PRESS RELEASE – 14 th APRIL 2008
Heads and Tales An exhibition of twenty seven works by Stephen Buckley at AUSTIN/DESMOND FINE ART
14 th May – 17 th June
Private View Tuesday 13 th May 6.30 – 8.30pm
Jonglerie 2007 Étagnac 1990 Beanpoles 2005 oil on canvas on ply with rope 47 x oil, goldwax, plastic tubing, canvas, ply oil on canvas with rope & cardtubing 36 in 48 x 63 in 32 x 32 in
For his fifth exhibition at Austin/Desmond Fine Art, Buckley has produced a series of twenty seven paintings, the majority of which were made between 2004 and 2008.
The viewer is immediately struck by the confidence and dexterity with which they assert their repertoire of effects, enfolding gestures and motif within a visceral use of colour that appears not too distantly related to the magical powers of glamour. Within the performative power of his work, Buckley returns to themes and emblems, signs and conceits, which have fascinated him throughout his career, and which, in these latest paintings, appear to take their place in what might be termed a cast of effects - the agents of nuance and idea, almost mystical archetypes and signage, but kept intentionally to one side of open statement. In this you might compare Buckley’s relationship to the artistic and aesthetic rhetoric of his art, to Marcel Proust’s deft maxim of self-definition: “The many gentlemen of whom I am comprised.”
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Stephen Buckley studied at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne under Richard Hamilton, where he benefited from contact with visiting tutors such as Pop artists Richard Smith (for whom he later worked as an assistant), Joe Tilson and Eduardo Paolozzi. In the late 60’s, Buckley began to present his paintings as substantial physical objects, constructed in frequently eccentric shapes which he then decorated. The clues to subject-matter were often indicated in the titles, which could be allusions to places or to historic styles.
Stephen Buckley has been showing with Austin / Desmond Fine Art since 1994 and is represented in many public collections which among others, include
The Arts Council of Great Britain / Miami Art Museum, Miami, Florida, USA / Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende, Santiago, Chile / Museum of Modern Art, Caracas, Venezuela / National Art Gallery of Wales, Cardiff / National Art Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand / National Gallery of Australia, Canberra / Southampton City Art Gallery, UK / Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, UK Tate Britain, London / University of Cambridge, Kettle's Yard Gallery, Cambridge, UK / Victoria and Albert Museum, London / Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK and Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Bathers 1993 acrylic on canvas 24 x 60 in
A catalogue with introduction by Michael Bracewell is to be published to coincide with the exhibition.
For further information please contact David Archer. Biographies of the artist as well as transparencies, high resolution images (on CD) are available on request.
AUSTIN/DESMOND FINE ART Pied Bull Yard 68/69 Great Russell Street London WC1B 3BN Telephone: + 44 (0) 20 7242 4443 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.austindesmond.com
Gallery opening hours: Mon – Fri 10.30am – 5.30pm During exhibitions Sat 11.00 – 2.30pm
Extracts from: Introduction by Michael Bracewell John McEwen, 'Four British painters', four painters discussed were John Hoyland, John Walker, Stephen Buckley & Howard Hodgkin. Tate, London
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