Toward the Light by Pip Dickens

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This exhibition is a touring exhibition - more information for curators can be found at this link.

'Toward The Light' solo exhibition of selected works Cartwright Hall Art Gallery Bradford Bradford Museums and Galleries This is a Touring Exhibition Next touring venue: The Brindley Arts Centre Cheshire 31 Mar - 12 May 2012 supported by the Arts Council of England and Museums Libraries & Archives Council Catalogue: Toward the Light - Pip Dickens, catalogue published by Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, Bradford 2010 ISBN 9780946657650


"Chandeliers morph into sensuous abstractions reminding me of mushroom clouds, deep sea creatures and Miss Havisham-style derelict grandeur" . 4 out of 5 star rating, DIG YORKSHIRE
'One of the best exhibitions I have seen at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery' 'I love this exhibition and found it extremely effective as a warning/precursor of things to come yet strangely very beautiful.' 'An artist for a new age - thought provoking and moving' 'Amazing - the music truly complemented it'

To Mock the Invisible World with its Own Shadows, oil on canvas, Copyright © Pip Dickens

Hikari To Kage (Light & Shadow), oil on canvas, Copyright © Pip Dickens

Miss Havisham II, oil on canvas, Copyright © Pip Dickens

About the Exhibition

A substantial exhibition of over 45 works including recent and new paintings and drawings (whilst in residency at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery), Toward the Light is a solo exhibition by Pip Dickens whose common theme is the dramatic relationship we have between light and darkness. This exhibition reveals the diversity in which the artist approaches this subject through a range of contexts and painting and drawing methodologies.

Pip Dickens' subject matter ranges from cinematic formats, classical literature and the Space Race to chandeliers, ribbons and lace. Their distinctness belies a common exploration through the darkness toward illumination, sometimes physical sometimes metaphysical...silver birch trees yearn for the moon, unknown presences hide behind lace veils, shadows hold domain in empty spaces and chandeliers burn bright like ships on a dark ocean. Sometimes mournful, sometimes celebratory.

The exhibition features new music compositions by the sound artist Monty Adkins based on a number of paintings by Pip Dickens. The compositions premiered in Stockholm in November 2009, were performed at New York City Electronic Music Festival, the Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona, Spain, Leeds College of Music, C.H.A.T. Festival, UNC, North Carolina, USA and will continue to be performed at a number of international music venues throughout 2010. Catalogue essay by Roy Exley. Roy is a freelance writer, art critic and curator based in London.

The exhibition is supported by Arts Council England, Yorkshire and Museums Libraries & Archives Council Renaissance Yorkshire.

Exhibition Content

The exhibition comprises new, recent and other works that explore the theme of light and darkness. Paintings have been selected from the 'Phenomena', 'Fabrications' and'Film Forensic' series. Charcoal drawings based on Victorian fog and the Elephant Man also feature together with Space Race and Film Forensic preliminary sketches. The exhibition also features new works from the 'Ribbons' and 'Chandeliers' series developed whilst artist in residence at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.