Reading the Visual – artists as storytellers
‘Every picture tells a story’ so they say and it is this idea that sees Candida Stevens Fine Art explore the role of artist as storyteller. From the allegorical to the Shakespearean and on into the realms of concept The Story in Art presents a touching, moving, sometimes domestic, as well as humorous look at the stories of us all. Here you will find some of the ultimate human experiences told through the artists’ mediums of paint, ink, pencil and clay.
The exhibition has been curated to show how artists explore, interpret and tell a visual tale. From the portrayals of Ron King’s classic Macbeth and Alice Kettle’s large-scale tapestry Pause II, an allegory for A Dance to the Music in Time to the abstract, sculptural narratives as told through the work of Lorenzo Belenguer, Šárka Darton and Isobel Egan. See too the stories of men and women who face confinement, struggle or the domestic limitations of tradition through the probing eyes of Pippa Blake and Chitra Merchant. Then enjoy the more humorous observations of 21st century modern-life by Chris Orr RA.
Belenguer, Kettle, King and Orr are all acknowledged and established in their artistic fields – many of their works are housed in our national as well as international public collections. Blake, Darton, Egan and Merchant bring their rising voices and insights. All invite you to be drawn in, comment and encourage you to pass their stories on, which is after-all is what good storytellers do.
Pallant House Gallery will also be showing a triptych of large-scale paintings by Pippa Blake, in their Garden Gallery, from her work as artist in residence at Chichester Festival Theatre for the play ‘Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me’.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Lorenzo Belenguer – a Spanish artist, now based in London highly influenced by Minimalism and Arte Povera. He has shown in several public galleries including the Serpentine Gallery, Tate Liverpool and Tate Modern and large scale projects have included London 2012 and the 56th Venice Biennale.
Pippa Blake – studied Fine Art (Painting) at Camberwell College of Art after which she worked and travelled around the world extensively. Pre-dominantly a painter she works using moving film stills and Internet news sites. She has been ‘artist-in-residence’ twice at Chichester Festival Theatre and her most recent work from this will be on show at Pallant House Gallery in May.
Šarka Darton – raised in the Czech Republic she studied Fine Art and travelled extensively in Europe . Now based in the UK, her work focuses on the relationship between people, places and the buildings we occupy. Her piece Stitched Identity was represented at the Florence Biennale.
Ron King – founder of Circle Press he is considered one of the modern day masters of artists books. Ron and his collaborators have built up a considerable body of work, producing over 200 publications and individual works. Most are held in major public and private collections worldwide and the entire collection at the Yale Center for British Art.
Chitra Merchant - born in India she later moved to UK to study printmaking and illustration. Her work is concerned with the roles and expectations ascribed to women. Her recent Bell Jar series was shown as part of the Royal Academy Summer exhibition.
Chris Orr RA – long established artist and Professor of Printmaking at the Royal College of Art he was awarded Professor Emeritius in 2008. His work has been shown in numerous exhibitions throughout the world and much of his work is held in several public British art collections.
