Landscape Imprint
Richard Pomeroy has made a dramatic series of paintings about the Somerset Levels to be exhibited in the Brewhouse Gallery in Jan/Feb 2012. You cannot cast your eye over the level landscape to the east of Taunton and not witness man's intimate involvement with the land over thousands of years. The view is history illustrated. The drains, rhynes, ditches, trackways and droves have all been created over many thousands of years in an attempt to tame the flooding rivers and threatening sea and make the fertile land productive.
These new paintings explore this landscape/humanity link. They are based around a body print. The artist lies down in carefully prepared wet paint on primed linen. The resulting image can form the dramatic centrepiece of the painting or be gradually subsumed by the subsequent layers of paint. The clothing is clearly modern, zips and denim defining the figure as contemporary. This physical union between body and landscape dramatises the subject of the paintings and creates a memorable image.
Pomeroy has approached the subject through three separate strands: aerial views - which are the only way to display the winding river courses and straight rhynes; the tor, which crops up continually as an astonishing geographical landmark and a powerful spiritual centre; the willow trees, which are a vital crop and provide sculptural verticals in a flat land. In each painting the body print represents human involvement with the landscape, capturing the drama of the relationship.
There is an artist's talk to accompany this exhibition on Wednesday 1 February at 6pm, where Richard will talk about his approach to making paintings. Tickets for the discussion are free to book call the Box Office on 01823 283244 or for more information visit www.thebrewhouse.net.