THE NEW BRITISH NAIVES EXHIBITION IN LONDON.
Matt’s Café – Chelsea Harbour Design Centre
16th August 2002 – 25th September 2002
On the evening of 15th August 2002 the private viewing for the first collective exhibition of the New British Naives opened, in Matt’s Café at the Chelsea Harbour Design Centre. The private viewing was restricted by invitation only and the guest list included a wide range of journalists and avid supporters of the Naïve genre.
The New British Naives exhibited an array of work including earlier pieces by Mister Denham, founder of the New British Naives, and photomontage images from the youngest member of the group, Dean Williams. The New British Naives expertly co-ordinated the exhibition and a range of reading materials were made readily available for potential buyers and enthusiasts. After numerous years of hard work and perseverance (both as a group and as individuals), it was now their time to be recognised as the talented artists they are.
Mister Denham exhibited thirteen pieces in total, as an introduction to his remarkable talent in accurately depicting scenes from his biography. ‘My Mappa Mundi’ seemed to attract much attention and was shrewdly positioned at the front of the exhibition space, to allow for this effect as one entered the building. A huge painting with vibrant colours, the ‘Mappa Mundi’ was truly breathtaking and sat confidently with its vivacity and candour shining through. Other pieces on display included ‘Moonlight Walk’ and ‘Anti Racist Festival’, both prime examples of Mister Denham’s adaptability as a painter. Mister Denham has captured the atmosphere of both scenes with equal merit and one can almost imagine oneself walking in the freezing cold with a loved one, or enjoying the entertainment at the festival. Mister Denham attracted a significant amount of interest at the exhibition and will no doubt go from strength to strength in his career.
Frank Smith exhibited eight paintings taken from his visual biography. Scenes from his childhood and army years were depicted in ‘The Virgin Soldier’ and ‘Our Summer at School’, leaving many viewers to reminisce about their own up bringing. The range of paintings from Frank was limited due to a previously arranged exhibition in Ramsgate, and a significant number of his paintings had already been reserved for this purpose. But even so, the pieces selected for this exhibition exposed his crystal-clear memory and accuracy in both detail and content. Frank Smith is truly an inspiration to all potential Naïve artists and is totally consumed by his work, as were his audience.
Dean Williams confidently exhibited six pieces as the youngest member of the New British Naives, all taken from his ‘Pampered Pets’ collection. A visual delight created through photomontage, the images depicted farmyard animals in various poses. The collection of work was created to delight and amuse its audience, and if one takes the time to scrutinise the images, it becomes apparent that the animals are actually composed from human body parts! A ‘must see’ for any animal or Naïve art enthusiast.
Frank Bentley exhibited ten pieces and attended the private viewing to discuss his work. Frank’s work seems child-like in comparison to other members of the New British Naives, but has the same appeal and attracted a good deal of interest in the States recently. Frank’s collection was housed in plain black frames to compliment the simplicity of the scenes he depicted, including ‘Beggars End Lighthouse’ and ‘Ducks with Two Lighthouses’.
Derek Homer exhibited five paintings in total, including ‘Through the Sunflowers’ and ‘Fish for Fun at Weymouth’. Derek’s inspiration has been drawn from living and working in Dorset for the past twenty-four years, and scenes of the seaside tempt even the harshest of critics to reminisce about candyfloss and childhood day-trips to the coast. Derek’s paintings are both colourful and imaginative and encourage the viewer to be drawn into them, where one can re-live the experience of childhood.
The private viewing of work by the New British Naives provoked a positive response and encouraged would-be critics to ‘open their eyes’. Mister Denham and Frank Bentley attended the viewing to discuss their work and the future for the movement, and it was a pleasant surprise to find that the artists were as inspiring in their character and perseverance, as the paintings on display.
All members of the New British Naives have a story to tell and this is an integral part of their work that should not be ignored. After a long discussion with Mister Denham I gained a greater understanding of what the movement is about and what it is striving to achieve - the increased exposure of Naïve Art, a genre that has been so overlooked in years gone by. We haven’t seen the last of the New British Naives and with their strength of character and extreme talent I expect that they will go from strength to strength, accumulating supporters as they go. Watch this space…
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VISIT THE NEW WEB SITE OF THE NEW BRITISH NAIVES
More info
exhibition@newbritishnaives.co.uk
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