Linda Jamieson, Singing in the Toxic Rain 2021, 104 x 104cm
We attended a private view of Linda Jamieson's new body of work in a pop-up exhibition of what initially appeared to be fantasy landscapes. The new work is a departure from previous series. Her interest has always been firmly rooted in landscape, particularly the coastal reaches of North Norfolk. These new landscapes possess an ease that encourages us to move onward beyond their decorative surface, deeper into matters of the human psyche. Each landscape describes a state of mind. Her approach may seem like a leap of faith away from conventional figuration, however this route has been explored successfully by painters as diverse as Ken Kiff, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, and more recently by Peter Doig.
A vibrant colour pallete has been employed that draws upon Linda's earlier experience as a successful textile designer. The schematic figuration also impacts upon the way she has organised the compositions of each canvas. Perspective has been flattened out and artfully designed components like mountains, lakes and trees both reveal, reflect and obscure views across each composition. Each canvas behaves like the procenium arch of a theatre, with scenery that shifts and reformats to distill a mood or define an emotion. The brighter pallete is applied in layers to break up veils of surface detail in the form of dashes to indicate rain or billowing shapes for clouds or vapour, that define zones. Each painting mirrors her preoccupations and emotional journey through the recent pandemic's protracted periods of alternate restriction and release,
Welcome To My World was curated by Mandy D'Abo and Penny Walker at the Columbia Hotel, Lancaster Gate, London.
Below: Linda Jamieson installation at The Columbia Hotel, London
About the author
Paul Barratt
Paul Barratt started working in contemporary art galleries in 1989, having graduated in Fine Art from Goldmsith’s, London University. He initially worked at Anthony d’Offay Gallery, one of the contemporary art dealers, who dominated the London art market in the 80s and 90s. He was approached by the Lisson Gallery to be gallery manager for the influential art dealer Nicholas Logsdail. This was followed by a short period in New York at Gladstone Gallery, to work for visionary art dealer Barbara Gladstone, working with the artist and filmmaker Matthew Barney.
On his return to London, Paul secured a place on the postgraduate curatorial course at the Royal College of Art, to complete an MA. After graduation in 2001, he worked as an independent curator on several projects in Oslo, London, Brighton and Basel, before joining Paul Vater at his design agency Sugarfree in 2004. He has worked with Paul ever since.
