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Let your imagination soar

I know that David Hockney has insisted that the primary characteristic of an artist is knowing how to look, but it occurred to me that making this our artistic priority might lead us to overlook other important functions. Glancing through the catalogue of Sean Jefferson’s exhibition at Messum’s gallery it came to me that these days perhaps we undervalue the imagination.

The pages of The Artist give us regular encouragement to look more effectively. The January 2021 issue offered useful pieces on portraiture, floral and landscape subjects, as well as encouragement to explore different media. I can’t think, however, when we were urged to let our imaginations run wild. Artists for whom the free rein of their imaginations was the driving force of their art come readily to mind, from Heironymus Bosch through the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood to the Surrealists. Among my own favourites is Stanley Spencer’s imaginary population of Cookham Moor. These painters were all great observers, but what they saw was only a means to another end.