Contemporary Painters East: show at Freight Gallery, Magdalen Street, Norwich
Joseph Wang reports:
Freight is the third gallery in the growing portfolio of Anthony George, Norwich’s newest gallery impresario and a former NCAS NUA prize winner. A cavernous rectangular room with double-height, concrete and steel beamed ceiling, makes it feel like the cargo-hold of a large freightliner. Naturally, this also means very large white walls!
Nick Powell
Ironically, many of the artworks here are deliberately small, almost cameo-like, but with no loss of impact. This is a mixed show of diverse artists, with many paintings relating to the environment, social commentary, a sense of space and peoples. Stretching from portraiture to abstract, and from the familiar to fantasy, many of the works use photographic and digital images to compose the work or be part of it, embracing the eclectic and pluralistic style we see in many mixed shows nowadays. But this does not always detract – the imagery is used with intelligence and empathy. For example, Nick Powell’s paperback-sized paintings of Dixons Chimney in Carlisle, built in 1836 and the tallest structure still standing shows defiance, whilst in his painting of Peenemunde time is frozen in a melancholic past. His other works likewise have a sense of stillness relating to the incongruity of the past against the dynamics of change today. I liked them!
Emily Cole
Anna-Lise Horsley continues her abstract themes as shown in her “Pandemonium 7” – a riot of colours, shapes and noise! Aaron Fickling’s paintings project in 3-D from the wall. Using mixed media he places diverse imagery within strong geometric shapes merging collage, logos and design, whilst Russell Eade’s paintings of polished metal sheets capture pools of reflected light and distorted images in a very realistic yet painterly manner – he wants you to experience reflected and distorted light.
Finally, recent NUA graduate Andy Rhodes continues with his theme from the Bishop’s Prize, showing paintings within which Norfolk Landscapes meet modern architecture, surrealism and fantasy as well as images from Gattaca! He’s influenced by Jacque Lacan’s theory of illusion, skilfully using traditional oil painting to manipulate and create his version of Futurism. A very mixed and interesting show in our newest gallery!
Freight Gallery
12 - 14 Magdalen Street
Norwich NR3 1HU
NB Sadly the exhibition is only open from 22 to 24th Jan