The first episode of Modern Masters airs this Sunday on BBC One. Throughout the series, writer and presenter Alastair Sooke will be exploring how Matisse, Picasso, Dali and Warhol still influence the world we live in. It follows hot on the heels of BBC 2′s School Of Saatchi, in which Charles Saatchi embarked on a nationwide search to find an artist to join his next major exhibition.
It seems art is having a bit of a moment. Visitor numbers at the National Gallery in London were up 19 per cent last year and 10 per cent more people visited the V&A in summer 2009 than in summer 2008. In the midst of a recession gallery hopping is certainly a wallet-friendly activity — and with the introduction of events such as the Affordable Art Fair and sites such as NewBloodArt (where prices start from £30), you don’t have to be an oligarch to invest in a piece of original art.
As well as brightening up our living room, our choice of art also reflects our interests and personality. A survey of 2,000 people carried out by the Affordable Art Fair showed that one-third of them believed there was no better way to express their personality and enhance the mood of a room.
Researchers from Goldsmiths College and the University of London found that those who scored high on the traits of agreeableness and conscientiousness in questionnaires tended to prefer Impressionism, while those high in extroversion liked Cubism more than most. People who scored high on openness liked Impressionism the least. Researches suggested that since open people were often counter-conformists this fitted with their type.
For an artful take on the election, check out Steven Barrett’s political portraits, and vote for your favourite. You can even bid for the paintings and create your very own hung parliament.
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