Abstract Art – Autumn Sun – 15th October – 25th October 2020

 

 

 

Opening on Instagram Live
@bricklanegallery 6pm, Wednesday 14th October

 

Exhibition continues 15th October – 25th October

The Brick Lane Gallery is pleased to present our newest exhibition ‘Autumn Sun’. Our previous exhibition ‘Summer Rain’ saw us reminisce on a lost summer, and as a new season approaches, we find ourselves feeling hopeful for some brightness in an Autumn like never before. This exhibition features a selection of works by an eclectic group of local and international artists, working in various mediums and styles. It highlights how creativity is a fundamental outlet for the artist which can be reflected through David Zolo’s approach to using nature in his work, to ensure his art is sustainable and therefore benefits the community. He importantly reminds us that “together we are stronger”.

 

Participating Artists

Chantal Matar

David Zolo

Emi Comaroff

Laura Shone

Marina Gurzhiy

Ørjan Midtbø

Rita Birks

Matt Collis

Majda Zorko

Annika Bachhofer

 

 

Chantal Matar 

@chantal.matar

Chantal Matar was born in Beirut and is now based in London. Since 2018 she has been working at Zaha Hadid Architects as a Senior Architect on various high-end international projects. 

The incredible works included in this exhibition are an example of Generative Art, meaning they have been created using a computer. Utilising her extensive experience in architectural design and her knowledge of digital tools, Chantal’s work explores the margins between abstract and conjecture generative art wherein our spatial understanding is continuously changing. She creates a visual imagery that recalls forces of nature, landscapes exposed to the elements, and internal bodily phenomena. Chantal describes her subject matter as targeting an exploration of ‘alien landscapes, linear formations and digital strata that lie on the threshold of spatial chaos and structural continuum.’ 

 

Emi Comaroff

@modernart_emi 

The stunningly beautiful, sinuous lines that comprise Emi Comaroff’s monochrome compositions are all hand drawn in ink on paper. The fluid and free flowing geometric abstract forms conjure a feeling of autonomy and freedom that conceals the impressive skill and control of their creator. Rather Comaroff’s freehand strokes wander the page freely, continuously altering the dimensionality of the picture’s surface. 
As a child, Emi Comaroff grew up in Tokyo and would visit South Africa with her family. Her mixed heritage inspires much of her work, particularly the Japanese tradition of ‘wabi-sabi’, an aesthetic focussed on the appreciation of symmetry, simplicity, austerity, and modesty. We see these principles in her work where minimalistic yet exotic elements coincide in a balanced, fleeting present.
Focussing on pattern, shape, form, and most importantly line, Comaroff’s graphic use of geometry, combined with her flowing lines and organic shapes recall the Art Nouveau style. Her coiling lines are full of energy, movement, and dynamism, characteristic of the style. We are thrilled to welcome these works all the way from Singapore and are honoured to be able to showcase Emi’s incredibly skilled and elegant pieces at the Brick Lane Gallery. 

 

 

Laura Shone

@laura.shone.textile.artist

Laura Shone is an multimedia artist specialising in contemporary textiles and costume design. We are thrilled to showcase a new artistic venture for Shone at the Brick Lane Gallery, an investigation into botanical monotype prints on fabric. For this series of work Shone has taken inspiration from the foliage and flowers in the Devon autumn countryside. Printed in Prussian blue ink and embellished with a luxurious gold leaf that illuminates the work, these mesmerising skeletal imprints of flora and fauna are beautifully delicate and appear almost otherworldly. At the same time, the focussed composition of the prints emphasise the structure of the leaves and offer a scientific interpretation to the work. Shone’s monotypes are investigative as much as they are beautiful. Simultaneously introspective of the botanical biology and gorgeously aesthetic.

 

Marina Gurzhiy 

@marina.gurzhiy_art

Marina Gurzhiy’s incredible modern Impressionist paintings are a spectacle for the viewer. Her visual interest lies with the natural landscape and the changing effects of light and weather on the environment. In ‘Before the storm’ we see a singular balloon in the middle of a wide vista of what looks like a cornfield. The encroaching storm suggested by the work’s title is revealed in the painting by the direction of the balloon which is about to be swept away out of sight. The menacing approach of the storm fills the upper two thirds of the painting and is created by a layering of wide brushstrokes applied in a crosshatch manner. Within the store clouds Marina uses a very varied colour palette of luminescent whites, blues and earthy browns to create the rain filled cloud indicative of the impending down pour.

 

 

Rita Birks 

@ritabirks26

We are very pleased to be able to debut the work of Rita Birks, a British artist based in Staffordshire. Rita turned to painting in lockdown after never having painted, or even held a paintbrush before. Although spurred to discover her talent in such extreme circumstances as a national lockdown, Rita’s works are a positive outcome from a challenging year. They are charged with optimism, positivity and joy. Her paintings exemplify the importance of creativity as an outlet, and an antidote to adverse times. 

Inspired by two cornerstones of modern art, Jackson Pollock and Gustav Klimt, Rita’s work is naturally abundant in rich colour. Her abstract expressive pieces have an energetic fluidity of motion, and a dynamism that is invigorating to witness. We are so pleased to be able to share Rita’s work with you and we grateful to the artist for sharing her newfound passion with us. 

 

 

Matt Collis 

@fromt2t

Artist Statement:
Every single piece of my creative recycled artwork is uniquely handmade from salvaged materials apart from the acrylic paints. The wood frames are recycled from an old stair bannister that I cut into strips on my table saw.  The hardboard backs are salvaged from some old kitchen cupboards. Then they were nailed, glued, sanded and painted with leftover white emulsion paint up-cycling them into blank canvasses. Ready for being transformed into the creative recycled artwork you see before you now. The inspiration behind my art work is all about the environment around us and creating something new from what’s thrown away everyday. Repurposing one persons rubbish into another persons treasure that’s affordable to all.

 

Majda Zorko 

@majdazorko 

Majda Zorko is a Slovenian abstract artist who spent two decades living and working in Asia where she gained a BFA in Classical Chinese painting from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, in Beijing. During this time Majda was heavily influenced by Chinese painting and Japanese design. She has been painting professionally for over 30 years and has exhibited internationally in the US, Singapore, Japan, China, Austria, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia. 

Majda describes her approach to painting as based on experimentation and exploration of media and describes how ‘anyone who engages in creating a work of art brings to it his/hers own set of personal experiences, memories, perceptions and points of view.’ Initially heavily influenced by the great Masters of painting – da Vinci, Picasso, Kandinsky, Odilon Rédon and Shitao – Majda replicated their work in her ‘interpretations’ series. However, in 1999 she departed from imitation in her solo show ‘Farewell to Masters.’ Since then, Majda’s personal style has changed a lot as she sought to discover more creative and imaginative ways to express her personal voice. She describes how ‘The abstract forms which (I) create  now have become my voice…(and) empower(s) me with endless freedom to create.’  

 

David Zolo

www.davidzolo.art

https://www.instagram.com/davidzolo.art/

David Zolo is a Colombian artist from the city of Medellin. Aged 31, he is located in Santa Elwna, a town recognized by its flowers. The artist is inspired by nature, and Zolo supports the local sustainable development by using physical roses within his art. His flower sculptures in rose shapes are a recognition to the flower growers and lovers. He explains,”when you give a rose, you give love”. The title of this collection is “conection between colors and gold”. In this collection, David Zolo wants to represent the importance, the specified and the valuable with gold, whilst the colors represent a whole world of creativity and dreams, David states that ”the best is yet to come”. Solidarity is very important to the artist, and he wants to be able to help children, by using art as an activity of joy. Many of his pieces of art have been donated to foundations in order to collect funds for helping people in need. In the most critical months of the pandemic, the artist donated a painting that helped more than 1000 families in the community of Medellin. The artists wants us all to remember that”together we are stronger”.

 

Ørjan Midtbø

https://www.kunstlink.no/

https://www.instagram.com/oerjan.midtboe/

Ørjan Midtbø is an Oslo-based Norwegian artist working in mixed media paintings and sculpture. The use of acrylic forms the base of his work, together with oil paint, spray paint, ink, and markers. The paintings hint at conceptual play through QR-code interaction. Post-modern reflections and graffiti-inspired brushstrokes are visible. The works also reference Christian eschatology through the use of its titles. The artist has his degree from The Norwegian National Academy of Arts.

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