14/04/26
Cecily Brown: Picture Making
Serpentine South, London
27 March – 6 September 2026
Looking at one of Cecily Brown’s paintings is a process, and not one that can be rushed. Describing it as akin to taking your eye for a walk, Brown also notes that she doesn’t want her process and struggle to show: “I want it to look effortless”.1 Indeed, she has been described as following in the footsteps of the abstract expressionists, but, at the same time, her work has also been labelled as “from Rubens to Bruegel”. “I look at everything,” she retorts. “Everything finds its way into the work.” And by everything, she means everything, including drawings from the television, copies of old master paintings, and sketches from illustrations of nursery rhymes and fairytales, including Beatrix Potter and Orlando the Marmalade Cat. Certainly, entering one of her pictures feels like an adventure, and an enjoyable one. I could happily spend several hours with each one, mixing in my own associations and memories to create a unique and wonderful experience.
Read my full review here