Robert Sedgley painting exhibition at Artists' Gallery
Coherent pattern of 'street' colour
Coherent pattern of 'street' colour
British artist Robert Sedgley has been visiting Sri Lanka annually since 1998 and has held five exhibitions here. Many will remember his very successful debut at the barefoot gallery with his 'Street Level' show of watercolours in 2002, followed a year later by his exhibition entitled 'Trading Places', but it was his show at the Artists Gallery of SH Sarath at the turn of the century which first introduced him to this country. This was followed by his exhibition, 'From Holy Places to Humble Dwellings' at the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects.
Following the events of the tsunami he held a 'Donation' show, again at the Artists Gallery, the proceeds of which were donated to the International Children's Villages which provides homes for orphans.
Robert Sedgley works in a variety of media. His oil paintings are largely of figures, depicting people relaxing and lying on the beaches. these are sometimes in a realistic style and at others semi-abstracted, creating a fragmented appearance characteristic of strong sunlight reflecting off flesh and brightly coloured costumes and beach towels, and deep shadow. Other figure paintings depict people eating in restaurants ( a common activity in Mediterranean Spain,) in a more expressionistic mode of painting.
Following a journey by bus through the north of Spain he produced a series entitled 'Road and Bridge,' which through the use of colour and mark-making express a sense of space and movement through the landscape.
If he has not painted so much as he had wished in recent years it is because of his other dominating interest in ceramic sculpture. Again in this medium the human figure predominates, with the reclining form expressed in a variety of abstracted and highly imaginative modes. He has currently been working on a series of heads in which the features are pared away to a simple slender ax-like form.
Now he is back once again showing for one day only, with a very brief exhibition at the Artists Gallery in Nugegoda (18A Sarasavi Gardens, Nawala Road, Nugegoda). These take buildings as the main motif, whether ancient temples, roadside kiosks or street scenes; the latter bringing together into a coherent pattern of colour the rich variety of shapes seen in doorways, patched up windows, hoardings, air-conditioning units etc. - the varied paraphenalia of the street with which we are all familiar but often overlook.
Visitors are welcome to the opening from 6.00 pm on Tuesday February 7. The exhibition continues throughout the following day as well. However, anyone who is not able get to this event need not be dissappointed. His work can be viewed at the gallery by appointment with S H Sarath, who holds a large selection of his Sri Lankan paintings.
Following the events of the tsunami he held a 'Donation' show, again at the Artists Gallery, the proceeds of which were donated to the International Children's Villages which provides homes for orphans.
Robert Sedgley works in a variety of media. His oil paintings are largely of figures, depicting people relaxing and lying on the beaches. these are sometimes in a realistic style and at others semi-abstracted, creating a fragmented appearance characteristic of strong sunlight reflecting off flesh and brightly coloured costumes and beach towels, and deep shadow. Other figure paintings depict people eating in restaurants ( a common activity in Mediterranean Spain,) in a more expressionistic mode of painting.
Following a journey by bus through the north of Spain he produced a series entitled 'Road and Bridge,' which through the use of colour and mark-making express a sense of space and movement through the landscape.
If he has not painted so much as he had wished in recent years it is because of his other dominating interest in ceramic sculpture. Again in this medium the human figure predominates, with the reclining form expressed in a variety of abstracted and highly imaginative modes. He has currently been working on a series of heads in which the features are pared away to a simple slender ax-like form.
Now he is back once again showing for one day only, with a very brief exhibition at the Artists Gallery in Nugegoda (18A Sarasavi Gardens, Nawala Road, Nugegoda). These take buildings as the main motif, whether ancient temples, roadside kiosks or street scenes; the latter bringing together into a coherent pattern of colour the rich variety of shapes seen in doorways, patched up windows, hoardings, air-conditioning units etc. - the varied paraphenalia of the street with which we are all familiar but often overlook.
Visitors are welcome to the opening from 6.00 pm on Tuesday February 7. The exhibition continues throughout the following day as well. However, anyone who is not able get to this event need not be dissappointed. His work can be viewed at the gallery by appointment with S H Sarath, who holds a large selection of his Sri Lankan paintings.