Waterhall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Saturday 12 - Sunday 27 October 2013
SimoneWeil, preeminent philosopher and activist surmised that roots were the single most necessary thing for us as individuals and for society as a whole. Weil asserts, that to be rooted connects us with our past and our present, it gives us a sense of our own integral place in the world and importantly, it encourages us to care about and participate in community life.Where is that sense of community now? Are we still connected to it? In this world dominated by technology and fragmented interactions, do we value what Weil considered to be integral to our inner peace and happiness? In Horton’s work we see it, with each piece we are ever entwined within a sense of belonging, of familiarity and community.There is the house, symbolising stability and love.The familiar streets down which Horton’s established characters walk.The seaside town, where imagination can roam. A wizard, who excites and intrigues; these are all individual in their own right, yet speak to a wider meaning. This isn’t just art, it is life reflected back to us. Perhaps a life we remember, we have or we long for, but there is no denying that we can all identify something which speaks to our minds or our hearts within this collection; because it reminds us of what is truly important, each other; with love and hope.
“This is the pinnacle of my career to date,” explains Paul Horton, as he discusses the workload and deadlines surrounding such an extensive exhibition. “To be able to showcase a major body of work, which has gone through so many twists and turns over the years, is such a great opportunity.” ‘Love & Hope’ opens at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s,Waterhall on 12 October; a “prestigious one man show” where Horton will exhibit around eighty new paintings and four bronze sculptures. Predominately in high quality pastels, ‘Love & Hope’ will also include “a handful of oils, some nice big charcoals and some of the personal, initial designs and concepts,” alongside a series of new prints from the hugely popular contemporary artist. Horton’s portfolio has drawn comparisons to the subject matter of Lowry, the methods and materials of Degas, and the myth that allows Chagall to so vividly explode. But his work is identifiable, in both presentation and subject; there are clear and constant truths that belong only to Horton and his audience. And that’s the beauty of Paul Horton’s world; despite being intrinsically
FREE ENTRY
Waterhall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH
bmag.org.uk/news castlegalleries.com/love-and-hope
personal it can be your world too, whatever you conceive that to be.
working in partnership with
“To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.” SimoneWeil
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker