Dryden Goodwin’s art stands out from the crowd

Posted in Abstract paintings , Contemporary Artist , Contemporary Artists , Modern Artist , Modern Artists , Paintings
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Goodwin’s quietly powerful portraits of London Underground staff capture the mystery and melancholy of life in the capital

Ordinary faces look back at you from posters at London Underground stations, drawn in intense black lines, almost like forests of wiring. There is a hum of represssed energy, as if you were approaching power lines on a wasteland. There is also a solitude, a silence in the portraits that reach out, with their eyes, to you the stranger … and then you’ve moved on, carried by the crowd, the connection is lost.

Dryden Goodwin’s portraits of London Transport staff are the latest – and some might say the most conventional – in the series of artworks commissioned by Art on the Underground. Goodwin made drawings of 60 underground workers. They’re engaged, emotional, hardworking sketches. For those who need a bit of video to make them feel they are seeing some proper modern art, he has also made films of the drawing sessions. For me, though, what’s interesting is the vision of London this artist is pursuing; these drawings continue the themes of solitude in the crowd that made his 2008 show at the Photographers’ Gallery so quietly powerful.

It is an old-fashioned London he is drawing, more reminiscent of the 1950s city of a Frank Auerbach than the happening metropolis of now. Both Londons are mythic, of course. There is no one, fixed truth of London; this city is both a heaven and a hell, depending on your point view. But in contemporary culture, the point of view is almost always remorselessly upbeat and promotional. Goodwin’s London is a more melancholy, mysterious place whose streets, in these winter days, we actually seem to walk. They’re gripping, thought-provoking and evocative of life in the big city.

Jonathan Jones

 

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SourcedFrom The artist says: Thanks for reading my contemporary art blog! If you are involved in the art and culture industry in any way, and would like to syndicate content from or to this blog, or if you simply enjoy art and would like to get in touch, please leave a comment! This article has been kindly provided by: Art and design: Art | guardian.co.uk

Posted by admin   @   9 February 2010
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Feb 28, 2010
12:07 pm
#1 alisoncrozier :

Ugh I hate modern art. So I plopped myself on some weird bench and told everyone else that im waiting here!

Feb 28, 2010
12:11 pm
#2 douchie2 :

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Mar 5, 2010
2:00 am
#3 maqz :

Try this: http://www.carmenmiller.de/home.html

Mar 6, 2010
7:57 am
#4 Marttheart :

If you like modern art then visit Martin Bush here is the map link in http://bit.ly/bLO896 open Sat and Sun 11.30am-5pm

Mar 6, 2010
7:59 am
#5 Sputnik18 :

Photo: Raden Saleh, was born into a noble Javanese family in 1807, was a pioneer of modern Indonesian art…. http://tumblr.com/xob7452a7

Mar 6, 2010
9:18 pm
#6 jgrossnas :

Fountain art show at Pier 66, NYC. modern art fun on a boat & dock. continues sunday http://fountainexhibit.com

Mar 7, 2010
9:18 am
#7 PoochClub :

RT Why Beauty Matters by Roger Scruton http://bit.ly/cFv9rE Modern Art – content warning. via

Mar 7, 2010
9:19 pm
#8 ArtKnowledge :

Ai Weiwei to Undertake Next Commission in The Unilever Series at Tate Modern http://bit.ly/cGIbgE

Mar 8, 2010
9:20 am
#9 cunabula :

RT This should be exciting !! Tate Modern Turbine Hall to host Ai Weiwei http://bit.ly/diWzMk

Mar 8, 2010
9:19 pm
#10 thinairchi :

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Mar 9, 2010
9:21 am
#11 joncronin :

RT Fourface Is Foursquare As Modern Art http://tcrn.ch/c3LlVS

Mar 9, 2010
9:21 pm
#12 iranplata :

Gibbes Museum of Art to Feature Modern Masters from the Ferguson Collection + other art stories: http://www.iranplata.com

Mar 10, 2010
9:20 am
#13 GalerieJ :

museum of modern art, colombia – http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/view/9418/51-1-arquitectos-museum-of-modern-art-colombia.html

Mar 10, 2010
9:19 pm
#14 hmstrjam :

Caravaggio modern art star http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/10/arts/design/10abroad.html

Mar 11, 2010
9:21 am
#15 CuratedObject :

Exhibitions NYC. Modern Art, Sacred Space: Motherwell, Ferber and Gottlieb. The Jewish Museum. The Curated Object http://bit.ly/aMzPce

Mar 11, 2010
9:18 pm
#16 itsmagick :

Sf moma. Modern art, like wow. http://myloc.me/4HDtP

Mar 12, 2010
9:18 am
#17 houseandhome :

Modern carpets as art. talks about what to look for in the 3rd segment of online TV http://bit.ly/9eAg4v

Mar 12, 2010
9:19 pm
#18 DesMoinesDealin :

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Mar 13, 2010
9:19 am
#19 kellyjrussell :

The Pompidou centre is fab but some of the modern art was too wacky for me. Now need to find somewhere to watch england in the

Mar 13, 2010
9:19 pm
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Mar 14, 2010
9:35 am
#21 EarlMobile :

Die haben Rechtsabteilungen auf allen Kontinenten. Global Business Modern Art.

Mar 14, 2010
10:19 am
#22 elephantsgerald :

As I tell students, If u look at modern art, & think about how it was made (ie white paint dripped 1st, blue 2nd)then u ‘get’ it

Mar 14, 2010
10:20 pm
#23 SFkeiko :

A Summer of Modern Art Announced at the Phillips Collection http://bit.ly/9Fhq7V

Mar 15, 2010
10:22 am
#24 thisistomorrow_ :

Challenging images of impeding violence, Collier Schorr: German Faces, Modern Art London
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Mar 15, 2010
10:21 pm
#25 citizencog :

The father must’ve been huge. See how the fat burnt into the driver’s seat with his polyester shirt? Very “modern art.”

Mar 16, 2010
10:22 am
#26 DesignModern :

teroganian: Marine Hugonnier “Art for Modern Architecture” http://bit.ly/9HBTGi

Mar 16, 2010
10:21 pm
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Post: “Light Speed” Modern Home Decor Ultra Modern Abstract Metal Art by: Jon Allen http://bit.ly/cx1Dzk

Mar 17, 2010
10:19 am
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Mar 17, 2010
10:21 pm
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Mar 17, 2010
10:21 pm
#30 jchernandezjazz :

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Mar 18, 2010
10:19 am
#31 angiep213 :

Dear artsy people – please don’t put your art in a brass or gold frame. It’s looks very dated. Wood or black and it’s instantly more modern.

Mar 18, 2010
10:21 pm
#32 Joserojasphoto :

Heading to a Modern Art class manana wish me luck.

Mar 19, 2010
10:22 am
#33 lilahrap :

Also saw bomb Lichtenstein exhibit -the dude legitimized a career of life size paint-by-numbers, an homage to and parody of all modern art

Mar 19, 2010
10:21 pm
#34 IconoNews :

Os Gemeos at SP Modern Art Museum….installing.. http://bit.ly/99F5bd

Mar 20, 2010
10:19 am
#35 lifeisacanvass :

modern mueseum of art, tim burton exhibit with the family…and wearing shorts! loving the weather <3

Mar 20, 2010
10:18 pm
#36 patriciavaleria :

Modern Art = I could do that + Yeah, but you didn’t. http://www.morenewmath.com/69/modern-art/

Mar 21, 2010
10:21 am
#37 Slattery :

I’m at IMMA – Irish Museum of Modern Art. http://4sq.com/9PtN5o

Mar 21, 2010
10:21 pm
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RT Modern mural art http://short.to/vgmm

Mar 22, 2010
10:25 am
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Mar 22, 2010
10:26 am
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Mar 22, 2010
10:19 pm
#41 SocialMidea :

SocialMidea: New York’s Museum of Modern A… http://socialmidea.com/2010/03/new-york%e2%80%99s-museum-of-modern-art-acquires-the-symbol/

Mar 23, 2010
10:23 am
#42 yellowjaguar :

New York’s Museum of Modern Art Acquires the Symbol http://nxy.in/14rl1

Mar 24, 2010
10:19 am
#44 artorArt :

an application that turns mouse movements into a modern art http://ow.ly/1qfPk

Mar 24, 2010
10:21 pm
#45 dezainnet :

Exhibition ‘WHERE IS ARCHITECTURE?’ at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo http://bit.ly/cc8CcD

Mar 25, 2010
10:20 am
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Mar 25, 2010
10:21 pm
#47 artconte :

MoMA’s 2010 Party in the Garden to Honor Ronald and Jo Carole Lauder: NEW YORK, NY.- The Museum of Modern Art’s … http://twurl.nl/qbjjxz

Mar 26, 2010
10:19 am
#48 leannehurley :

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Mar 26, 2010
10:22 pm
#49 mutomasa :

絵葉書を買いにきてるん The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama) http://4sq.com/aNJrye

Mar 27, 2010
10:21 am
#50 TheMetamora :

Modern day expressionism Art sparks my curiosity; Banksy, Twist, Barry McGee, are painters & graffitti artists — Artshow is on Current_ TV

Mar 27, 2010
10:21 pm
#51 am3thyst :

I don’t think I dislike modern art, just the way the Whitney Museum curates it.

Mar 28, 2010
10:22 am
#52 danwootton :

Oh how love modern art. Fun at the Pompidou in Paris http://yfrog.com/jdkp9lj

Mar 28, 2010
10:19 pm
#53 elmitob :

Major Cartier-Bresson retrospective tours the US|NEW YORK, March 29 ? In April, New York?s Museum of Modern Art .. http://oohja.com/x9DSU

Mar 29, 2010
10:21 am
#54 krooney :

Museum of Modern Art Inducts Symbol Into Its Architecture and Design Collection – AOL News: http://bit.ly/9bBSVv via

Mar 29, 2010
10:20 pm
#55 modern_designed :

Dreams of Eames: Mid Century Modern Inspired Art Group Show | Mid … http://bit.ly/9ysBpd

Mar 30, 2010
10:20 am
#56 wrr101 :

Andy Warhol: The Last Decade at the Modern Art Museum in Ft. Worth…interested? I’ll have tickets this hour… http://bit.ly/dCLP6K

Mar 30, 2010
10:19 pm
#57 ajbartholomew :

Museum of Modern Art Presents KINO! 2010: New Films from Germany 4/21-4/30: http://bit.ly/bacNTl

Mar 31, 2010
10:22 am
#58 churchstages :

Bottle Trees: Got a need for some modern art to spruce up a stage or a boring… http://goo.gl/fb/GfGpK

Mar 31, 2010
10:22 pm
#59 puterautama :

Seandainya museum di Jakarta bisa sekeren itu T_T RT AAAH IYA GUA JG PENGEN!! :D RT Museum of Modern Art

Apr 1, 2010
10:22 am
#60 santafecollege :

Dulce Roman, Curator of Modern Art for the Harn Museum of Art, speaks about modern art at the Harn, including an… http://bit.ly/9gN53s

Apr 1, 2010
10:20 pm
#61 gretchengrude :

11 pairs of jeans are hanging to dry in the livingroom…kinda looks like modern art

Apr 2, 2010
10:20 am
#62 Kristen_Amanda :

10 creepy, beautiful modern ruins: http://www.thecoolist.com/abandoned-places-10-creepy-beautiful-modern-ruins/

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