Changing Faces
Changing Faces An exhibition of Self Portraits Presented by Platform 24 August - 6 September 2013 St Mary’s Market, St Helens
‘Ihavea face,but itisnot whatI am’ Julian Bell
I have always tried to draw or paint directly from life and find the challenges that this presents, especially with colour, extremely difficult, but at the same time endlessly interesting and magical. Self Portraiture as a theme provides me with a constant reference in which I can try and capture some quality of my likeness or character. The use of paint, the texture of the canvas, feeling and scrutiny allow the registration of sensations and the building up of an image that communicates something of myself. A ‘likeness’ can be communicated in so many different ways. Lucian Freud made the observation that ’it is not that peoples looks change daily but the way they wear them’ and used the French word ‘Journaliere’ to describe this quality. Alberto Giacometti describes trying to capture ‘the gaze’ of a person in his pencil drawings, and how he often lost this by trying to draw features too perfectly. Changing Faces is a small exhibition of self portraits by internationally acclaimed artists who explore the theme using a variety of different media. The artists allow their imagination to take ‘the self’ and use it entirely for their own use and pleasure. The work takes on a life of its own in which ‘likeness’ takes a back seat, the artists give their imagination free rein to reveal to the viewer whatever they choose. A self portrait is created which challenges the notion of traditional representational identity. As Julian Bell says ‘I have a face, but it is not what I am’. Stephen Brown, artist & curator of Changing Faces
Philip Hogben The Academic 2006 Oil on board 14 x 21 cm
After studying at Derby and Winchester Schools of Art (1961-6), Philip Hogben went to Cornwall in 1969 to teach at the Falmouth School of Art, where he remained for many years. Philip has showed extensively in the west of England and abroad. In 2000, Philip’s work was selected for the 20 Years of Contemporary Art exhibition at the Falmouth Art Gallery. In 2006 he exhibited a series of drawings in the Mall Gallery in London which had been shortlisted for The Discerning Eye Drawing Prize. Philip has currently has work in the National Trust collection.
Patrick Hughes Likeness 2013 Oil on plaster 26 x 33 x 13 cm Courtesy of Flowers Gallery
Born in Birmingham on 20 October 1939, Patrick Hughes, is a British painter living and working in London. He has been creating pieces inspired by optics, perspective and illusion for 40 years. Since his first solo exhibition at the Portal Gallery, London, in 1961, Hughes has exhibited extensively in London, as well as throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, America and Canada. In 2010, he had solo exhibitions at Park Ryu Sook Gallery (Seoul, South Korea), Galerie LĂŠlia Mordoch (Paris, France), Galerie BoisserĂŠe (Cologne, Germany) and Flowers Central (London, England). Hughes has been represented by Flowers Gallery for more than 40 years. Patrick Hughes is widely recognized as one of the major painters of contemporary British art. Although he has been linked to the British Surrealists and the Pop Artists, he has carved out his own niche. In addition to painting, he is also a designer, teacher and writer. Hughes has authored numerous magazine articles and books which reflect his unique artistic vision and concepts.
Lucy Jones You 2012 Oil on canvas 92 x 65 cm Courtesy of Flowers Gallery
Born in 1955, Lucy Jones studied at the Byam Shaw School of Drawing and Painting (1974-1976), Camberwell School of Arts (First Class Honours, 19761979), Royal College of Arts (Master of Arts, 1979-1982) and the Rome Scholarship for Painting (1982-1984). She has been a tutor at the Slade School of Art, Chelsea College of Art and Design as well as the Ruskin School of Drawing Oxford. Lucy Jones is represented by the Flowers Gallery and has exhibited widely nationally and internationally with work in Public Collections including The Arts Council Collection and The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York. Lucy Jones was a prize winner at the John Moores in 1995 and in 2009 was shortlisted for the Threadneedle prize. She currently has work on display in the National Portrait Gallery in London and at the Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Exhibition, Kings Place London.
Mary Mabbutt Small Portrait 2011 Oil on canvas 20 x 20 cm
Mary Mabbutt lives and works in Falmouth with her husband and their two children. She studied at art schools in Luton and Loughborough and the Royal Academy Schools (1970-1978) before going on to teach at Falmouth College of Arts in 1979. Mary has shown extensively nationally and internationally with work in collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Arts Council Collection and Coopers and Lybrand. Selected group shows have included The Hunting Art Prize Exhibition (1996, 2000, 2003) The Discerning Eye (2000, 2002, 2005, 2011) and The Ruth Borchard Self Portrait Exhibition (2011, 2013).
Freya Payne At 36 2005 Etching, Edition 15 43 x 37.5 cm Courtesy of Flowers Gallery
Freya Payne was born in Woking, England in 1968. She attended Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall; Manchester Polytechnic; and the Royal College of Art, London, where she received a one-year printmaking fellowship. Since 2001, she has been a visiting lecturer at Falmouth College of Art. Freya Payne has held several solo shows which include: Diver, Flowers Graphics, London, England; Traveller, Flowers West, Santa Monica, CA; Armour for the Broken Hearted, Flowers Central, London, England; and recently, Interval, Flowers East, London, England. Her awards include the prestigious Villiers David Prize of 1999, which allowed her to travel for six months and a 2003 fellowship from the Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, Ireland. Freya Payne is currently exhibiting at Flowers Gallery London in Stranger: an Exhibition of Self Portraits.
Stephen Brown Self Portrait 2013 Oil on linen 36 x 36 cm
Born in 1967 in Wigan, Lancashire, Stephen Brown worked for many years as a mathematician in the aerospace industry while maintaining an active interest in painting and drawing. He studied Fine Art at The Slade School of Art and Falmouth College of Arts between 1999-2003 and recently returned to St Helens where he based his practice at Platform studios. Interested in the quality of materials and the craft of painting, Stephen’s work is influenced by classical and contemporary artists. Influences include Piero Della Francesca, Giorgio Morandi and Avigdor Arikha. Stephen was recently selected for the Ruth Borchard Self-Portrait Competition and exhibition at Kings Place Gallery, London. From this experience he was inspired to bring artists with a national reputation for Self Portraiture together in this exhibition in St Helens.
Heart of Glass Heart of Glass is an Arts Council England, Creative People and Places funded programme which will use the arts to celebrate what is distinct about St Helens. Over the next 3 years the project will use Rugby League and glass - two strong cultural identities of the town - as starting points to create new arts experiences to engage the public and inspire people to take part. Changing Faces is supported by, and forms part of the consultation period of, Heart of Glass.
Flowers Gallery www.flowersgallery.com Flowers Gallery has two galleries in London, and one in New York and participates regularly in art fairs internationally. Their programme in both the UK and US exhibits a range of media by established and emerging artists. Platform would like to thank Flowers for their co-operation loaning these works to the Changing Faces exhibition. Platform www.platformartsthelens.co.uk Platform is a not-for-profit organisation run voluntarily by artists for the benefit of its members and within the community of St Helens. Platform stages exhibitions, runs activities with community groups and operates artist studios. Art in the Market This two-week long event is a celebration of the diverse range of art being produced in St Helens. Hosted by St Mary’s Market and supported by St Helens Council.