Artists: James Collins, Laurence Owen, Tom Volkaert
Exhibition title: Lost & Found
Curated by: Daniel Lamb
Venue: Rod Barton, London, UK
Date: October 26 – December 2, 2017
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artists and Rod Barton, London
Rod Barton presents, Lost and Found – a group show consisting of three artists, each with an equally strong visual language. Glazed ceramic pieces and expressive figurative forms, embodied with a huge sense of materiality, are positioned throughout the gallery space. All the pieces have a dialogic relationship with each other, the viewer, but also, critically, the space. The intrusion of the white walls of the gallery into the compositions and the distorted surreal imagery of the works on the gallery floor reinforce a pervading sense of a transcendental environment. An atmosphere of external stimulation, creative introspection and material structure.
Collins’ paintings combine interests in relationship-oriented sensibilities towards painting and pragmatic, structure-based organisation of imagery. Tonal values and material weight carry huge significance of how each painting operates. Heavy positive and negative nascent forms are built, subverting carved impasto lines creating a dialogue of contrasting methods.
Owen’s process begins with a snippet of memory or a vestigial image lingering in his mind. He works intuitively to excavate something new and transformative from the memory. This process leads to paintings containing subconscious perceptions and subjective semi-figurative realities, reminiscent of surrealist dreamscapes with their own unique language.
Volkaert’s enigmatic and characteristically humorous forms stem from playful and curious introspection into commonplace materials. Pushing the boundaries of a certain material to the point of fracture. These are deliberately emphasized rather than concealed giving each piece a historical individuality, accompanied by Volkaerts mischievous, tongue-in-cheek approach to making.
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James Collins (b. 1992, Darlington, UK) attended Wimbledon College of Art and Royal College of Art. Lives and works in London. Previous exhibitions include, Royal College Degree Show 2017; John Moore Painting Prize 2016 Threeworks Victor Payares 2016; Four Painters by Slate Projects, The Averard Hotel, London 2016; Dark Ages, Geddes Gallery, London 2016; Threeworks, Weymouth, 2015; Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2015, ICA, London; Piercing the Veil, Simmons and Simmons, London 2015; Blank Back Of A Sign, London 2015.
Laurence Owen (b. 1984 Gloucester UK) attended Royal Academy Schools London 2012-15. Lives and works in London. (E Vincent Harris Painting Prize 2014). Previous exhibitions include In The Darkest Hour There May Be Light (Damien Hirst’s Murderme Collection), Serpentine Gallery 2006; Caustic Coastal / Rogue Studio Space Manchester 2012; Studio_Leigh, Studio_Leigh Gallery 2015; Chimp Cracks Nut With Rock…, Kennington Residency 2015; Suspended Fruit, C4RD 2016. Solo shows include The Gold Book, 20 Hoxton Square Projects 2009, Laurence Owen & Vivien Zhang (two person), Rook & Raven 2015
Tom Volkaert (b. 1989, Antwerp, Belgium) Lives and works in Antwerp. Previous exhibitions include ‘VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY GOOD TIMES’ Hole Of The Fox, Antwerp, B 2015; T.O.O.N, Groepsproject Het Bos, Antwerp, B; TRUE BELIEVER, The Pony Club Project Space, 2016; ART IN THE PARK, Beersel, 2016; FOR GRANTED, Hole Of The Fox, Antwerp, 2016; Koninklijke academie voor schone kunsten Antwerp, 2016; TEN DANS, Lieven Segers nodigt uit, CC Maasmechelen, 2016; PARADISE LOST, Base-Alpha gallery 2016
Lost & Found, 2017, exhibition view, Rod Barton, London
Lost & Found, 2017, exhibition view, Rod Barton, London
Laurence Owen, Playing in grass at night, 2017, oil on canvas, 200 x 150 cms, 78 3/4 x 59 1/8 in
Tom Volkaert, HITCHING POST #3 & #4, 2017, ceramics, cement, polyester, pigment, sand, 164 x 60 x 90 cms, 64 5/8 x 23 5/8 x 35 3/8 in
Tom Volkaert, HITCHING POST #3 & #4, 2017, ceramics, cement, polyester, pigment, sand, 164 x 60 x 90 cms, 64 5/8 x 23 5/8 x 35 3/8 in
Tom Volkaert, HITCHING POST #3 & #4, 2017, ceramics, cement, polyester, pigment, sand, 164 x 60 x 90 cms, 64 5/8 x 23 5/8 x 35 3/8 in
James Collins, Liquid Engineers 13, 2017, Oil on canvas, in mild steel artists frame, 105.5 x 80 cms, 41 1/2 x 31 1/2 in
Lost & Found, 2017, exhibition view, Rod Barton, London
Lost & Found, 2017, exhibition view, Rod Barton, London
Laurence Owen, Open Mouth, 2017, glazed ceramic, 24 x 45 cms, 9 1/2 x 17 3/4 in
Laurence Owen, Hand, 2017, glazed ceramic, 32 x 47 x 18 cms, 12 5/8 x 18 1/2 x 7 1/8 in
Laurence Owen, Hand, 2017, glazed ceramic, 32 x 47 x 18 cms, 12 5/8 x 18 1/2 x 7 1/8 in
Lost & Found, 2017, exhibition view, Rod Barton, London
Tom Volkaert, STEERING WHEELS &ACCESSORIES (Backflip into Deathlift), 2017, ceramics, 80 x 45 x 30 cms, 31 1/2 x 17 3/4 x 11 3/4 in
James Collins, Liquid Engineers 11, 2017, Oil on canvas, in mild steel artists frame, 121.8 x 151.8 cms, 48 x 59 3/4 in
Lost & Found, 2017, exhibition view, Rod Barton, London
Tom Volkaert, F1 GRAND PRIX WHEELS & ACCESSORIES (Only Tears of Joy), 2017, ceramics, cement, polyester, pigment, sand, 70 x 90 x 15 cms, 27 1/2 x 35 3/8 x 5 7/8 in
Laurence Owen, S/He, 2017, oil on canvas, 188 x 331 cms, 74 1/8 x 130 1/4 in
Laurence Owen, S/He, 2017, oil on canvas, 188 x 331 cms, 74 1/8 x 130 1/4 in
Laurence Owen, S/He, 2017, oil on canvas, 188 x 331 cms, 74 1/8 x 130 1/4 in
Laurence Owen, S/He, 2017, oil on canvas, 188 x 331 cms, 74 1/8 x 130 1/4 in
Lost & Found, 2017, exhibition view, Rod Barton, London
James Collins, Liquid Engineers 14, 2017, Oil on canvas, in mild steel artists frame, 80 x 50.5 cms, 31 1/2 x 19 7/8 in