The Guardian 1st November 2003

Preview: JMW Turner/Dryden Goodwin, Manchester Art Gallery

Robert Clark

This magnificent exhibition of late Turner seascapes includes over 50 oil paintings and watercolours, many on loan from American collections, including some that have not been seen in this country for over 100 years. This sublime painting of sublime subjects: wreckages, deluges, sunrises, as well as an equally awesome little watercolours sketch of three mackerel. Whilst literally immersing himself in nature to the point of romantic masochism, Turner never failed to celebrate nature's illuminated glories with a delight that is visionary and almost hallucinatory in its intensity. What contemporary artist could hope to follow an act like that? Well Dryden Goodwin, is an excellent choice of one who is creatively ambitious enough to give it a go.