DURING MY FIRST visit to an exhibition of paintings by Cecily Brown (born in London in 1969) at the Serpentine South Gallery (until 6 September 2026), I was not much taken with her works. On that occasion, I do not think I was in the mood for looking at art. Realising this, I revisited the show today, 19 June 2026. I came away from it satisfied with what I had viewed.

Cecily’s education in art was at Epsom School of Art, then at Morley College, and later at the Slade School of Art. She did well, receiving various awards. And since completing her studies, her works have been hung in many prestigious museums and galleries in Britain, the rest of Europe, and the USA.

Apart from a collection of pen and ink drawings that resemble illustrations for children’s books, most of the works on display at the Serpentine are canvases. Each of them is covered by what at first sight looks like a riot of colour. However, closer examination reveals that within these seemingly chaotic collections of sweeping brushstrokes, there are many details, such as people embracing, plants (flowers, trees, and bushes), animals, ponds, letter boxes, buildings (including an aerial view of the Serpentine Gallery), and more.

Although I enjoyed seeing these pictures during my second visit to the gallery, I cannot place Cecily Brown amongst the modern and contemporary artists whose works please me most.