A wonderful new little jewell of a gallery has opened up right on our doorstep in Merston, so Joel and I went to visit it.
Current Exhibition
Adrian Wiszniewski
Prints and Paintings
7 June – 19 June 2011
We are delighted to launch the gallery with an exhibition of work by Adrian Wiszniewski. Adrian’s work is colourful, lyrical and full of references, clues and allusion.
He was a prominent member of a group of artists known as the ‘new Glasgow Boys’ who challenged the dominance of abstract, minimal and conceptual art with paintings that involve the human figure and narrative.
The exhibition has been chosen to coincide with the show
A Passion for Prints at Pallant House Gallery which focuses, though not exclusively, on Scottish printmakers. Work by Adrian Wiszniewski is included in the show.
Wiszniewski calls himself a British artist working in Scotland and he has achieved success and recognition across the world. There is work by him in the Tate, the V&A, the Setagaya Art Museum in Tokyo and MOMA in New York.
The artist is best known for his images of awkward, rather romantic and melancholic youthful figures appearing somewhat reflective and contained in their own world or space. That space is shared with the figure’s own motifs which might be mundane objects, emblematic items, sometimes symbolic or simply effects of painterly dynamism. The work is instantly familiar as it offers a style of imagery that entered our culture at roughly the turn of this century and which was, very much, the result of Wiszniewski’s popularity and influence. But the artist’s work has continued to evolve throughout his career. He has at times turned to abstraction. He has experimented and followed opportunities that have arisen and has subsequently worked in a broad range of media and contexts.
The exhibition at the Merston Gallery does not attempt to embrace the full range of media associated with this artist who has collaborated on architectural projects, designed rugs, textiles and tapestries and now collaborates with a composer in musical theatre. The exhibition is, nonetheless, a showcase for Wiszniewski’s eclectic approach to printmaking.
The artist’s relaxed, uninhibited and experimental approach is evidenced by the range of print processes he has employed including etching, lithography, silkscreen, woodcut, lino prints and even mono prints.
Wiszniewski’s prints and paintings never fail to delight and embrace the viewer. His images are redolent with meaning, tempting the spectator to discover and recognise issues and clues that need to be investigated and sometimes solved.
About
Merston Gallery specialises in one-person shows of fine art and design.
The gallery will make a distinctive contribution to the impressive range of art venues in the region and the work shown will offer challenge, interest and reward to the community and visitors to the area.
Merston Gallery is a contemporary exhibition space inside a listed early Victorian school room. The school room is situated near to the thirteenth century church of St Giles at Merston, close to Chichester. Pevsner describes this as ‘a disarming building’ set in ‘a delightful situation’ with ‘a simple village effect’. The setting is rural and unspoilt but easily accessible.
Merston Gallery is managed in partnership by Paul and Sylvia Kopecek.
Opening times
Tuesday to Friday 10 – 4 (including late Thursday 6 – 8)
Saturday and Sunday 2 – 5
Closed Mondays
The next Exhibition opens on the 2nd July with the work of Cartoonist Hunt Emerson ! So treat yourself and get down there !
We are delighted to launch the gallery with an exhibition of work by Adrian Wiszniewski. Adrian’s work is colourful, lyrical and full of references, clues and allusion.
The artist is best known for his images of awkward, rather romantic and melancholic youthful figures appearing somewhat reflective and contained in their own world or space. That space is shared with the figure’s own motifs which might be mundane objects, emblematic items, sometimes symbolic or simply effects of painterly dynamism. The work is instantly familiar as it offers a style of imagery that entered our culture at roughly the turn of this century and which was, very much, the result of Wiszniewski’s popularity and influence. But the artist’s work has continued to evolve throughout his career. He has at times turned to abstraction. He has experimented and followed opportunities that have arisen and has subsequently worked in a broad range of media and contexts.
Wiszniewski’s prints and paintings never fail to delight and embrace the viewer. His images are redolent with meaning, tempting the spectator to discover and recognise issues and clues that need to be investigated and sometimes solved.
