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Turner and the Elements

Jan 28, 2012 - May 13, 2012
鈥淭he artist delights to go back to the first chaos of the world, or to that state of things when the waters were separated from the dry land, and light from darkness, but as yet no living thing nor tree bearing fruit was seen upon the face of the earth鈥.

Art critic William Hazlitt commenting on Turner鈥檚 work, 1816

JMW Turner, Britain鈥檚 best-loved painter, created new and unusual combinations of earth, water, air and fire and closely examined their interactions.

In Turner and the Elements, our first major show of the painter鈥檚 work at Turner Contemporary, we explore the important role that the depiction of the elements played in his landscape watercolours and paintings.

The exhibition brings together 88 works; 76 watercolours and 12 late oil paintings, many from the Tate collection. Turner鈥檚 innovative painting technique and the influence of scientific and technological developments during his lifetime were to revolutionise landscape painting.

Today, nearly two centuries since Turner鈥檚 visits to Margate, see first-hand how his dynamic concept of landscape, unconventional use of colour and near abstract watercolours and paintings secured his place as the artist of the elements and the founder of modern landscape painting.

Works on display include Snow Storm 鈥 Steam-Boat off a Harbour鈥檚 Mouth exhibited 1842 and The New Moon; or 鈥業鈥檝e lost My Boat, You shan鈥檛 have Your Hoop鈥 exhibited 1840. Turner鈥檚 frequent visits to Margate and the Kent coast are vividly portrayed, with particular works chosen especially for the exhibition鈥檚 time at Turner Contemporary.

Curated by In茅s Richter-Musso and Ortrud Westheider, the exhibition is the only opportunity to see this selection of works by Turner together in the UK.


鈥淭he artist delights to go back to the first chaos of the world, or to that state of things when the waters were separated from the dry land, and light from darkness, but as yet no living thing nor tree bearing fruit was seen upon the face of the earth鈥.

Art critic William Hazlitt commenting on Turner鈥檚 work, 1816

JMW Turner, Britain鈥檚 best-loved painter, created new and unusual combinations of earth, water, air and fire and closely examined their interactions.

In Turner and the Elements, our first major show of the painter鈥檚 work at Turner Contemporary, we explore the important role that the depiction of the elements played in his landscape watercolours and paintings.

The exhibition brings together 88 works; 76 watercolours and 12 late oil paintings, many from the Tate collection. Turner鈥檚 innovative painting technique and the influence of scientific and technological developments during his lifetime were to revolutionise landscape painting.

Today, nearly two centuries since Turner鈥檚 visits to Margate, see first-hand how his dynamic concept of landscape, unconventional use of colour and near abstract watercolours and paintings secured his place as the artist of the elements and the founder of modern landscape painting.

Works on display include Snow Storm 鈥 Steam-Boat off a Harbour鈥檚 Mouth exhibited 1842 and The New Moon; or 鈥業鈥檝e lost My Boat, You shan鈥檛 have Your Hoop鈥 exhibited 1840. Turner鈥檚 frequent visits to Margate and the Kent coast are vividly portrayed, with particular works chosen especially for the exhibition鈥檚 time at Turner Contemporary.

Curated by In茅s Richter-Musso and Ortrud Westheider, the exhibition is the only opportunity to see this selection of works by Turner together in the UK.


Contact details

Lifeboat Station, The Rendezvous Margate, UK

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