Toward the Light by Pip Dickens

pip dickens /paintings

'Toward The Light' solo exhibition of selected works 14th August - 7th November 2010 Private View: Sunday, 19th September 2010 2 - 4pm RSVP: cartwright.hall@bradford.gov.uk Artist Talk: In conversation with...Pip Dickens and Art Critic, Roy Exley Sunday, 24th October 2-3.30pm Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford Bradford Museums and Galleries supported by the Arts Council of England and Museums Libraries & Archives Council



To Mock the Invisible World with its Own Shadows, oil on canvas, Pip Dickens, 2010

Hikari To Kage (Light and Shadow), oil on canvas, Pip Dickens

Miss Havisham II, oil on canvas, Pip Dickens

About the Exhibition

There are two sorts of curiosity - the momentary and the permanent. The momentary is concerned with the odd appearance on the surface of things. The permanent is attracted by the amazing and consecutive life that flows on beneath the surface of things.” Solomon in All His Glory, Robert Lynd, 1922

A substantial exhibition of over 35 works including recent and new paintings and drawings (whilst in residency at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery), Toward the Light is a solo exhibition by Pip Dickens whose common theme is the dramatic relationship we have between light and darkness. This exhibition reveals the diversity in which the artist approaches this subject through a range of contexts and painting and drawing methodologies.

Pip Dickens’ subject matter ranges from cinematic formats, classical literature and the Space Race to chandeliers, ribbons and lace. Their distinctness belies a common exploration through the darkness toward illumination, sometimes physical sometimes metaphysical...silver birch trees yearn for the moon, unknown presences hide behind lace veils, shadows hold domain in empty spaces and chandeliers burn bright like ships on a dark ocean. Sometimes mournful, sometimes celebratory.

The exhibition features new music compositions by the sound artist Monty Adkins based on a number of paintings by Pip Dickens. The compositions premiered in Stockholm in November 2009, were performed at New York City Electronic Music Festival, the Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona, Spain, Leeds College of Music, C.H.A.T. Festival, UNC, North Carolina, USA and will continue to be performed at a number of international music venues throughout 2010. Catalogue essay by Roy Exley. Roy is a freelance writer, art critic and curator based in London.

The exhibition is supported by Arts Council England, Yorkshire and Museums Libraries & Archives Council.

Join the mailing list for this show and other exhibitions - please provide name, address as well as email address if possible and send to pip.dickens@btopenworld.com stating 'join mailing list' .

(please note: Private View is on 19th September 2010 not August)

Exhibition Content

The exhibition comprises new, recent and other works that explore the theme of light and darkness. Paintings have been selected from the 'Phenomena', 'Fabrications' and'Film Forensic' series. Charcoal drawings based on Victorian fog and the Elephant Man also feature together with Space Race and Film Forensic preliminary sketches. The exhibition also features new works from the 'Ribbons' and 'Chandeliers' series developed whilst artist in residence at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.