17 JUNE 2000, Page 53

THE centenary celebrations of Surre- alist Eileen Agar (1899-1991), already

headlined by museum exhibitions in Edinburgh and Leeds, have finally reached London with a selling show at the Redfern Gallery, which includes 'Bouquet', 1965, left (until 29 June). Agar produced much over a long life, inevitably of variable quality, ranging in subject and technique from realistic portraits to abstraction, by way of object-making and inspired collage. In the best paintings, strong lyrical colour, intuitive design and Agar's dis- tinctive and only half-playful sense of mystery come triumphantly together.

Andrew Lambirth