This February, RHODES presents Out of the Woods, the newest series from Glasgow-based artist Stewart Swan. Known for his anthropomorphic portraits that balance grit with subtle humour, this exhibition marks his third solo presentation with the gallery, following the success of his previous shows.
Texture sits at the centre of Swan’s practice, and how he works into paint is immediately apparent across this new collection of six portraits. Drawing on figures from mythology and folklore, Swan reimagines these familiar characters through a distinctly contemporary lens. While each subject carries the impact of its cultural origins, Swan grounds them through saturated colour and a direct, physical presence. Both the pastel colours and deeper tones are informed by the view of the Glasgow skyline from his studio, ensuring that, despite their global mythological references, the works remain rooted in the artist’s hometown.
Oisín, 2026
Set against flat expanses of pastel colour, the figures are depicted with intense contrast. Swan builds his surfaces gradually, layering oil paint to create dense blocks of colour before carefully removing thinner layers to reveal texture beneath. This process creates an immediate sense of depth, visible in Yutu, where the green of the rabbit is in sharp contrast to the pink backdrop. Even at a distance, the chromatic tension is immediately obvious, even before we notice the finer details.
Yutu, 2026
Taghan demonstrates the next stage of Swan’s process – adding in these details. Working into the upper layers with brushes, palette knives, and found objects from his studio, he carves angular lines into the paint to create features such as the teeth – sharp, parallel forms, at odds with the lines and wrinkles surrounding them. Around the eyes, softer blending allows the whites of the eyes and blues of the fur to gradually join, creating a focused, alert gaze that meets the viewer directly. The variety of tools ensures that each surface responds to the personality of the character depicted, reinforcing the individuality of each portrait.
Taghan, 2026
Less immediately visible, but equally significant, is Swan’s preparation of the canvas itself. Painting on unstretched linen, he rubs the surface across the floor of his studio before beginning to work. This physical engagement introduces subtle traces of his studio into the material, embedding the atmosphere of Glasgow into the literal foundation of the paintings. The gesture extends Swan’s ongoing dialogue between the mythic and the everyday, allowing these larger-than-life figures to remain connected to the environment in which they were made.
Canvas detail
Out of the Woods is on view in the RHODES Project Room until 28 February. Email us for more information.
