I knew at that point I had...

Beyond the Canvas
Jul 25, 20202 min read
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Spring in art part 7: Steichen does a van Gogh
Luxembourg-born Edward Steichen is one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. He was one of the founders of the...

Beyond the Canvas
Apr 2, 20201 min read
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