Press Release - MARCUS HODGE: BREAKING THE CYCLE

ArtMoorHouse Moor House building 120 London Wall, London EC2Y 5ET, UK E. info@ArtMoorHouse.com w. www.ArtMoorHouse.com

PRESS RELEASE: BREAKING THE CYCLE an exhibition of painting and sculpture by MARCUS HODGE From Thursday 21st November 2019 to Wednesday 6th of January 2020 ArtMoorHouse, 120 London Wall EC2Y 5ET View by appointment only

ArtMoorHouse is proud to present: BREAKING THE CYCLE an exhibition of painting and sculpture by MARCUS HODGE.

Vibrant splashes of colour greet the viewer upon entering ArtMoorHouse for the abstract works on show by Marcus Hodge, speak of a journey in the oldest and one of the seven holy cities of India: Varanasi. A city visited by many at the end of their life in the hope of breaking the cycle of rebirth, a seeking of spiritual liberation or, as in the artist's words, “a metaphor for a new beginning.”

Intense blues, greens, yellows and reds are arresting in their boldness and their simplicity, for rarely do they model form, rather, they take on the responsibility of providing a pigmented contextualisation for the thick lines that seem to effortlessly generate forms.

Canvases that seem extemporaneous, and yet totally controlled: generous direct application of paint gives a rich texture to the surface balanced by simpler arrangements and form of expression. Hodge's work fully reflects the infinite continuum of balance between action and stillness, light and dark, an abstract conceptualisation of a meditation on the universal human condition and on the elements that bring us together.

Image detail: Red Timbers, 2019, Oil on Canvas, 80 x 150cm

MARCUS HODGE BREAKING THE CYCLE Approaching the burning ghats of Varanasi through the narrow, winding streets leading to the edge of the Ganges, you press yourself into any small recess or doorway as yet another funeral party passes by. The deceased held high on their shoulders, wrapped in f ine materials, accompanied by singing and prayers. Varanasi is one of seven holy cities in India and the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world. Many head there to end their days in order to escape samsara, breaking the cycle of rebirth and achieving moksha or spiritual liberation. The title of the exhibition becomes a metaphor for the new beginnings we can all undertake.

On arrival the body will be dipped f ive times into the river, representing the f ive elements, then left on the steps while the water drains away. It is then placed on the pyre and lit f rom the embers of the eternal flame. This small f ire has, reputedly, been kept burning by the descendants of the same family for many centuries. The journey is a cause for celebration as much as sorrow, the bodies slowly reduced to ash among the flames. Enormous stacks of timbers stretch along every street and alleyway and at the river’s edge piles of ash are consigned to the dark waters of the Ganges. Dogs and cattle pick their way along the bank as the next pyres are prepared and set alight.

Colour abounds but always moderated by the greys and sooty blacks of the ash and scorched timbers.

This recent series of work was inspired by a trip to Varanasi and many previous to India.

The structure of the timbers lent a strong abstract motif to many of the paintings. The thoughts and ideas based around samsara and moksha likewise gave shape to the composition and design, stained with the memories and experience of colour and place. The work continues to be less about f inish as about process, one that may reveal something new and unexpected. Each picture f inds itself in the mysterious and compelling process of being painted. The visual language is bold and simple, using various large tools with generous, direct application of paint. Texture, breaking and activating surface, a simpler arrangement and form of expression.

A balance between action and stillness, light and dark, the seeking of inf inite variety in repetition, through accident and chance. Intuitive, a felt response to these timeless ceremonies, a meditation on the universal human condition that perhaps binds us closer in this ever more f ractured world.

Marcus Hodge, 2019




Image: Breaking the Cycle, 2019, Oil on 5 Canvases, 142 x 142cm

Stacked Colours, Jaipur, 2019, Oil on Oil Paper, 66 x 50cm

ABOUT THE ARTIST In the early stages of his career, Hodge initially made his name as a portrait painter. He returned to the UK in 1996 f rom a rigorous f ive year training in classical oil painting in Spain, very much in the vivid Spanish ‘Alla Prima’ style. Within two years, he exhibited with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and was selected as one of the UK’s A list portrait painters by Harpers and Queen.

Hodge f irst travelled to India in 2000. This trip was the start of an intense fascination with India and became the driving inspiration behind his f irst solo show. With each solo exhibition which followed, his style constantly evolved to become bolder and simpler as f igurative painting gave way to abstraction. The paintings were accompanied by impressionist bronze sculptures, as his interest in this three dimensional aspect grew.

The Gateways exhibition in 2017 represented a pivotal moment in the artist’s established career as it fused his love of India with abstraction. The themes of gateways and windows were clear metaphors for this transformation which gave the materials far greater expression, unencumbered by representation. Different tools such as large spatulas, knives and lengths of wood were used to introduce the elements of risk, chance and opportunity. Each painting becomes unique in Hodge's search for the unexpected.

ABOUT ARTMOORHOUSE ArtMoorHouse is a unique platform for creating an unsurpassed synergy between creativity and business. Unlike any other gallery, ArtMoorHouse creates bespoke high prof ile exhibitions, relying on a strong network of dedicated professionals to connect artists and designers with people f rom the world of f inance.

ArtMoorHouse Experiential Creative Agency Our service is centred on client connectivity through art direction, consultation and curation. Our abilities are as diverse as the clients we serve and we thrive on projects that expand our own conceptual process.

We offer creative consulting services. We guide our clients on outreach and presentation and we create curated visual experiences.

ArtMoorHouse Projects organises yearly curated them based exhibitions programs, currently partnering with One Carter Lane Building, London - Cannon Place Building, London - The St. Botolph Building London - St. Peter Square, Manchester

MARCUS HODGE: BREAKING THE CYCLE From Tuesday 21st November 2019 to Monday 6th of January 2020 ArtMoorHouse, Moor House building, 120 London Wall London EC2Y 5ET, UK View by appointment only

Contacts: E. info@ArtMoorHouse.com W. www.ArtMoorHouse.com T. +44(0)7502211914

Press information: E. project@ArtMoorHouse.com Exhibition brochure (here)

Artist on show: Marcus Hodge W. www.marcushodge.com E. art@marcushodge.com

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