British Master Colourist, wows next generation with Show at Chelsea College of Art
By Giuseppe Marasco
The Chelsea College of Art presents an exhibition of the painter, Royal Academician, Frank Bowling and his partner Rachel Scott. Located opposite the Tate Britain, one need only cross the college’s open square to the Triangle Space & Cookhouse gallery for this feast of a show.
The exhibition came about through Frank Bowling’s links to the College which he attended before going onto study at the Royal College of Art as part of the ‘golden generation’.
The exhibition highlights the MA Fine Art Scholarships sponsored by Frank Bowling and Rachel Scott, which will be awarded on a yearly basis to two students for the next three years. The Dean, of the Chelsea College of Art has pointed out how important it was for Bowling and his partner to contribute and put something back.The Scholarship are particularly focus on promoting painting or a painterly approach in other mediums. Bowling has expressed his heartfelt concern at the state of art funding and accessibility for the next generation of artists.
The British painter is one of the last living Abstract Expressionists, who had been supported and vigorously encourage by Clement Greenberg to take up the cause.
Considered to be one of the greatest colourists this country has ever possessed.
Hung in the classic modernist style, simple minimal with , you’d find at the MOMA or Guggenheim in New York. The excitement around these of these powerful works on the student body was palapable during the opening night. These exuberant works project sonorously into the gallery. They resonate and tremble, as all the best paintings do. They are tender objects which openly show their worry, and forging exploration. It’s that relationship to openly displaying the process of thinking. The Dean of Chelsea College George Blacklock, whose paintings, have been influenced by Bowling’s work. Speaks Eloquently of finding the ‘true’ in Bowling’s work. A term that is more closely linked the best critcism of contemporary music.
Rachel Scott: Warp & Weft work adheres to wonderfully pure principles. Scott studied at the
Royal College of Art, London, and began spinning and weaving in 1976. Scott’s creative values were ahead of their times when she started making her woven tapestries, rugs and hangings.
Deeply invested in craft, the wool is spun by Scott herself from British rare breed sheep wool. Using only the fleeces natural colour. Scott weaves linear modernist abstract patterns. These formalist designs are set with very clear limitations whilst extemporsized on the go. The process is very meditative, even zen like. The Tapestries, can be found through O’dell’s, share their the technique and design of Native American textiles. The largerest pieces can approximate 72″ x 90″.
The catalogue is highly recommended, as attested by its ability to magnetically draw in all eyes within the vicinity, the attentive essay is by the curator and artist John Bunker.
Ends 24th July
Location:
Triangle Space & Cookhouse
Chelsea College of Arts 16 John Islip Street
SW1P 4JU
Ends 24th July
http://events.arts.ac.uk/event/2015/7/16/Frank-Bowling-Right-Here-Right-Now-/
Frank Bowling is represented by http://www.halesgallery.com/artists/27-frank-bowling/overview/
