Bridget Rileycolour, stripes, planes and curves24 September - 20 November 2011

house | exhibitions | music

admission free

Kettle’s Yard On Castle Street in Cambridge is a beautiful and unique house

containing a distinctive collection of modern art with an exhibition

gallery next door. This autumn, visitors can enjoy a new exhibition of

work by one of our foremost abstract painters, Bridget Riley. In the year

of Riley’s 80th birthday, Kettle’s Yard is showing an exhibition exploring

the last 30 years of her working life; come and be allured by these

stripes, planes and curves.

house & permanent collectionThe house at Kettle’s Yard contains the permanent collection of modern

British and European art. Kettle’s Yard was the home of Jim Ede, the

first modern art curator at the Tate Gallery, who came to Cambridge in

1957. His collection includes paintings by Ben and Winifred Nicholson,

Christopher Wood, David Jones and Alfred Wallis, and sculpture by

Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Constantin Brancusi and Henri

Gaudier-Brzeska.

Bridget Rileycolour, stripes, planes and curves24 September - 20 November 2011

For fifty years Bridget Riley has been one of the world’s leading abstract painters. For most of that time colour and our perception of its fleeting nature have been at the heart of her work. This exhibition, organised uniquely for Kettle’s Yard, takes paintings and studies from the last thirty years to trace her progress through the agency of stripes, planes and curves and back to stripes.

Despite being abstract, Bridget Riley’s paintings are rooted in a childhood of looking at nature. ‘My mother … would always point things out: the colours of shadows, the way water moves, how changes in the shape of a cloud are responsible for different colours in the sea, the dapples and reflections that come up from pools inside caves.’ Art school training in life drawing instilled a sense of structure, since

‘Colour is the proper means for what I want to do because it is prone to inflections and inductions existing only through relationship; malleable, yet tough and resilient.’from ‘The Pleasures of Sight’, 1984

exhibition talkBridget riley in conversation with Paul MoorhouseA Friends of Kettle’s Yard event

An illustrated talk followed by a glass of wine. Paul Moorhouse is curator of Twentieth Century Art at the National Portrait Gallery.

Wednesday 2 November, 6pm Palmerston Room, St John’s College, Cambridge.Tickets including a glass of wine: Friends £15, Non-Friends £17.50, Students £5. Cheques made payable to ‘Friends of Kettle’s Yard’ should be sent to Friends of Kettle’s Yard, c/o 103 Millington Lane, Cambridge CB3 9HA.

when a continuing study of the art of the past has stimulated and informed her work.

Her early colour paintings were strongly influenced by the discoveries of Seurat and the Impressionists. But visiting Egypt in the winter of 1979-80, she found a palette of four colours, plus black and white, which had endured for thousands of years and these became the basis for a series of vertical stripe paintings exploring their potential for interaction. ‘It was a very sturdy, solid group of colours with infinite flexibility.’

Study of Cézanne, especially his practice of drawing with colour, and a desire to dig deeper into pictorial space led to the introduction of planes in grids formed by the junction of intersecting verticals and diagonals – and of colours and contrasts. And then a longing for the return of curves and to work with larger areas led to paintings where flat planes of colour appear to weave in space in compositions of lyrical and exuberant rhythms.

Most recently, using a close harmony of hues and tones spiked with strong contrasts, she has again taken up stripes which, for all their formal rigour, offer increased depth and radiate a tender yet powerful warmth.

The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated catalogue with a conversation between Bridget Riley and Michael Harrison, published jointly with Ridinghouse,

and coincides with Bridget Riley: Gouaches 1978-80 / Paintings 20116 October-18 November, Karsten Schubert, London, see: www.karstenschubert.com

‘I want to bring about a situation in which my work can throw up surprises.’ from a conversation with

Michael Craig-Martin, 1992

cover: Rêve, 1999, oil on linen, 228 x 238.3 cm

p8-9: Two Reds, 2000, oil on linen, 129.5 x 305.5 cm

above: Rose Rose 5, 2009, oil on linen, 94.6 x 78.3 cm

above left: November, 1990, oil on linen, 165 x 227.3 cm

p3: Bridget Riley in front of ‘Justinian’, 1988

© Bridget Riley 2011. All rights reserved. Courtesy Karsten Schubert, London

Thursday Evening Chamber ConcertsConcerts begin at 8pm doors open 7.30pm.

27 October ~ Michael Chance, countertenor and Maggie Cole, harpsichord

3 November ~ Sitkovestky Trio and Friends

10 November ~ Ruth Wall – The Girl with 3 Harps

17 November ~ Andrew Watkinson, violin and Sara Trickey, violin

24 November ~ Colin Carr, cello and Thomas Sauer, piano

Annual Subscription £110, Term Subscription £47 (Full time students: annual £40, term £20)Full programme and online booking at: www.kettlesyard.co.uk/chamber

MUSICAll concerts take place on the ground fl oor of Kettle’s Yard house. For detailed programmes and to book online visit www.kettlesyard.co.uk or call 01223 748100.

NEW MUSICevening concert new Music grouPWednesday, 23 November, 8pmA programme of C20th and C21st composers and student compositions.£7 (£4 conc.). Book online at:www.kettlesyard.co.uk/newmusic

Friday LunchtimeConcertsPassionate playing from students of the University of Cambridge.Concerts begin at 1.10pm (doors open 1pm), last about 40 minutes and are free. Donations welcome.

14 October ~ Henry Neill21 October ~ Robbie Stern, violin and Phillipa Naylor, piano28 October ~ Joshua Borin, clarinet, Will Ball, oboe, Misha Mullov-Abbado, french horn, Jamie McDonald, bassoon, Hannah Watson, piano4 November ~ Amy Lyddon11 November ~ Michael Leach, piano18 November ~ Amy Jolly, cello25 November ~ Mark Seow, violin, Edmund Daley, viola, Héloïse Werner, cello, Marianne Schofi eld, double bass, Brendan Musk, piano2 December ~ Gisella Doulton, Oli Pashley, Rosie Breckon, Ben Holmes and Andy Savill

EVENTSWorkshops must be booked in advance, unless stated otherwise.Book online at www.kettlesyard.co.uk or call 01223 748100. All under 8s must be accompanied by an adult.

saturday drawingFor adults and 16+Autumn Term:17 September; 1, 15, 29 October; 12, 26 November; 10 December, 11.30am-2pmAn opportunity to draw in the house at Kettle’s Yard outside opening hours and take inspiration from exhibitions. Led by artists Jane Waterhouse and David Kefford.£8 (£5 conc.) per session or £49 (£35 conc.) for the term

creative writingFor adults and 16+Autumn Term: 24 September, 8, 22 October, 5, 19 November, 3 December, 11.45am-1.45pmEnjoy the house and develop new ideas for your writing, led by writers Sophie Smiley and Una McCormack. All levels of experience welcome. £48 (£36 conc.)

caMBridge curiosity and iMagination FaMily workshoPFor all the familySunday 30 October, 2.30-4.30pmA creative workshop led by Filipa Pereira- Stubbs and Debbie Hall, inspired by our Bridget Riley exhibition.£5 per adult, £2 per child per session

droP in & draw & Make thingsOur Education Room is often open for you to make your own work; a selection of materials is available free of charge. It is best to check with us before you visit if you need to be sure it will be open.

wednesday cluBWeekly art club for 8-11sAutumn Term: 28 September; 5, 12, 19 October; 2, 9, 16, 23 November; 4.15-5.45pmGet creative, explore modern art and try out sculpture, drawing and painting in this weekly club run by artists Alex Hirtzel and Filipa Pereira-Stubbs. All materials and refreshments provided.£56 (£42 conc.) per term

tuesday studioWeekly art club for 11-14sAutumn Term: 4, 11, 18 October; 1, 8, 15 November; 4.30-6pmGet creative in this weekly after-school art group. Run by artist Lyndall Phelps, these workshops respond to the exhibitions and the house at Kettle’s Yard. An opportunity to try out different materials and techniques. All materials and refreshments are provided.£42 (£32 conc.)

creative chaosAutumn Term: 6 October, 17 November; 10-11.30amMonthly drop in art sessions for pre-school children and their carers. Just come and have fun making whatever you want. Admission is first come, first served.£3 per child

Festival oF ideas: FaMily PrintMakingFor children aged 8+ with their carersMonday, 24 October, 10-12noon and 1-3pmAn opportunity for adults and children to participate together, learning printmaking skills inspired by the house and gallery. Produce beautiful prints to take home, led by Curwen Print Study Centre artists. Suitable for families. For the Festival of Ideas 2011 programme: www.cam.ac.uk/festivalofideas/Adult £10 (£8 conc.), child £7 (£5 conc.)Cost includes all materials.

HALF-TERM for kids and families

oPsiclesFor 5-8 year olds and their carersTuesday 25 October, 10-12noonJoin artist Caroline Holt to experience the colours of Bridget Riley’s paintings and have a go at making your own.£10 (£7 conc.) per child

eye twistersFor 9-12 year oldsWednesday 26 October, 10-12noonExplore the optical magic of Bridget Riley’s paintings and make your own shimmering, jiggling composition. With artist Bethany Mitchell.£10 (£7 conc.) per child

Lunchtime talksThursday lunchtime talks are free, begin at 1.10pm and usually last 30 mins.

6 October ~ Italo Valenti, by Sebastiano Barassi, Curator

13 October ~ Bridget Riley exhibition tour with Michael Harrison, Director

20 October ~ Christopher Wood, by Sebastiano Barassi, Curator

27 October ~ Bridget Riley exhibition tour with Michael Harrison, Director

3 November ~ William Congdon, by Sebastiano Barassi, Curator

17 November ~ Winifred Nicholson, by Sebastiano Barassi, Curator

1 December ~ Constantin Brancusi, by Sebastiano Barassi, Curator

Adult courses & events

an ordinary liFeFor adults and 16+Sunday 25 September, 11am-1pmJoin writer Jo Browning Wroe for a morning of writing inspired by the house and permanent collection. Part of the “To The Lighthouse Festival” supported by Cambridgeshire Libraries.For more information and events: www.tothelighthousecambridgeshire.co.uk.Booking: www.adcticketing.com or telephone 01223 300085. £12 (£10 conc.)

craFt connectionsFor adultsTuesdays 1 November - 6 December, 10.30am-12.30pmJoin writer and curator Barley Roscoe for this introductory course, exploring the ceramics, textiles and lettering of the artists of Kettle’s Yard.£48 (£36 conc.)

digital Media workshoPsFor adults and 16+Join dancer Joumana Mourad, Artistic Director and founder of IJAD Dance Company, in these experimental sessions.

Sunday 13 November, 10.30am-1.30pmFilming in the house and creating an online artwork.Sunday 20 November, 10.30am-1.30pmSession using QR Codes and Google Maps to create a city-wide artwork.

Please wear comfortable clothes and shoes that are easy to move in. You are welcome to bring your own laptop if you prefer – all digital equipment will otherwise be provided.£20 (£16 conc.) each, both workshops: £35 (£28 conc.)

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KETTLE'S YARD

kettle’s yardCastle Street, Cambridge CB3 0AQtelephone 01223 748100fax 01223 324377mail@kettlesyard.cam.ac.ukwww.kettlesyard.co.uk

house oPenTuesdays-Sundays 2-4pm

gallery oPenTuesdays-Sundays 11.30am-5pm

adMission Free

By train/BusThe C1 bus runs from the station toBridge Street; a short walk over Magdalene Bridge leads to the gallery.

By roadFrom South: M11 exit at junction 13. From North: from A14 take the A1307 to Castle Street. Meter parking on Northampton Street or Pound Hill. Parking is limited; we recommend the Park & Ride service, 01223 718167.

Kettle’s Yard is grateful to the following who have supported this programme: The Friends of Kettle’s Yard, Arts Council England, The Higher Education Funding Council, The Heritage Lottery Fund, Cambridge City and Cambridgeshire County Councils, The Isaac Newton Trust, The PRS Foundation, The Holst Foundation, The RVW Trust, The Faculty of Music, John and Jennifer Talbot, Dr Shirley Ellis, and many other individual donors.

The BookshoP in the gallery at Kettle’s Yard offers a range of art books, magazines, cards and gifts. If you would like to hear regularly from and support Kettle’s Yard as well as participating in a variety of art related activities you may like to join the Friends oF kettle’s yard. Kettle’s Yard also offers a wide-reaching education service to meet the needs of those in and outside formal education.

We rely on the generosity of our supporters to help us to maintain and grow our current programme, and safeguard Kettle’s Yard for future generations. If you would like to donate to kettle’s yard or for further information on how you can support us, please visit www.kettlesyard.co.uk/supporters

For further information about what Kettle’s Yard can offer please see our web site or call us on 01223 748100.

accessiBility The exhibition gallery provides wheelchair access and disabled toilet facilities. Limited wheelchair access can be provided to the house, including concerts. Entrance via the path off Castle Street.

concession rates apply to full-time students and people on incapacity or unemployment benefit

to request the leaflet text in an alternative format please phone 01223 748100