- T: 01923 263311
E: info@montaguesgallery.com
Introducing Add Subtract and his #TwistedIcons collection
These mixed media collages draw upon inspiration from the artist’s background in music. Having witnessed the fast paced and energetic lifestyle that accompany fame and success, from the almighty highs to the lows
The Twisted Icons collection feature a hero shot of an iconic artist at the pinnacle of their heyday. This portrait is set amongst a mixed media medium that blends graffiti, collage and paint that charters the journey of their life. A full immersion into their life and careers his noted through details including album artwork and torn press clippings accentuated with spray paint, acrylic, pen and gold leaf on occasion.
Each piece of work is often fuelled by a troubled soul at war with inner demons. Addiction, money, power, fame and the impact they have form part of the content inspiration for each subject.
It’s not uncommon to see Add Subtract pieces feature a yellow halo to represent that despite everything endured there is a soul at the core of us all, finally often a “hello my name is sticker” reminds us we are all just people, just a face with a name.
To secure your artwork please contact the gallery on:
01923 263311 / info@montaguesgallery.com
Whilst Paul Bennett graduated with an honours degree in fine art, painting took a back seat for a while, as he fell into a career in graphic design and worked mainly in the finance sector in the City of London.
After working in the illustrious financial district for some years, Paul returned to his home county of Buckinghamshire and rediscovered his love of painting. He embarked on a period of experimentation, endeavouring to capture the sense and true essence of a place. Paul became transfixed with conveying the drama and intensity of seascapes and landscapes, with light and shadow becoming crucial elements in the development of his visionary abstract paintings.
Paul’s work is dramatic, atmospheric, and totally captivating. The lines of reality and illusion are blurred and ambiguous, and there is an uncertainty as to where the sky ends, and the sea or landscape begins. Paul strives to generate a sense of intimacy and isolation, whilst leaving the subject open to interpretation. The seascape and landscapes paintings are created from memory, rather than referring to photography, resulting in more abstracted and expressive pieces rather than realistic representation. Paul’s main aim is to create work that is most definitely painted and accomplishes this through rich textures, multiple layers and mark-making. Whilst there is passion and intensity to the work, it has a therapeutic overtone, and the ethereal quality of the compositions offer a sense of serenity and calmness the viewer.
To secure your favourite piece, please contact the gallery on:
01923 263311 /
info@montaguesgallery.com
Shaun was introduced to a wide range of classical artists from an early age and was most notably drawn to the 19th century works of Laurence Alma-Tadema and Alphonse Mucha. In the work of these artists, Shaun discovered a strong connection to their opulent depictions of the female form and the elegant style in which they presented their muses. This aesthetic has grown with him and quite clearly continues to influence his work to the present day.
It was at the renowned Falmouth School of Art that Shaun discovered his passion for figurative work, but it is in more recent years that he has consciously broken away from the rigid structure of a more photographic style that he once employed and developed a more expressive approach. Some have termed his approach as ’Deconstructive Realism,’ in which he pushes the boundaries of fragmentation, line, and solid colour, in exploration of the limits between representation and abstraction.
In much of his work, we observe a variety of deconstructed areas in complete contrast to smooth zones, and in doing so Shaun creates a sense a rhythm and harmony throughout the composition, thus keeping the viewer engaged. Shaun concentrates primarily on the human form devoid of the complex surrounding environment. This enables him to use the background as an abstract area in which the figure can be ‘deconstructed,’ thus distancing the boundaries of true representation.
Not wishing to be confined by the traditional language of paint, Shaun sometimes substitute’s brushes for various tools to articulate his vision. His oil paintings begin life with a gesso foundation on which Shaun sketches the female form in charcoal. He then builds on these foundational strokes and creates an acrylic understudy. Much of this preliminary painting is hidden once he begins to use oils, but there are still traces to be seen if you look closely. Shaun’s technique, in collaboration with his unique fusion of realism and abstraction, ensured that his artwork is both unique and exceptionally beautiful and guaranteed to bring an elegance to any setting.
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Montague's Gallery
40 High Street
Kings Langley
Hertfordshire
WD4 9HT
Good Friday: 11am-4pm
Easter Saturday: 10am-5pm
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Easter Monday: 11am-4pm
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