Never Take the Last Piece of Anything, 2026
In the wake of our new September exhibition, Chorus, RHODES is thrilled to introduce Jack Penny to the programme. Born and raised in Chichester, and a countryside dweller at heart, Penny’s work explores the farcical nature of modern day city life from an outsiders perspective, finding humour in the hedonism and overly-serious metropolitan lifestyle. As a part of Chorus, Penny’s works explore the body as a figure that exists in relation to others. Each person moves in harmony with those around them, reflecting the inherently collective nature of the human experience.
Penny’s work frequently features uniformed waiters, as he explores deeper themes of identity beyond his seemingly light-hearted work. His pieces Formalities and Never Take the Last Piece of Anything encapsulate his style, where the dynamism of this busy lifestyle is at the core of each painting. His figures, often with faces of panic, show this ever-rushing atmosphere of the scene through their flailing limbs and rippling garments, encouraging the viewer to reflect on the absurdities of modern city life. As a frequent motif of his work, Penny’s interest in the image of uniform has encouraged his paintings to explore how one’s identity and sense of self diminish in light of the orderly outfits. Whilst adding to the theatrical nature of his paintings, these uniformed waiters serve to address this innate anonymity, among other themes, which are faced in the fast pace of city life.
Both Formalities and Never Take the Last Piece of Anything highlight the harmony between bodies through their compositions. The mirroring of body language and echoing of panicked reactions in the latter work explores how ultimately, we all share the same instincts in the face of trouble, and through this our bodies move in unison. Similarly, the former expresses this unity through the image of connection, where the waiters seated round the circular table are seen arm-in-arm in a moment of pure drama as their colleague flourishes the torches whilst knelt in the centre of the table. It is no doubt that this image of community amongst colleagues also serves to ridicule the pomp and splendour seen in the luxury dining experience.
Penny’s practice at its very heart is one fuelled by spontaneity. His works are driven by instinct, whilst his tendency to work on a large scale allows him to feel the movement in every brushstroke, granting each piece to become the product of his own action-oriented creation.
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