NOEIN
 

Michael Broughton
 
February 8 - April 4 / 2020
opening  6:30 pm
 

Galleria Six is pleased to present NOEIN,
the first exhibition in Italy by Michael Broughton, (Born Braintree, UK 1977).
 

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In this selection of works from the last two years,
the artist paints the relationship between the onlooker and the looked upon, in research that nevertheless remains constantly intimate, empathic, ‘un-optical’, without ever conceptualising viewing mechanisms.
In order to render a subject with suitable sprezzatura, the artist examines it through numerous preparatory studies on paper using a charcoal crayon.
The light, the dust in the air, the position of the artist in the space, the distortions of perspective, the weight of the atmosphere and that of the horizon, the inclination of the hand: the Mentmore work cycle, dedicated to an urban view, is conditioned by these elements. “It is a slow uncovering-discovering in the true sense;” according to Broughton, the essence of the relationship between the painter and the subject lives in its unveiling. And although this idea immediately brings to mind a number of the founding theories of German idealism, for Broughton, ‘uncovering’ has more to do with the via di porre and most of all with the via di levare of the sculptural process. 
 

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In questa selezione di opere degli ultimi due anni, l'artista  indaga il reame della percezione, dipinge il rapporto tra chi guarda e quel che è guardato,
in una ricerca che tuttavia rimane costantemente intima, empatica, «un-optical», e mai concettualizza i meccanismi della visione.
Per svolgere un soggetto con sprezzatura, l’artista lo esamina in numerosi studi preparatori a carboncino su carta.
La luce, il pulviscolo, la posizione dell’artista nello spazio, le distorsioni prospettiche, il peso dell’atmosfera e quello dell’orizzonte, l’inclinazione della mano: il ciclo di opere “Mentmore”, dedicate a una veduta urbana, è condizionato da questi elementi. «È un lento processo di svelamento e scoperta*»; per Broughton il senso del rapporto tra pittore e soggetto vive nello svelamento; sebbene quest’idea immediatamente richiami alcune teorie fondanti dell’idealismo tedesco, «uncovering» per Broughton ha più a che fare con la via di porre e soprattutto con la via di levare del processo scultoreo.

Catalogue with text by Sofia Silva

 

 

Michael Broughton studied painting at City of Bath College during 1995-96 and at
the Falmouth College of Art during 1996-99
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Awarded:

2009-11   Research Residency, TATE BRITAIN, London

2007-09   Arts Council Award

2007        Residency at the PRADO, Madrid  

2004        Arts Council Award 

   
about  Michael Broughton's work , in 2011

John Berger wrote:

 

"The painted light in these works is not the light of Reason, nor is it the light of astrophysics;
it is the light of intimacy... They don’t capture an outside light, they await light. And slowly, dimly, the act of waiting becomes itself light, an interior light"