The Australian art critic and television documentary maker Robert Hughes died in 2012 and his landmark series The Shock of the New was repeated by the BBC in tribute.
My interest was aroused as I caught Robert Hughes being interviewed for television shortly before his death while I was on holiday in Singapore.
Made in 1980 it dealt with the development of modern art since the era of the Impressionists to the Surrealists. The impact of both World Wars to architecture in the post World War 2 era.
Like other documentaries made by the BBC in that era such as Civilisation and The Ascent of Man. It is a polemic that takes the presenter around the world giving his insights of modern art in an accessible way.
Not all episodes work, some were frankly dull as if some portions of the documentary were misconceived.
What stood out more for me was the episode on architecture and when Hughes analysed the development of the new capital of Brazil, Brasilia. A man made city and it looks it, having little soul or salsa.
Of course 30 years on, you can see the documentary has aged. It missed out on the boom in modern art and architecture that took place later on in the 1980s which was an influential epoch in modern art.
My interest was aroused as I caught Robert Hughes being interviewed for television shortly before his death while I was on holiday in Singapore.
Made in 1980 it dealt with the development of modern art since the era of the Impressionists to the Surrealists. The impact of both World Wars to architecture in the post World War 2 era.
Like other documentaries made by the BBC in that era such as Civilisation and The Ascent of Man. It is a polemic that takes the presenter around the world giving his insights of modern art in an accessible way.
Not all episodes work, some were frankly dull as if some portions of the documentary were misconceived.
What stood out more for me was the episode on architecture and when Hughes analysed the development of the new capital of Brazil, Brasilia. A man made city and it looks it, having little soul or salsa.
Of course 30 years on, you can see the documentary has aged. It missed out on the boom in modern art and architecture that took place later on in the 1980s which was an influential epoch in modern art.