All of the 21 paintings in Simon R. English's current exhibition gently explore the relationship between land and sky. The only aspects of change occur when either a setting sun, telegraph pole or harvest fire provides a focal point within the composition. Increasingly the artist is stepping closer to purist abstraction - helped by the absolutely pristine finish of the painted surface. However, the evocative atmosphere pervading these works ensures that the icy implication of minimalism is kept at bay.
There is an undeniable stillness to these paintings - a feature which some might find boring or lifeless. But if you look hard enough, the flicker of sunlight on a cloud-strewn skyline, or a fleeting shadow against a distant field, captivate. I spent some time in front of Burning Harvest III, reading details of space and perspective which created the illusion of an inspiring vista, rendered fluidly without need to replicate precise figurative information.
It would surely be a noble aspiration for any artist to think their work might awaken and inspire the senses, so much so that the viewer's sensibility to all manner of visual stimuli is heightened. For some, this exhibition may have that very effect.
Runs until Saturday.
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