Maggi Hambling's Habit of Subverting Expectations | Brilliant Ideas Ep. 43

British artist Maggi Hambling is best known for her intimate portraits, paintings of the sea and controversial public sculptures. For being something of a non-conformist, she refuses to be pigeonholed. After half a century of challenging the art world, Maggi Hambling has a new exhibition at the British Museum. Entitled "Touch," the exhibition features 40 works, many of which have never been seen in public before. Primarily on paper and ranging from early pieces right through to some of her most recent works, the show reveals how drawing is at the heart of her artistic practice.

[@minarima]

I met Maggie while working as an art technician in London a couple of years ago. I remember for the two weeks I was hanging her work she would constantly correct me and tell me I was doing it all wrong, or that I was taking too long... I knew I was doing everything right so I just genuinely thought that she didn't like me as a human being. Then on the final day of the hang she approached me and snuck a £50 in my pocket and said she was really impressed with the work I'd done. Although I was a little jarred by her at first, I really warmed to her towards the end, and I began to see through the iron lady 'act' that she puts on around people in public (and during the interviews in this video). Don't be fooled, although she comes across as standoffish at first she has a heart of gold! I was also involved in delivering her work back to her house/studio in south London. She was so nice to us both, and gave us a personal tour of her house, including showing us a copy of the preface to dorian grey signed by Oscar Wilde and given to her by none other than Stephen Fry, which was hung in her kitchen (only Maggie would hang such a thing in her kitchen) Great artist and lovely human being.

[@kirstycollins4237]

Thank you for sharing this.

[@Johnconno]

Was she pissed?

[@crism3lo]

Armors are for self protection.

[@gaelhillyardcreative]

I just love her. She's not the only one who hangs important things in what some may consider unusual places. My friend hangs their coat of arms in the laundry. I think the kitchen is a super place to keep the preface though; it becomes part of the fabric of her life and not just a relic of it.

[@Johnconno]

@Hillyard. She's a fucking drunken, old, smelly, mediocre pest.

[@lisengel2498]

I love the qoate “Everything has to be an experiment or it is dead” - lovely video thank you for sharing

[@PushkinAbbott1997]

that is exactly what i took away from it haha! Found it to be the common thread amongst incredible artists and craftsmen.

[@jamie2990]

Fascinating from start to finish. Thank you!

[@tonicopereira5318]

by far my favorite artist!

[@devonseamoor]

Maggie's words: "You're doing something positive while inside there's a great hurting..." YES ❤

[@lisengel2498]

I adore Maggi and absolutely agree with her attitude of keeping alive and refusing to repeat herself but continue to be curious and working so intensewith being totally present and open to experience

[@hattontom86]

happy to see an exhibition by this fabulous artist

[@nickfanzo]

A terrific maker of art.

[@plantsforlife1120]

BOMB!!!!!!! OF AN ARTIST!!!!!!!!!!!

[@johnbeesales1164]

LOVE THIS ARTIST AND HER WORKS!

[@sebastianmelmoth685]

Her drawings are exceptional.

[@a.p.344]

Ala Panfiliuk Artmajer

[@nehaakhadmal139]

She is a brilliant Artist ❤️🔥 just love it 🔥🔥🔥

[@olusha]

Beautiful video ; strong artist- thank you; truly inspirational and fabulous

[@kirstycollins4237]

I love her work!

[@judilynn9569]

I love her method and her works.

[@EmmaMorgan09]

Loved this. Thank you x

[@ronin478]

Powerful, stunning and raw emotion experiencing her art! Amazing!

[@mariodarmanin59]

Some of her work had me in tears.

[@devonseamoor]

Great work, Maggi Hambling makes me laugh in appreciation. Such freedom of expression. I see in this "iron lady" who knows so well how she wants to arrange her world and thinking for herself, a witch of a kind that loves to throw people off guard in almost a shock-therapeutic manner to put an end to complacency. Especially in Britain, I believe it's just what the doctor orders. After living almost 5 years on that island, I completely understand why it needs its portion of highly eccentric and maverick residents. Not that it helps much, though, hahaha. Most of British population is a hard stoney nut to crack when it's about inner change due to a collective hypnosis, always correcting those who are at risk of waking up in real time.

[@pippadavies4579]

wonderful creative madness love herxxx

[@HeyNins]

I friggin love her.

[@sufficientgrace9921]

Nins....ME TOO ! I 'get' her.

[@sr.millero6704]

Hats off, Lady ...

[@keatsgipsy9991]

Absolutely marvellous

[@Detelinka68]

Amazing artist, love her! Thanks for the great, inspirational video! :)

[@ruthneff6298]

What a character!! Would love to have a pint with this lady!!

[@hawkieandcawkie5188]

she drinks whiskey but i bet she would have a pint of that with you ... she keeps it in the glove compartment of her car ... ha ha

[@jamesjoelholmes4541]

Would love to have a pint with Maggi!

[@jamesjoelholmes4541]

agreed!!

[@Johnconno]

@@jamesjoelholmes4541 She stinks of booze and stale urine.

[@farginargle]

Thank you thank you thank you!!! I was unaquainted with Maggie Hambling. I have never fallen so hard so fast. One second and I am a devotee. P. S.: Can I put "not an ist' on a t shirt? Just for me of course!!!

[@thehappinesstree8089]

Same. Isn't she fascinating?

[@bananathumbs1415]

I really enjoyed this!

[@saltthewizard5937]

i fell in love after that first sentence

[@juliearvaniti7336]

The portrait of her dad made me cry in 2''

[@Doppe1ganger]

I expected crap, and i got one of the best artists i've ever seen. I would so love to talk to this beautiful person for an entire day, even if her art were never to be shown, she'd be incredibly interesting. Ofcourse i'm not alone in wanting to talk to her, and the idea of so many people talking to her likely horrifies her and i appreciate that. Still would really want to though

[@Phungi9]

She is amazing.

[@fournierveronique6466]

A great real artiste!!

[@davidmayhew4818]

Moving. Smart. Love her.

[@AlexanderVerney-Elliott-ep7dw]

Maggi Hambling is our greatest living painter...

[@andreamaiorana8490]

Maggi Hambling you’re amazing!

[@alisonedwards7712]

Yeah deep thinking passionate wild and Oscar I saw him recently in London blow me away

[@alanking1461]

Inspirational

[@xwarx1000]

Great Artist very original, many artists copied her style.

[@420blackbirds8]

I love it!

[@agatarek_pl]

thank you, Maggie is my new discovery, I am in love

[@marytang8888]

For once I would like to hear the artist speak instead of listening to comments by other people. Frankly I couldn't care less what THEY think. Thank goodness for the fast forward button.

[@jamesjoelholmes4541]

Right?!? The commercial aspect of this piece is infuriating!

[@NanciesArt11]

The Museum has been collecting her Art for 30 years?! WoW!

[@dd61125]

why if it isn't my old friend from the shire, bilbo baggins.

[@1Ma9iN8tive]

She’s magnificent

[@ljubomirscepanovic1905]

many thanks..

[@rosaniribeirosoares1605]

Que artista excepcional!

[@alsaulso1332]

she is adorable!! reminds me of my Grandmother!!! :)

[@MinaParkArt]

Love it

[@jhoan_roa]

she is adorable!! reminds me of Jhoan Roa the venezuelan artist

[@davidlouiswall7211]

You rock Maggi

[@ajy84]

I love her idiosyncratic personality. It matches her work. Although different artists typically try to stand out rather pretentiously, she has an original disposition played out by her many interesting years lived. 😑

[@AnthonyParsons-yg7xp]

I love nothing about her...! 😡

[@wrxnglove]

@@AnthonyParsons-yg7xp what makes you say that?

[@lisengel2498]

Wonderfull art - all of it - so surprisingly intense and totally alive filled with multidimensionalities of felt meaning and beauty totally transcendens dualisme of figurative-abstract,, realism-imagined, I wish It could be shown in Denmark

[@Doppe1ganger]

I'd love to have her as my grandma

[@tanyaleef5138]

Fantastic intense drawing techniques ,emotional connections portraying wide human psychological states

[@alexandertsiolkovski5848]

She reminds me of Bilbo Baggins.

[@sicfith6006]

I immediately like her.

[@jamesjoelholmes4541]

I wish I could have lunch with Maggi Hambling. She may be the greatest artist of our age.

[@trahapace150]

Be careful not to throw out your back with all that reaching

[@APRIL2862]

Fantastic looking Ink Blots. like getting excited going to the loo!

[@jamesjoelholmes4541]

Really enjoyed this portrait of one of my favorite artists. Wish you didn't put the commercial at the front of it Bloomberg.

[@WisdominQuotes10000]

love maggie!

[@Vexxet]

awesome

[@joshuatolodxi179]

Bilbo Baggins out here like a renaissance artist.

[@joycejoy7651]

unconscious beauty x

[@devonseamoor]

The beauty of the unconscious surfacing, I guess that's what you mean?

[@durango-CODEBUILDER]

wow. Hadnt heard of her before this

[@christianegonbarnthaler1426]

super art

[@romeaffair]

Can we have a show with Maggie and Miriam Margoyles blowing up old power stations please? That would be amazing.

[@Pottymoon]

Ha ha ha!

[@jamesjoelholmes4541]

agreed!!

[@tapiripirikahu4422]

Haha I love her x

[@apikmin]

🧡

[@ritazita1111]

Her larger 'epic' painting remind me of some of Anselm Kiefer's 'epic' work, just not as gigantic in scale.

[@tm13tube]

Some pieces remind me of Egon Schiele

[@hawkieandcawkie5188]

Yes She is a 'terrible beauty' .But a Beauty none the less.

[@cashcatmusic]

Reminds me of Da Vinci: the line work - Cedric, February 8, 1982

[@EmmaMorgan09]

CASHCAT Music yes reminds me of da Vinci. Inspirational

[@EmmaMorgan09]

CASHCAT Music I love Cedric

[@SunRobin]

I googled this linework but couldn't find it... can u send it to me

[@xIchinii]

the subtitles are fucking hilarious.

[@jacekpokrak9258]

compmaturism is a magic of painting

[@catherinerobertson4018]

I like Maggie humbling and I too know and I too know what it’s like to be Ill I have a imaginary friend I share my art with.xxxxxcathy

[@MrPhotodoc]

What about Banksy foo?

[@grahamhiggins1816]

bloody critics, can't stand them.

[@sjmsutherland]

I can't stand them either, most of them I feel have no understanding of art they are just pretending!!

[@okoth162]

I like her...real.. Ist.

[@poisonwatersupply]

every documentary i see her in she is always smoking a cig lol

[@HendrikBlastem]

Looks just like Bilbo Baggins !

[@HendrikBlastem]

Hey buddy you must be a fun person in general, dont get so butthurt about such little things, focus on real issues

[@martinhasson4942]

Maggi is straighter than I thought not in a sexual manner. But more traditional in style Very interesting Artist indeed tho!

[@jnixa1010]

The ice melting must look feeble compared to the last ice age.

[@lidyvanoort3777]

Is this art? It looks like wallpaper.

[@slimnics]

Not just a scarf but a ...

[@willdeshazo9450]

"I'm not an ist" but you're an artist.

[@kattentissari3247]

Will DeShazo welL done! That's truly brilLiant of u.... As too i could... :P

[@Nemusplanta]

if she doesnt like ist and isnt ist does it mean that she isnt art-ist?

[@aryehfinklestein9041]

A cantakerous and difficult person comes through - but also obviously a great artist.

[@DallasTaylor]

I thought this guy worked with giant glass pieces that other people make?

[@jnixa1010]

I thought it was don imus!

[@agomodern]

"I'm not an ist."

[@sictransitgloriamundi7590]

Il nulla!

[@joaoii1082]

Look at Magritte. Was a great artist but would many times repeat himself constantly to boredom, at around 50 paintings of the same idea and style.

[@bobbybob3681]

dark morbid depressing...... but in SA we have a lovely saying....dit is kak hoor!!!!!

[@dr.tetraminflakes3187]

bullS&%$ism, I"ll pay a million

[@Doomedcreatures]

just makes stuff 'that sells'..

[@joeystickfigure1756]

drawrring? what's the matter with these people?

[@edrodriguez4822]

it's whatever she says it is but..art like this isn't relevant.

[@wackity.7879]

it's more relevant than you. :)

[@bookowl1775]

Actually it can be relevant. Not because of the topic of her paintings, but because of the meaning behind her style

[@user-bp6gp2rc1v]

Eckhart V I don’t understand. We’re not talking fashion. She paints life. Isn’t that ‘relevant’?

[@blackeesh463]

Her art is extremely relevant,relevancy isn't a subjective measure,your statement is literally objectively wrong.

[@fromeveryting29]

Except the climate isn't warming because of humans at all. But other than that, great artist.

[@AlexanderVerney-Elliott-ep7dw]

Maggi Hambling is our greatest living painter...