Review: Cantus Arcticus by Bruce Munro, Waddesdon Manor

Of all the National Trust properties I have been to, Waddesdon Manor does the most to promote contemporary art.

This year they have a wonderful installation by Bruce Munro inspired by the Northern Lights. Unlike many NT properties, you are allowed to take photographs pretty much anywhere as long as you don’t use flash. I took these with an iPhone but I am sure I will visit this again and try to remember to take a proper camera but these do give some idea of the immersive feeling of this terrific work.

There is another new acquisition in the gardens which is great fun, Le Carrosse by Xavier Veilhan but I am sure there will be much more over the summer –

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[Review] Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde

I stupidly waited to the last minute to to see this – it finishes on Sunday. There was a 20 minute queue to buy a ticket this morning (half price thanks to my Art Card) for a slot to visit two and a half hours later. That left time to go around the permanent collection and have a surprisingly decent salad in the cramped cafe before queueing for another 40 minutes to actually get into the exhibition. It was crowded and sometimes tricky to see some of the work properly. It was worth it though. I will not try to judge it as an art critic – I’m not one – but I was impressed and fascinated.