4th Jan – 3rd March 2012
23a, St James’s St, London SW1A 1HA (Corner of St James’s St and Ryder St)
Open: Mon – Fri 10am – 6pm or by appointment
For further details, please contact us or to view more paintings click: here.
For Chris Gollon this is an important moment artistically, since for the first time in 20 years he has returned to oil painting. He has already innovated acrylic painting by bringing in subtle old master techniques of delicate washes and glazes, and then adding in printmaking techniques, to the point where even the acrylic paint manufacturers are now asking his advice and supporting his work. Oil paint cannot quite achieve the intensity and vibrancy of colour that acrylic has. On the other hand, oil painting offers a body and presence, a natural volume. So Gollon has decided to enter an experimental period, producing some pure oil paintings, some pure acrylic like ‘Still Life With Wine & Cheese (I)‘, and some where he has painted oil over acrylic gesso, or acrylic paint—just as the old masters up to and including Rubens would very successfully paint oil over water-based media such as tempera or gouache . ‘The Model 3/4 Length Version’ (pictured) is an example of an almost exclusive use of oil, painted over a small amount of black acrylic gesso. In this experimental period, Chris is re-looking at some of his previous imagery and in some cases doing new versions with oil. The oil certainly makes the face and hands exquisitely beautiful, and lends great presence to the singer as she fixes our regard. ‘The Model 3/4 Length Version’ has tremendous presence and life when viewed in the flesh, and also an innate mystery that is hypnotic. These new works and more will be displayed 2nd Dec – 28th Jan 2012. Location and opening hours are here: Location.
