Artists in conversation

The blackShed gallery from tomorrow has the first joint exhibition of two internationally renowned artists which runs from Saturday May 28 and until July 9.
Black Shed gallery new exhibition opening July 28Black Shed gallery new exhibition opening July 28
Black Shed gallery new exhibition opening July 28

They are Bent Holstein from Denmark and Alan Rankle from St Leonards who have shared a long mutual admiration.

This exhibition transforms their dynamic conversations about art into rich visual dialogues for all to see on the gallery walls. Both artists question each other, and their audience, about everything.

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Curator Kenton Lowe said: “It’s an interesting and exciting year for us here at the blackShed, we’ve been looking into the concept of collaboration. Hundreds of people attended the extremely successful exhibition featuring Sam Smith’s collaboration with Project Art Works. We’re now working together with two internationally recognised artists, a real break through for the gallery and it promises to be a great show.”

Holstein was born in Copenhagen in 1942. His first solo exhibition was in 1963 since when he has enjoyed a successful career, with numerous exhibitions at galleries and museums worldwide. He primarily works in painting and various graphic mediums.

Holstein uses a German word to describe the drive in his art, ‘fernweh,’ or ‘wanderlust.’ The essence of this sums up the work of the 73 year old who has constant urges to be somewhere else. Holstein’s destinations always feature water or mountains, and they must have light – and as anyone would expect, light with the most interesting and dramatic quality.

Alan Rankle was born in Oldham, Lancashire, in 1952 and studied at Rochdale School of Art and then onto Goldsmiths’ University of London in the 70’s. His first exhibition was in 1973 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Rankle’s work is increasingly highly regarded and a series of high profile solo exhibitions in Copenhagen, Berlin, Milan and London have confirmed his status as one of the most innovative painters working today.

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Rankle addresses nature in his own style in contrast to that of Holstein by looking to the past in order to paint the future. He continues his preoccupation with revitalising the tradition of landscape art within the context of our post-industrial, and arguably pre-apocalyptic, world. In recent works Rankle seems to treat the whole history of landscape painting as a “found object.” He fuses aspects of Classical and Romantic painting with Abstract Expressionistic gestures; he paints trompe l’oeil elements as though from a 19th Century naturalist’s journal. He knowingly references conceptual asides to provide an undercurrent of contemporary unease.

For further information go to www.theblackshedgallery.org.uk