Last Saturday was the start of a new exhibition at Blackheath Gallery in London in which I have three works. This is a new gallery for me and I am very excited to work with them. The exhibition features a large number of well known artists. All works evolve around the theme of the body, figure or portrait. Although I could not attend the private view the gallery was so kind to send me some images to get an impression. The exhibition runs until 18 June.
The gallery describes the exhibition like this:
“Blackheath Gallery Ltd is delighted to invite you to its new CORPUS exhibition, focusing on a timeless subject of human body. Eighteen artists offer their own interpretation of the main theme, presenting an eclectic selection of over seventy works in a variety of media and styles. The sources of inspiration span many centuries and include old masters such as Caravaggio and Rubens, the prose of Haruki Murakami and artists’ personal journeys – explorations of human body, mind and the world around us.
Featured artists: Michael Alford, Chris Bose, Luis Burgos, Ann Clay, Nicolas De la Hoz, Sarah Garvey, Anthony Hawken, Sally Lancaster, Christine Kowal Post, Sally McKay, Michele Moro, Olivier Massebeuf, Marilène Oliver, Gianluca Pisano, Sophie Ploeg, Pablo Schugurensky, Graeme Wilcox, Ellen Zaks.”
Sophie Ploeg, The Shawl, oil, 122x61cm
Sophie Ploeg, Looking Back, oil, 60x50cm
My contribution to the show are three fabric works: The Lying-in Room, Looking Back and The Shawl.
All feature large expanses of lace or netting. Part of the challenge of painting these works was exactly those huge pieces of transparent fabric. I have written a blog post a while ago about the inspiration for The Shawl, which is based on a beautiful painting by Gaston la Touche. Please click here to read it.
Looking Back was painted purely to indulge in the beauty and transparency of the enormous Victorian veil. The image has a quietness about it that focusses the attention on the layers of the veil.
The Lying-in Room was inspired by the Tudor custom of pregnant women and new mothers to separate themselves from all other outside life and cocoon themselves in a dark and warm room. In those days they thought they could keep out dangerous diseases and other dangers in this way and the new mother would be in her cocoon for months.
Blackheath Gallery
CORPUS
Group exhibition
7 May – 18 June
34 Tranquil Vale, Blackheath, Greenwich, London SE3 0AX
Open daily 10am – 6pm (Sun 10am-4pm)
Sophie Ploeg, The Lying-in Room, oil, 92x92cm
The lovely people of Blackheath Gallery have sent me some photos of the exhibition, which I have been so free to edit a little. I hope you enjoy and let me know if you manage to go and see the exhibition!
