Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, until end March 2010

Peeling the sunrise (A'rùsgadh èirigh na grèine) by Alex Dunn

THIS SELECTION of recent work by three members of the Highland Artists group demonstrates positive strands of evolution in each artist’s practice. Don’t let the obtuse title put you off – there is much to savour in this latest exhibition by local artists Alex Dunn, Rosie Jones Newman and Linda Smith. Having a body of work from each artist rather than one or two pieces as part of a larger group show is an advantage, allowing a stronger statement to be made by each individual.

The introduction of colour into Alex Dunn’s work in recent years represents a fascinating evolution in terms of thought and technique. So many artists utilise colour as a 30-second attention grabbing hit; here it is refreshingly integral to the balance of the composition and how we read form and meaning in the work.

Colour is wielded with consideration as a compelling element within a grand design. The arrangement of four panels Does my bum look big in this? (Bheil mo thòn a’coimhead mòr san aodach seo?) is a striking piece both for the equality of composition within each work and the collective balance of the whole quartet.

Use of colour has its own tonality or resonance which is almost musical in nature. Cathedral (Ard-eaglais easbuigeach) is a good example with its subtly contrasting verticals of red. The thin suggestion of a circular form between the overlapping verticals of Cathedral is an example of the way in which form combines with colour to create a kind of cerebral architecture in the artist’s work.

Peeling the sunrise (A’rùsgadh èirigh na grèine) is another excellent example with its square of solid black pencil marks peeled back in one corner to reveal a coded sunrise of primary colours.

The intricate construction of much of Dunn’s work combining drawn and collaged elements gives a variety of mark within the bold abstraction of his compositions. The appearance of black is on closer inspection the delicate sheen of densely compacted pencil marks. (Due to the fact that the outer theatre foyers were not designed as a gallery these works, like many other exhibitions at Eden Court, are best enjoyed in the full illumination of daylight where detail and fine textures can be fully appreciated.)

The soft texture of the backing in Peeling The Sunrise gives this image an air of gentle revelation. Presented beautifully in a deep frame, this piece is a wonderfully contained gesture.

Thematically there is a greater feeling of balance in this show than in previous exhibitions. The dialogue between works such as The world consumed (An saoghal air a sgrios) and The world consumed by sunrise (An saoghal ga chaitheamh le èirigh na grèine), echoed in the balance of form and colour, an inversion of one from the other, creates the impression of a world not harshly defined in black and white but the flowering of a different and perhaps more harmonious sensibility.

Rythym is also an interesting and emotive element in Dunn’s compositions. Dream in White (Bruadar geal) with its linear structure and hues of dark blue confined in the central square form of the composition combine rhythmic verticality with colour density to convey a heightened state contained within. The repetition and disturbance of torn collage in Lost (Air chall) is equally well expressed.

Rosie Jones Newman’s observations of Cromarty combine investigation of mixed media with draftsmanship in a lyrical vision of village rooftops, rigs and the imaginative expanse of the sea.

Works such as Next Generation and Cromarty submerge the viewer in blue pigment, contributing to the dreamlike quality of the image. The composition of Cromarty in particular, which creates a contemplative space between man-made structures and natural elements, is a good example.

There is a playful exploration of perspective in Fisherwoman Sighs, and this composite approach to drawing permeates many of the works on show. Outwith the Vennels (Oil and pastel on board) with its visible construction lines is an interesting piece of work, reminiscent of Bronwen Sleigh’s etchings of the Cromarty Firth. The experimental nature of these drawn and collaged images is great to see, and would benefit from further stylistic distillation.

I am extremely skeptical about the use of giclee prints by artists working with texture or mixed media because in many cases it is a poor representation of the original work. With lovely, interesting and tactile mixed media work on display, together with a series of original etchings, the adjacent giclee reproductions of Newman’s work felt like poor cousins.

The key question for any artist choosing to reproduce their work in this manner is whether or not the result adequately represents their practice. For many artists working with a less layered approach or in a graphic style, giclee works well; the integrity of the image and the artist’s creative process does not feel compromised.

However, I was not convinced by the examples in this show, especially when viewing originals alongside the flattened reproductions, and would have liked to have seen greater representation of the subtle handling of materials that this artist is obviously capable of.

Linda Smith has contributed signature work such as The Inheritance (Oil on canvas) to the exhibition, together with a series of intriguing and more experimental works clearly inspired by the artist’s interest in cinematography. There is an appealing, dreamlike quality of illumination in Smith’s work, a combination of tone and choice of palette that contributes to the general atmosphere of unsettled awakening in her images.

A Light Shone From Within (Oil on canvas), with its delicately swirling brushstrokes framing the gaze like a cinematic fade out, reads very much like a still from a larger sequence of visual narrative. The Wind Blew Through It, with its suggestion of movement beneath a canopy of foliage, cropped in the manner of a camera view, and The Singing Ringing Tree, are fascinating examples of the connection between cinematography and painting.

The crafting of an image, how the viewer is lead into the work through composition, tone, colour and form, is at the heart of how we derive meaning and narrative from still or moving images. Characteristically Smith’s paintings give the viewer snippets of potential narrative allowing the viewer’s imagination free reign within her constructed scenes.

This portal-like vision is fundamental in how we experience a work such as There was a story about the red house on the hill. Contrasting vermillion and eerie green luminosity define a house of the imagination, with the left hand foreground foliage creeping forth menacingly like fire. The composition is unsettlingly cut by diagonals with desolate trees in the distance contributing to the feeling of Grimm-like menace in a tale we can only imagine.

Where there is a suggestion of darkness Smith never resorts to predictable black. Instead, pure alizarin crimson or intense ultramarine often lead us literally and metaphorically to the edge of the canvas. Smith’s exploration of cinematic narrative together with her commitment to the art of painting shows great promise in this latest body of work, when this growing awareness is also brought to bear upon the actual paint handling then the results should be very exciting indeed.

© Georgina Coburn, 2010

Links

• Highland Artists
• Eden Court Theatre