Tate online - Andrew Graham-Dixon TV -
Edward Burra is one of the most distinctive British artists of the 20th century, renowned for his vibrant, satirical scenes of the urban underworld and queer culture during the Roaring Twenties. A master of watercolour painting, the exhibition shows how Burra pushed the boundaries of the traditionally delicate medium to create bold and vivid scenes. His practice is influenced by everything from music and performance to popular culture, literature, and art history.
The first retrospective in London in 40 years, it will showcase Burra’s interest in experiencing society and culture abroad. A keen social documentarian, his scenes also include macabre landscapes that reflect his experience of world events, including the Spanish Civil War and Second World War. Burra’s lived experience of disability influenced his artistic practice and may have informed his portrayal of marginalised communities. Tate online article
This is a film about the most intruiging 20th century artist you may never have heard of … He’s an enigma. His name: Edward Burra. Andrew Graham-Dixon, I Never Tell Anybody Anything: The Life & Art of Edward Burra, BBC 2011
Edward Burra is one of the overlooked geniuses of British art, and one of the most acute chroniclers of the 20th century. ibid.
The single-most elusive British artist of the 20th century. ibid.
His joints began to visibly to deform from the age of five or six. And the pain never left him for the rest of his life. ibid.
Burra loved the un-English exuberance of Paris. ibid.
In 1973 the Tate would stage a retrospective of his work. ibid.