Hyper-realist painter Simon Hennessey was born in Birmingham and still lives and works in the city. RCFA is delighted to be presenting his work for the first time this summer.
Hennessey uses a camera to gather references for his paintings, and then works with the colour, depth and texture to create paintings which are, in his words, 'clearer and more distinct than a photograph'.
Summer exhibition opens
4 July 2015
Our summer exhibition will be an exciting opportunity to view new work by many of our popular artists including Reuben Colley. Keep the weekend of 4 - 5 July in your diary and call in for a glass of champagne.
Combine a visit to RCFA on Saturday 4 July with the Colmore Food Festival in Victoria Square.
See below for examples of the work featured in the summer exhibition.
In Simon Hennessey's 'Life through a Lens' a New York street is reflected in a pair of glasses. In this image we see both the human eye and the scene which that eye observes.
Mark Godwin's exciting new work includes the vibrant 'Red Tug'. While Godwin's richly textured paintings are loosely based upon landscape, they can be read in a variety of ways.
In his Americana series of paintings and signed limited editions, Horace Panter takes everyday subject matter such as motel signs and down-at-heel cafes like 'Blue Front Cafe' (above), transforming them into icons of American life.
Mircea Teleaga's paintings are inspired by the landscape and history of his native Romania. In 'Untitled XI' the brooding sky is balanced by a splash of bright green in the foreground.
Reuben Colley's latest series of paintings is inspired by Sutton Park. This is 'View from Town Gate'. In these supremely confident works, Colley employs loose, impressionistic brushwork.
Danny Howes often chooses subjects which provoke questions. In 'The Beholders', something exciting is clearly going on, but what is it? The orange T shirt provides a visual focus in this striking painting.
Reuben Colley painting to go on display at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
'NRG', one of Reuben Colley's 'My Birmingham' series, has been loaned to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and will be displayed in Gallery 13 as part of a free exhibition called 'Change in the Inner City'. This stunning painting, which is 1.5 m wide, takes its title from graffiti underneath the Aston Expressway. 'NRG' will hang above a 1960s model showing the original plans for the Aston Expressway and the motorway intersection which has become known as 'Spaghetti Junction'.
'NRG' joins Reuben's 'Brindley Light', which is part of the museum's permanent collection and is on display in the same exhibition.
Signed limited editions of Reuben Colley's 'My Birmingham' series, including 'NRG', can also be ordered, either framed or unframed. Click here to view the catalogue.
A rare signed limited edition of 'Brindley Light' has also recently become available. If you would like to enquire about available original paintings in the 'My Birmingham' series, or about signed limited editions, please enquire using the button below.
