Arenig, Sunny Evening

Editor: Here we have James Dickson Innes's "Arenig, Sunny Evening," held at the Tate. It feels almost theatrical to me, this imposing mountain under such a wispy, dramatic sky. What draws your eye when you look at it? Curator: It's funny you say theatrical; it reminds me of a stage set, too. Innes captures something elemental about the Welsh landscape, but through a very personal lens, wouldn’t you agree? There’s this dance between the solid, almost brooding mountain and the ephemeral, fleeting light. It feels less like a depiction and more like a memory. Editor: I hadn't thought of it as a memory, but that makes perfect sense! Curator: Precisely! And those pink clouds! They just melt my heart. It is like Innes is painting a song of the hills rather than a portrait.