This is the Night Mail: an exhibition of night-related work from the 19th and 20th centuries selected by artist Ida Ekblad from the Norwegian Christian Sveaas Art Foundation, at the Whitechapel Gallery, London.

The allusion to the film was obscure, but a very nicely curated exhibition of around 60 works from this collection, many of which are not on display in the better known galleries.  They include a lot of interesting Norwegian paintings: a couple, one very nice, by Nikolai Astrup; some relatively unknown ones by Munch; a Hammersjøj interior (Danish, I know); some early 20th century romantic works by Harald Sohlberg; cubism by Thorvald Hellesen; fine early 19th century landscapes by Johan Christian Dahl. On the periphery there were some pieces by more contemporary artists, e.g. Louise Bourgeois and Howard Hodgkin. A well hidden treat -- I was the only person in the gallery for most of my visit. ❤❤❤❤❤

Sickert: A Life in Art at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

A very full and well created exhibition of the work of the well known British artist Walter Richard Sickert (1860-1942). It shows Sickert as a rather more important painter than is normally recognised, for a variety of reasons.

The subjects Sickert chose to paint, for at least part of his career, were not considered acceptable subjects, e.g.  music hall artists, interiors of theatres, working people inside their homes.  During another period in his career, however, he became obsessed with Venice and produced some fine work. What is striking is that, In comparison with, say, the French schools at the time, most of his work seems extraordinarily dark in colour, even when portraying the bright light and deep shade of Italian cities. 

Towards the end of his life, Sickert's work headed in a strange direction, when he reproduced on canvas apparently random sections of photographs from newspapers and magazines.  This was done in what appears to be a very incompetent way.  It would have been better not to have shown this late work, as it added nothing to the impression of him as an artist. 

Also on display were some paintings by related artists, most notably of his wife, Thérèse Lessore, who painted, in a similar way to Sickert, interiors of entertainments venues. ❤❤❤❤