Chris Gollon: Recent Paintings
Location: IAP Fine Art, No.6, The Boulevard, Imperial Wharf, London SW6 2UB
Date: 23rd October - 21 November 2009
Orpheus and Eurydice
Open Thursdays & Fridays 12.30-6.30pm, Saturdays 10.30-2pm or by appointment
One of the most famous stories in which Orpheus figures is that of his wife Eurydice (also known as Agriope). While fleeing from Aristaeus (son of Apollo), Eurydice ran into a nest of snakes, which bit her fatally on her heel. Distraught, Orpheus played such sad songs and sang so mournfully that all the nymphs and gods wept. On their advice, Orpheus travelled to the underworld and by his music softened the hearts of Hades and Persephone (he was the only person ever to do so), who agreed to allow Eurydice to return with him to earth on one condition: he should walk in front of her and not look back until they both had reached the upper world. He set off with Eurydice following and in his anxiety as soon as he reached the upper world he turned to look at her, forgetting that both needed to be in the upper world, and she vanished for the second time, but now forever.
Following his recent Fellowship and First Artist in Residence at the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University, Chris Gollon interacted with some of the world’s leading philosophers and classicists, which lead him to take a modern look at some of the myths of the ancient world. In his painting ‘Orpheus & Eurydice’, Gollon’s image of Orpheus, through the angle of the head, the darkened face and movement of the hand, allows the spectator to sense that he is about to look back, deftly portraying the very second before Orpheus makes his tragic error.
Venus (II)
This exhibition will show a wide range of Gollon’s recent paintings, including major works from the recent ‘Being Human’ series, the ‘Early Thoughts’ series, and some very recent and previously unseen paintings.
For further details, please contact us or visit the official Chris Gollon website.
