Jennifer Packer: the Eye is not Satisfied with Seeing, at the Serpentine Gallery, London

The first exhibition outside the US of this prize-winning American artist. The exuberant large scale works are mainly portraits of her friends in domestic settings; each of them somehow succeeds in commenting intimately on the character of the subjects.  They are interspersed with similarly vivid, but less impressive, recent flower paintings.❤❤❤❤

Epic Iran, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

A wide-spanning exhibition of artefacts and archaeological finds from over 5000 years of the history of the area currently known as Iran.  The amount of material is a bit overwhelming, as is often the case in these blockbuster exhibitions, but there are stunning examples of intact pottery from 5000BC, richly illuminated manuscripts through to some surprising examples of quite subversive art from non-exhiled Iranians in the 21st century. 

All this was a reflection of the wide variety of different tribes, e.g. Sasanians, Parthians, who inhabited that region of Iran and Mesopotamia over the centuries, each bringing their own culture and religion, with Islam of course being introduced relatively recently.

There was much to admire in the exhibition, but perhaps it tried to encompass too much; after all, there is already a very informative section of the V&A that provides a good overview of Iranian culture without overwhelming the lay viewer like myself. ❤❤❤   

The Last Bohemian: Augustus John at lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight

A concise exhibition of the work of the Welsh painter Augustus John (1878-1961), who was Britain's leading portrait painter at the start of the 20th century. He was associated with Liverpool School of Architecture and Applied Art.  Although his portraiture of famous establishment figures were in demand (due undoubtedly to the quality of his work), he was far from an establishment figure, leading an archetypal bohemian life, based on his interest in, and association with, Gypsy culture and some of his behaviour scandalised the public at the time. This reputation probably exceeded his standing as an artist and may have overshadowed the fine, arguably finer, work of his sister Gwen John. A very well curated exhibition.  ❤❤❤❤

Lucien Freud: Real  Lives at Tate Liverpool

A disappointing show of the famous artist's work that set out to display how he portrayed his friends and work collleagues in his paintings.  Since some of these people were his known models, so there were no surprises to be found.  Many of the works were etchings that he had produced alongside his larger and better known oils; few of the latter were on display. Two head and shoulder portraits were notable: one of the artist in later life and one of his muse Leigh Bowery. ❤❤

Northumberland Folk, four linked exhibitions by illustrator Johnny Hannah at Berwick Museum and Art Gallery

A chance very lucky find. Multiple aspects of Northumberland life illustrated in the form of posters, tableaux, books, leaflets, objects -- all with Hannah's colourful and witty illustrations.  Particularly worth reading was the illustrated lockdown diary in which the artist describes how he and his family have coped with, and seen the funny side of,  lockdown. ❤❤❤❤❤