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The Waiting Rooms Gallery |
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Presents: Foreglimpsing In this new body of work Adrian Black has combined a wide and varying range of influences to produce a series of richly coloured, yet haunting watercolours. Black has drawn his subjects from artistic and literary sources, notably the German artist Emil Nolde, and Siegfried Lenz’s The German Lesson, a work of fiction which includes references and events involving the same artist. Further inspiration has come from Black’s own experiences, in particular a recent visit to Padstow in Cornwall and the local life and customs of the area. The works developed for this exhibition are illustrative of these sources to some extent, but Black’s imagery and style are very much his own, these intimate paintings exemplify his passion and considerable skill with his medium. There is an unmistakable confidence in Black’s painting. His loose, flowing, immediate style and free, expressive use of colour, wet on wet, are testament to this and it is perhaps the ease with which he makes his marks that gives his images such power. Figures and characters appear almost invariably throughout these paintings, sometimes alone, sometimes in company, and each seems to have a story to tell. They are intriguing, almost tantalising in the way that they hint at a narrative, but give us no firm tale. The beauty of this ambiguity is that the viewer will invariably bring to these images their own stories, however they will be lead by the already set atmosphere of uncertainty and hidden meanings. It is here that Nolde’s influence can be detected. Having been a victim of the Nazi party’s cultural suppression in the 1940s, Nolde was forced to conceal the stories behind his paintings by using very careful imagery. Although Black has no such restriction with the scenes he chooses, he still incorporates that feeling of the disguised dialogue and the idea that he may be saying things the viewer should not hear. It is clear that despite the disquieting and unsure atmosphere of Foreglimpsing, Adrian Black is a painter who knows what he’s doing. His ability to draw and paint is clearly excellent and is backed by an intriguing and enticing theme in this exhibition. This dual ability to put forward exciting, thought provoking and unsettling ideas in paintings which are beautiful and highly accomplished makes Black an artist worth taking notice of and one of whom we hope to see a great deal more. Adrian Black lives and works in Palmers Green. After graduating from Middlesex University in 1986 he studied drawing at The Morely College of Art and at the City Lit. Black has also exhibited in solo shows in Jackson’s Lane, London and That Dutch Shop, York as well as in the Discerning Eye exhibition at The Mall Gallery. Tom Wilmott Arts Manager The Waiting Rooms Gallery brings exhibitions of high quality art into a social atmosphere and presents accessible, affordable works, by successful artists. Working with the Waiting Rooms cafe, the gallery provides a refined atmosphere, for those who enjoy being surrounded by interesting, thought provoking images whilst they take their coffee, and fulfils the ever increasing demand for excellent artwork. Managed by a professional artist we are always on the lookout for new talent, particularly young, cutting edge artists for solo and group shows. The gallery welcomes enquiries from artists, collectors, and anyone interested in finding out more. For further information please call Arts Manager Tom Wilmott on 0777 929 7724 or email Waitingroomsgallery@hotmail.com
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