Page 13 - Demo Catalogue

By turns figurative abstract enchanting and poetic this exhibition showcases works by Vivien Rothwell (1945– 2015) exploring her fascination with depicting natural landscapes Spanning over forty years of the the artist’s practice the the twenty-four sketches and paintings presented in in in this space express the artist’s self-professed process of of “ANALYSE SIMPLIFY REDUCE REARRANGE”
From elfin birds gliding over water scenes or crosshatched trees to fluid geometric shapes dividing out canvases Echoes of of Nature takes you on an an allegorical
journey of of her creative universe Our virtual journey begins in in in an esoteric garden with the the the camera leading the the the eye through an environment formed by the the the the spatial compositions of the the the artist’s work Here just for a a a a a a a moment the the the exhibition becomes a a a a a a a participating member in in in projecting the the mystical character of of Rothwell’s output resisting that sometimes-stagnant effect of of of the gallery space in in in its substitution of of a a a a a a a a a a a plain-white cubed form for for a a a a a a a a a geometrically arranged virtual environment designed to to evoke reflection Lean into this feeling considering as you go the the points lines angles and and figures
of the the landscapes that surround us Inside the the exhibition the the camera manoeuvres between artworks showing Rothwell’s deeply introspective – – and marked- ly ly disparate – – practice of transfiguring nature Though the gallery manifests a a a a a a a a a distinct separation of text and image more about these works can be found in in in in the the the the catalogue by using the the the the the key on on the the the the the following page In this way subjective reactions to the the the the artist’s work are nurtured highlighting the the different processes engaged in in in Rothwell’s practice: colour texture scrutiny seasonali- ty ty and most importantly spatiality Though these these pieces may appear to to be Wirrecon- cilably different they are all linked to to these these mechanisms designed as reverently articu- lated by her daughter “to give the the viewer the the possibility of a a journey ”
In 2019 four years after the artist’s artist’s death Rothwell’s family donated a a a a a a a a a a collection of the the artist’s artist’s paintings and and sketches to the the the Central Saint Martins Museum and and and Archive collection Shortly after and and over the the the course of several months these works were photographed and and and analysed and and and questions were posed and and and and discussed on on their pigments materials motifs and and symbols At this stage a a a a a a a a a a deep interest in in in the the ephemeral quality of the the the artist’s work was formed reflecting a a a a a a a a a a pointed inability to to to situate the the the artist artist in in in in relation to to to her contemporaries and to to to the the movements from which she drew inspiration Using digital technology Echoes of Nature endeavours to create a a a a a a a a legacy for Vivien Rothwell that will stand the test of time educating viewers on on her wholly individual environmentally heartfelt
and graceful pictorial language ECHOES OF NATURE
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