Allen Jones at the RA

The Allen Jones show at the RA is rather less successful than the Moroni. Not just because he is a far inferior artist (which obviously he is) but also because the works are rather shoe-horned into the Burlington Gardens gallery space in a way that is determined more by the space than the works. The blurb tries to make a virtue out of this, but its not convincing. A chronological display would have worked much better.

Allen Jones is a controversial artist, but unlike most controversial artists, he has both ability and interest. I think his controversial qualities have moved since he began in the Pop Art movement in the early 60s. I think then the controversy would have been over some of the images being semi-pornographic. Now that side looks tame, but has been taken over by the demeaning to women angle. Of course you could just look over the top of such sterile debates and like the striking images. Those of women, well mannequins, forming tables, chairs and famously a hat-stand are very striking and clever. The more recent stuff is rather more accessible, but a bit poster art for my tastes.