In the ever-evolving realm of contemporary art, a profound connection with the natural world continues to inspire and shape the creative landscape. As the art world becomes more entrenched in the technological age, with the rise of NFTs and digital art, the connection between art and nature remains powerful. ‘Origins: A Celebration of Paper,’ the ongoing exhibition at RHODES Contemporary gallery, looks toward the power of this medium, and many of our artists have taken the opportunity to engage with paper-based media to explore into natural forms with an exciting degree of diversity.
Edward ‘Eddie’ Jones presents two brand new pieces for this show. A recent graduate from the City and Guilds of London Art School, Jones offers a refreshing artistic style and ethos to his contemporary landscape painting practise. From Tremor Town, With Love and Torres del Paine Study II both explore mountainous scenes in dark, earthy tones, depicted in almost camouflaging patterns that ripple across the surface of the paper. The deep colour palette reflects the cold, bleak environments of these mountain regions, creating an ambiguous sense of light. Jones’ working practise involves a deep connection to the landscapes he depicts, entailing an in-depth process of photography and drawing in the lead up to his oil painted works. This close relationship to the land is tangible, echoing through the work in a familiar feeling of melancholy and solitude that reflects this escapism to the wilderness. Prints and editions from Edward Jones can be found here.
Edward Jones, Torres del Paine Study II, 2023, oil on cotton paper mounted on board, 34 x 25 cm
The quiet, introspective, and bleak scenes signature of Jones’ work contrast with the energy of Camilla Perkins’s nature studies. Imbued with light, colour, and vitality, Perkins’ portrays nostalgic, rosy scenes of gardens and meadows that speak to her childhood spent in East Sussex, UK. Jumping into the River at Barcombe and Meet me at the Swimming Ponds evoke memories of summer holidays and sunny days spent in the outdoors, with figures becoming almost a natural part of the joyful landscapes. Captured in textural, impressionist brushwork and vibrant pigments, these oil pastel on paper works are filled with movement and life, brightening up even the darkest of days.
Camilla Perkins, Meet me at the Swimming Ponds, 2023, oil pastel on paper, 50 x 70 cm
Expressive, abstract, and surreal, US born and York-based artist Cat Spilman’s creations are testament to the power of composition. Captured only in monochrome, Spilman’s oeuvre delves into fluid and natural forms that evoke themes of memory and motherhood. Her most recent work, Worth It For The View, created exclusively for ‘Origins,’ evokes a bloom or a vase of flowers. The simple form acts almost like a Rorschach test, encouraging the viewer to adopt a meaning or significance unto the painting. Whilst not explicitly a study of the natural world, the organic forms of Spilman’s style here seems to signify the shape of flower petals surrounding a centre – a testament to the enduring creativity of artists in dialogue with the natural forms around them. Prints and editions from Cat Spilman can be found here.
Cat Spilman, Worth It For The View, 2023, house paint on paper, 38.9 x 28.5 cm
Per Adolfsen’s landscapes are mysterious and enchanting. His most recent piece, rendered in coloured pencil and chalk, depicts a mossy, craggy moorland with a backdrop of precipitous mountains. The scene is devoid of human life, yet the landscape feels welcoming and dreamy; across the pale green sky drifts a flotilla of purple clouds, whilst the rugged ground invites an exploration toward the distant hills. Born and based in Denmark, Adolfsen reconstructs the landscapes he grew up around – his works feel tangible and comforting, vibrating with energy through his expressionist and textural drawing technique. This mountain scene perfectly juxtaposes against those of Edward Jones; both artists explore the possibilities of colour, pattern, and mark-making, offering two equally bewitching mountain regions to be traversed.
The textured and tangible surface of paper offers a unique way to experiment with medium, subject, and form. As the artists from 'Origins' illustrate, varieties of paper and artistic style can intersect to produce wide ranging, engaging, and juxtaposing renditions of the natural world that surrounds us.
Per Adolfsen, Dawn, 2023, coloured pencil and chalk on Hahnemuhle paper
More information on the artists and works featured in 'Origins: A Celebration of Paper' can be found here; contact info@rhodescontemporaryart.com with any queries or for availability of artworks for purchase.
