Simon Hunter - Elemental 14 Jan-18 Feb - Atelier Gallery Response by Linda Dimitrievski Walking up the stairs to Atelier Gallery’s new premises, the busy sounds of town fade away, leaving room to think. In the aftermath of a hectic summer season it seems a luxury, a refuge from a frantic time. Nestled at the top of Trafalgar Street, the new space contains two showrooms, with the main room inundated with daylight that comes tumbling down through the skylight and enhancing the quiet ambience. The second, smaller space invites you take your time with its softer illumination and wooden details. Occupying both these spaces is Simon Hunter’s latest body of work, ‘Elemental’. In the main gallery the paintings hang quietly, asking you to stop for a while. Self contained and complete they are nevertheless softly conversing with both spectator and their co-works. At 600x600 mm ‘Know thyself’ is one of the smaller paintings but this is the one that initially draws me in. The interplay of warm and cold colours, sharp and blurred lines resonates with something in me, speaking, perhaps, to a deep-seated need for rest. It opens me to the other paintings, starts the conversation in a soft and thoughtful way. The gentle palette breathes calm while the intricate layering opens up questions both physical and metaphysical. Another work that seem to communicate directly with my unconscious is Phosphorous. Its deeper tones conjure up feelings of security, being centred. Where the other works may be a bit detached, sensibly cooler without becoming imposing or inaccessible, Phosphorous is an inviting display of emotional maturity and warmth. Here, in the shift between logic and emotion, I get a glimpse of the artist himself, the many facets of being human which he explores. In the smaller gallery ‘Salt’, ‘Sulphur’ and ‘Mercury’ fills up the space. At 1440x1440 mm they are large works, demanding the viewers attention. A chair is thoughtfully provided in the corner, bidding you to sit down, to take a moment. Where the previous works are questing, these are statements. They stand confidently and strong. And they are beautiful. The canvases vibrate, move, the eye taken on a journey of the in-between. Still, they are at rest, quietly murmuring in their individual realisation. They make me think of dignified philosophers sharing a moment of quietude, one possibly puffing away on a pipe, while stating their observations with soft voices to each other. Hunters layering of paint and use of differing techniques has created work that seem to quiver, each canvas fluctuating between states of being. They move from organic patterning to binary code, only to take off on a cultural journey before returning, slightly altered, to the natural. The eyes slip at times, soon to get caught in the net again. A space beneath, a line across. Sssh, listen. Soft, earthy tones weave through the paintings, exuding calm. The mind is drawn to comparisons with flax weaving and a more natural way of being - working with, not against, nature. In the next instant computer coding and design emerge from the underlying stratum, drawing on parallels of the natural and the unnatural, human constructs and biological evolution. For all their quiet contemplation they have a lot to say. I leave the gallery feeling unexpectedly revived and centred. These are not simple works, they require thought and emotional availability for the viewer to visually listen, to extract what lies underneath the surface. In their silence they ask some large questions, expecting you to take your time answering them. I am reminded of late night conversations, when small-talk and the mundane has run its course and we are left reflecting on the fundamental questions of life in the company of close friends. Maybe it’s not so strange I feel revitalised after all. Image reference
Top - Materia Prima, Gold, Phosphorous In text - Know thyself Bottom - Sulphur, Mercury Images supplied by Atelier gallery Simon Hunter artist (@simonhunter.artist) • Instagram photos and videos
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