Monday 4 April 2011

Gill Hickman goes Above and Beyond

Gill Hickman's new show of paintings and prints, "Micro to Macro", which has opened at Toads Mouth Too Gallery, Brockley, London (until 30 April), has turned to worlds beyond ours for inspiration. Gill grew up stargazing through a suburban sky, marvelling at the first grainy images of earth seen from space, and in her teens listening to space-inspired songs such as those by fellow south-east Londoner David Bowie.

The new works range from solar paintings, which erupt with vibrant burnt oranges and blood reds, to the creation of earth, fire and water in her embossed and embellished collages. In the textured paintings, hugely magnified cells conversing in vivid blues with golden mitochondria continue the journey deep into the very essence of life. In her planet paintings we find ourselves “Above and Beyond” (pictured), gazing at the awesome beauty of the earth’s symbiotic relationship to the stars and planets.

“This is an exciting and energising departure for me,” says Gill. “Following a commission to paint the sun last year, I turned my gaze from human cells upwards and outwards and rediscovered the inspiring images of the solar system. It’s happening now, it’s amazing and we are on a fascinating scientific and artistic journey to discover more. It seems limitless.”

"Micro to Macro" is at Toads Mouth Too, CafĂ© – Gallery - Bar, 188 Brockley Road, London SE4 2RN until 30 April 2011. More about Gill Hickman here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

its well worth a visit. Gill's work is arranged in themed rooms, and the food was excellent!