Feast Exhibition

Helen Phoenix : Forbidden Fruit

The gallery's end-of-year show presents a Caravaggio-esque banquet of art on which to feast your eyes. We will dress the window like a fine Dutch still-life painting.

The Dutch Golden age is associated with the Baroque cultural movement, included artists the likes of Jan Philip Van Thielen, Pieter Claesz, Willem Claesz. Heda, Jan Davidsz. de Heem and Johannes Vermeer. It is a period in Dutch history, spanning the 17th century, which saw the new Republic prosper, give rise to world-leading art and science.

The move away from religious subjects opened new opportunities for artists, as they turned to document the wealth of the time. It was depicted by still lifes with collections of withering flowers, animals and decaying fruit; a reminder of the fragility and impermanence of life.

Remon Jephcott : Very Large Apple

We celebrate the styles of these paintings in our window display. But there is also a dark side to these works. While they endorse the luxury and flamboyant living, beneath their painted surfaces, they neglect to acknowledge the colonial origin of the wealth and prosperity.

By showcasing my artist's artworks in all of its glory, my message is one of authenticity and accessibility. All can enjoy these beautiful works. And in so doing, we can honour and appreciate that which creativity brings to our lives.

Alison Coaten : Madonna and Girl Child

On show will be decaying fruit, from renown ceramicist Remon Jephcott, perfectly mirroring the painted subject matters of the Dutch master's notion of vanitas. Alison Coaten's Madonna and Girl Child brings an echo of religious symbolism. Bird paintings by Helen Phoenix with iconic pomegranates, which have a diverse cultural and religious significance. Often a symbol of fertility, power, blood and death, in Persian and Greek mythology, it's meaning is also beauty and eternal life.

Davide di Taranto : Lucas

I am using Davide di Taranto's painting 'Lucas', to represent Velázquez's portrait painting of Juan de Pareja. The picture is the earliest known portrait of a Spanish man of African descent. Despite being the artist's slave at the time of painting, Juan de Pareja was also an accomplished artist himself.

The display will also be peppered with additional symbolic items and desirable artworks.

In the gallery will be works by Chilean artist, Paulina X Miranda. PXM takes her inspiration from many art forms; literature, poetry, music and historical figures, and hence her works have a rich visual vocabulary, embracing nature and beauty. I believe to aspire for harmony and beauty in one's art is a powerful message, never to be considered frivolous. While life can be dark at times, it is wonderful to look for the light that art can bring.

To add to the splendour, we will be displaying a lantern in the gallery window, as part of the Burning the Clocks Lantern Trail (2nd December to 21st December). Same Sky, an award-winning community arts charity, is the festival's organiser. It lights up the darkest of winter nights and usually takes the form of a parade attracting 20,000 people. Due to COVID restrictions, 2020 will see an alternative display of lanterns in 12 selected creative and independent venues, of which we are very proud to be one. This year our lantern will be a clock, designed and created by Bec Britain, and it will hang above our Feast window display.

On show will be sumptuous works by featured artists, including

• Remon Jephcott - ceramic sculptural fruit

• Helen Phoenix - bird paintings in egg tempera

• Paulina X Miranda - regal oil paintings

• Alison Coaten - sculptures

• Mary Jones - sculptural heads

• Davide di Taranto - paintings

• Dawn Stacey - paintings

• Jessie Mooy - Chagall-like ceramic figurative sculptures

There will also be other delights from my stable of artists, showcasing unique and original artworks.

We will be bringing you this exhibition in all the ways we can, and we are very much looking forward to sharing it with you.

Jessie Mooy : Lady with White Cat