Oct 7-28 2015 CURWEN GALLERY Henry Walsh - Open a 'pdf' of this press release - return to Galleries PR Index

PRESS RELEASE:

HENRY WALSH

AFTER THE RAIN

7-28 October 2015

Private View

Tuesday 6th October 6-8pm

Image: Precipitate 8, acrylic on board, 7 x7cm

After the rain comes the sun, after the rain comes a deep breath of new air. Birds take flight and

stretch their wings; freedom, hope and reflection.

Henry Walsh's new paintings begin with moments of every day life, sometimes featuring solitary

individuals, groups or even crowds of people. His process of working removes these figures from

any context of time or location. The exhibition title After the Rain captures one of these moments

and, like many of his painting titles, the meaning is left open to interpretation like a half told story.

Whatever the narratives behind the imagery, Walsh’s work seems to captivate viewers through a

basic human curiosity of other people. We all like people watching to some extent, wondering what

others are doing, saying or thinking, picking out the clues that might answer our desire to know.

In several works there is a sense of shared purpose; groups of people all walking in the same

direction carrying suitcases or searching in the ground for something. But devoid of any setting in

time or place where they are going to, what they are carrying, or looking for, all remains a tantalising

mystery.

Born in 1978 in Norwich, England, Henry studied art at Ipswich College in Suffolk, and then

Loughborough University in Leicestershire. In 2011 he moved to live in the Peak District. He is now

a freelance artist & designer. Henry continues to exhibit regularly in group and solo exhibitions in

London, New York, Scandinavia and Northwest England.

PRESS RELEASE:

In the upper gallery:

LEE SELLERS

THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE

7-28 October 2015

Private View Tuesday 6th October 6-8pm

Image: Stan’s Underwater World, acrylic & ink on canvas, 90 x 150cm

Lee Sellers’ playful paintings illustrate moments in time between people in different scenarios. He

often depicts groups of people, each going about their own business, which upon closer inspection

show various narratives all playing out at once.

He sets scenes in a variety of settings; sometimes known locations such as London’s Piccadilly

Circus, or it may be a coastal town constructed from his imagination, with boats arriving back to a

busy harbour. Sellers then adds in the characters that bring the painting to life. These are sometimes

purely fictious scenarios, but others are real situations he has been in. Maybe it is Sellers’ experience

of working in TV as an actor himself that leads him to construct these scenes as a director would

organise his cast, giving each tiny painted figure a role.

In this exhibition, Lee has two major works which are set underwater. Scuba divers explore an

underwater world of shipwrecks, rocks and deep sea plant-life, amongst an array of different sea

creatures, including fish, sharks, jellyfish and even mermaids. Up above, a small island protrudes from

the water, allowing a volleyball game to take place on its beach, whilst boats pass by either side. It’s

the more hidden figures that are such a joy to discover, (such as a small scuba diving dog) and these

works allow something new to be found upon each viewing.

Sellers plays with the idea of the canvas as an object not just for these figures to be painted on to,

but for them to interact with. Sometimes they are even armed with a paintbrush and can be seen

painting a part of the scene themselves.

Lee Sellers lives and works in London, and has shown with Curwen Gallery since 2010. This is his

second solo show at Curwen.

For press enquiries contact Natalie@curwengallery.com or call 0207 323 4700

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