Journal

In a tranquil Gloucestershire studio surrounded by specimen trees and a flourishing garden, Bob Davison creates art that bridges the gap between observation and abstraction. His works, featured in the upcoming solo exhibition About Looking at Aleph Contemporary in Stroud from 7 February to 22 March 2025, showcase his mastery of  painting. Drawing inspiration from nature, his garden, and the Cotswold landscapes, Davison’s paintings invite viewers to slow down and explore the transient beauty of the world through layers of colour, texture, and intricate mark-making. This exhibition provides focus on how we perceive and experience contemporary art.

Becoming an art curator is a journey into the heart of creativity, blending artistic vision with organisational prowess. Whether working in public galleries to educate and inspire or in commercial spaces like Aleph Contemporary to showcase cutting-edge contemporary art, curators play a pivotal role in shaping how art is experienced. This essay delves into the multifaceted responsibilities of curators, their pathways to success, and the transformative power of curation in both public and private spheres.

Paul Klee’s philosophy of painting reshaped modern art, blending abstraction, philosophy, and poetic revelation. Discover how his work continues to inspire contemporary artists and engage with the human condition.

 

 

Jane Garbett’s work is a meditation on the unpredictable journey of creation. Her layered grids, muted tones, and experimental brushstrokes speak to the fragility of existence and the beauty found in imperfection. With Sleepwalking, she draws on her own experiences of navigating a complex world—juxtaposing the privilege of creating art with the challenges of feeling helpless amid global turmoil.

Art is not a product to fit market trends but an authentic expression of belief. Explore how belief-based art challenges traditional marketing, draws on philosophical insights, and redefines the role of contemporary art.

Paul Cézanne revolutionised modern art with his philosophy of painting as an act of creation, not imitation. At Aleph Contemporary, we celebrate his enduring legacy, showcasing contemporary art that connects his pioneering vision to today’s dynamic artistic practices.

At Aleph Contemporary, we believe art is a mirror to the human condition, offering insights into our shared experiences and unique perspectives. Our curated collections celebrate how contemporary artists explore identity, emotions, and societal challenges, crafting thought-provoking works that engage with the complexities of modern life. Join us as we delve into the transformative power of art to connect, question, and illuminate the essence of being human.

Art has long been perceived by some as a luxury, peripheral to the essential functions of society. This utilitarian perspective evaluates art based on its practical contributions, often overlooking its profound impact on human experience and societal development. However, a deeper philosophical exploration reveals that art transcends mere functionality, playing a crucial role in shaping our understanding of the world and ourselves.

The British middle class has long been a cornerstone of cultural engagement, supporting art and ideas that shape society. However, recent years have seen a troubling decline in their connection with contemporary art, with local art galleries, contemporary art galleries, and public art galleries and museums increasingly overlooked. This disengagement not only diminishes the vibrancy of the art world but also risks silencing a vital societal voice. How has this shift come about, and what can be done to rekindle the middle class's role as cultural patrons and champions?

Ruth Helen Smith’s essay explores the necessity and power of Contemporary Art as an expression of the human experience. It celebrates art’s ability to unite, question, and inspire while proclaiming freedom against utilitarian biases and oppressive power structures. Contemporary Art is not a luxury—it’s an essential dialogue that empowers us to participate in the present.

Daniel Coffeen has a PhD in Rhetoric from UC Berkeley where he was a lecturer for many years, in addition to teaching graduate seminars in critical theory at the San Francisco Art Institute. He's a frequent contributor to philosophy podcasts and a prolific blogger.  

 

 

 

Phil King’s essay "History Thoughts" delves into the interplay of history, art, and creativity, exploring how personal experiences and philosophical insights shape his work. From the visceral influence of artists like Paul Klee and Picasso to the contradictions of straddling England and France, King weaves a compelling narrative of how the past informs the present in his paintings.

Dead Reckoning is the process of calculating your direction by using a previously determined position. It is thought that Dutch sailors threw dead bodies overboard to calculate their future route. This seemed apt for a solo show in my 50th year in 2020. It’s not about looking back, it’s about looking forward. Some hope amid the cynicism. I’m trying to make the viewer look longer and harder, to have a one on one relationship with landscape painting; to make them curious and find some joy. The places depicted in my work are partly an invention, full of contrasts and spontaneity. They combine memories of places I have lived or longingly imagined, an idea of a place and the melancholy of longing and wanting to belong. An unfashionable romanticism grounded in the act of painting.

Gordon Dalton 2020

 

 

 

 Alastair Gordon reflects on the transformative shift in his artistic practice, moving from hyperrealism to a gestural, intuitive approach. Through poetic exploration, he discusses how this evolution reveals the artist's vulnerabilities, sensibilities, and deeper connection to material thought. Gordon’s essay delves into the interplay between observation, imagination, and embodiment, offering a profound meditation on the creative proces

“I take a remote, original point of creation, where I presume formulas for human, animal, plant, rock and for the elements, for all circling forces at the same time.

Art is like creation, and applies on the first and last day." 

                                                                                  Paul Klee, Diary, 1916

 

Paul Newman’s Devil’s Island (2017) is a striking exploration of crisis, chaos, and the interplay of precision and disorder. Ruth Smith’s analysis captures the dynamic tension in the work, focusing on the juxtaposition of a precisely rendered lightning bolt and the thick, chaotic paint strokes of a startled duck. This vivid painting portrays the unsettling dissonance between the clarity of external events and the internal turmoil they provoke, making it a compelling visual meditation on the nature of crisis and perception.

Paul Newman’s reflections on The Handsome Pork Butcher by Francis Picabia explore how this peculiar and evocative painting profoundly influenced his artistic practice. With its playful ambiguity, tactile experimentation, and satirical undertones, Picabia’s work sparked a creative shift for Newman, inspiring him to embrace risk, absurdity, and the evolving nature of art. Through anecdotes and connections to his own paintings, Newman delves into themes of struggle, indecision, and the journey of artistic exploration, linking Picabia’s legacy to his own ongoing experimentation.

Sacha Craddock’s exploration of Christy Burdock’s work delves into the nuanced interplay of observation, perception, and representation. Through her paintings and drawings, Burdock merges the specific with the general, capturing moments of personal and political significance while challenging the boundaries between illustration and fine art. Craddock highlights Burdock’s fascination with group dynamics, hidden behaviour, and the invisible forces of control and expectation. With her recent exhibition Politics, Sex and Religion, Burdock transitions from drawing to painting, expanding her ability to convey atmosphere, emotion, and layered meaning. Her work reveals truths beneath the surface, embodying a haunting yet palpable resonance.

In WITHOUT BORDERS, Alastair Gordon takes us on a transformative journey through his evolving artistic practice, blending meticulously crafted trompe l’oeil paintings with collages rich in texture and spontaneity. In conversation with Charley Peters, Gordon reflects on the dialogue between these two mediums, exploring themes of illusion, materiality, and the creative process during the lockdown period. The exhibition challenges preconceived notions of his work, showcasing a new urgency and experimentation driven by the shifting realities of our time. Through thoughtful insights, Gordon highlights the intimate connections between painting, collage, and the world around us.

THE ART FIVE is a contemporary art blog created by Hannah Payne.

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Hannah Payne is an art world professional with 20 years background in the art and heritage sector including working with artists, institutions and leading art programmes and exhibitions. In this edition of The Art Five Hannah talks to Gordon Dalton about his recent exhibition ‘Birdhouse Blues' at Aleph Contemporary and its virtual touring to Atelier de Melusine.

Christy Burdock reflects on the haunting resonance of Léon Spilliaert’s melancholy works during the isolation of the COVID-19 lockdown. Drawing parallels between Spilliaert’s solitary figures and her own experiences of confinement, Burdock explores the role of art as a timeless dialogue between artists, transcending isolation and offering solace. Her essay delves into Spilliaert’s introspective self-portrait, Silhouette of the Artist (1907), connecting its themes of loneliness and observation to her own painting, Curtain Twitching (2020). In an era marked by social distancing and uncertainty, this poignant reflection underscores the enduring ability of art to comfort and connect.

 Gordon Dalton reflects on the solace found in the quiet, contemplative works of Giorgio Morandi during the global lockdown of 2020. In this deeply personal essay, Dalton explores how Morandi’s understated still lifes and rare floral paintings have provided him with moments of peace and creative grounding throughout his artistic journey. Juxtaposing the turbulence of the present with Morandi’s serene imagery, Dalton reveals how art can serve as a timeless refuge, offering space for introspection, imagination, and emotional clarity. Through anecdotes from his own life and career, Dalton underscores the enduring relevance of Morandi’s restrained yet profound body of work.

Francisco Goya (1746–1828) remains one of the most profound and versatile artists in history, blending sharp social critique with a mastery of visual storytelling. From his biting satires of 18th-century Spanish society to the haunting “Black Paintings” that delve into the depths of human suffering, Goya’s work bridges the classical and modern worlds. Ben Westley Clarke’s essay explores Goya’s unflinching gaze at the disparities and hypocrisies of his time, drawing parallels to our contemporary struggles. With keen insights into Goya’s themes of power, violence, and humanity, this essay underscores the enduring relevance of his art in confronting social injustice and revealing uncomfortable truths.

Josef Albers (1888–1976) revolutionised our understanding of colour with his pioneering theories and experimental teaching methods. His seminal book, Interaction of Color, remains a cornerstone for artists, educators, and designers, illustrating how colours interact and deceive the eye. Through practical exercises and perceptive insights, Albers demonstrated that colour is relative, personal, and endlessly fascinating. Helen Brough reflects on Albers’s enduring influence, highlighting his belief in trial and error and the profound relativity of colour—a lesson resonating deeply in today’s world.

Lee Krasner (1908–1984) stands as a testament to resilience and innovation in the world of Abstract Expressionism. Long overshadowed by her husband, Jackson Pollock, Krasner’s work remained underappreciated during her lifetime, but the Barbican Gallery’s 2019 exhibition, Lee Krasner: Living Colour, brought her remarkable legacy into the spotlight. As a first-generation Abstract Expressionist and an overlooked female artist of the 20th century, Krasner’s journey through cycles of destruction and renewal reflects her relentless pursuit of artistic reinvention. Her commitment to materiality, process, and emotional expression reveals a practice deeply connected to life itself—a legacy that continues to inspire artists and audiences alike.

The shifting boundaries between reality and imagination, history and memory, form the core of Paul Newman’s exploration in art. Drawing on the works of surrealists like Emmy Bridgwater and René Magritte, alongside the haunting narratives of Franz Kafka’s The Trial, Newman weaves a narrative that examines the uncanny, superimposition, and the evocative power of distorted memories. Through a personal lens, Newman reflects on the transformative moments sparked by encounters with Bridgwater’s Night Work is About to Commence and Constable’s Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows. These experiences not only inspire his mixed media and performance works but also reveal a labyrinth of emotions, history, and creativity that parallels the unsettling worlds depicted by the surrealists and modernists. In this essay, Newman traces the intersections of these influences, offering insights into his creative process and the broader dialogue between past and present in art.

"Exploring the Depth of Chaïm Soutine's 'Carcass of Beef': A Journey Through Intense Textures and Vivid Colours"

 

This description delves into the captivating essence of Chaïm Soutine's 'Carcass of Beef' (circa 1925), an oil on canvas masterpiece housed in the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York. Soutine, a Russian-Jewish émigré painter in France, presents a work that defies traditional categorization. The painting is marked by swirls of vibrant paint applied with an array of tools from brushes to palette knives, reflecting a profound emotional depth. The subject matter, reminiscent of old masters like Rembrandt, encapsulates landscapes bordering on abstraction and gravity-defying designs.

Soutine's work, especially the 'sides of beef' series, emerges as a favorite for its intense coloration and dynamic brushwork. These pieces, including 'Carcass of Beef', place the subject at the center, compelling the viewer with its textured surface and pulsating colors. The narrative of Soutine pouring fresh blood over his studio carcasses, whether factual or not, underscores the visceral impact of his art.

 

The essay also touches on a personal discovery of Soutine through Roald Dahl's story 'Skin', where Soutine's art is metaphorically likened to a tattoo, symbolising the deep, skin-deep impact of his work. Archie Franks' 2019 'Full English Breakfast' is also mentioned, hinting at a continued legacy of Soutine's influence in contemporary art. This encapsulates the unique and profound experience of engaging with Soutine's 'Carcass of Beef', a painting that not only captures the viewer's gaze but also resonates deeply within them.

Enzo Marra reflects on his profound encounter with Philip Guston's 'Painting, Smoking, Eating' (1973) at the Royal Academy's 2004 exhibition. He admires Guston's courageous shift to autobiographical themes, revealing personal struggles through expressive brushwork. Marra draws parallels to his own artistic journey, where his characters, often depicted in studios or amidst deluges, symbolize the creative struggle and broader human experiences. He emphasizes the intimacy of his smaller-scale works, inviting viewers closer to the raw energy reminiscent of alternative comic art. Marra aspires to the authenticity found in Guston's later pieces, acknowledging that his own artistic path continues to evolve, bringing to life ideas long confined to sketchbooks.

Dan Coombs offers a deeply personal and thought-provoking exploration of the role of gesture in modern painting, focusing on the transformative works of Henri Matisse. Through a lens of spontaneity, immanence, and artistic reinvention, Coombs examines how Matisse’s expressive gestures transcend the boundaries between natural spontaneity and deliberate precision. Reflecting on the physical and emotional depth of Matisse’s cut-outs and paintings, Coombs delves into the paradoxes of the medium, revealing how the act of creating can both connect to and separate from reality. This essay is as much an homage to Matisse as it is a meditation on the universal truths embedded in the art of gesture.