- This event has passed.
EVENT DESCRIPTION
WOAW Gallery is pleased to announce Home, a group exhibition curated by Taymour Grahne. The group exhibition Home brings together the figurative paintings of 3 distinguished artists: Mikey Yates, Nada Elkalaawy, and Asif Hoque. Through their artworks, the exhibition explores the multifaceted concept of home and its contemporary interpretations. Each artist offers a distinct and thought-provoking perspective on the notion of home, inviting viewers to contemplate its significance in today’s dynamic world. The exhibition will be on view from 21 May – 28 June in the gallery’s 3 Sun Street, Wan Chai location.
For this group show, London-based art dealer and curator Taymour Grahne has selected three artists that approach figurative painting in their own unique ways. Focusing on the notion of home and its many interpretations in today’s world, the works featured in the show offer us insights into the artists’ ideas about identity, memory and ways in which we connect to our surroundings.
Mikey Yates’ figurative paintings are often informed by a distinct place or person in the artist’s life. Yates makes total use of his canvas, with many of his compositions brimming with activity. Objects, forms and people become vibrant planes of shadow and colour in a style reminiscent of fauvism. Visible layers and shadows create a sense of movement, as if the artist has captured the passing of time and created a visual representation of one moment blending into the next. A recurring theme of Yates’ work is the idea of the home, and the objects, people and memories that form one. The artist plays around with his subjects with a malleable touch and distinct sensibility, often exaggerating or accentuating particular angles and contrasting light. The geometric forms become a vehicle for bright colours and dynamic compositions, each telling a unique story relating to the artist’s personal history.
Nada Elkalaawy’s work explores her interest in attachment, identity and loss, with compelling portraits of porcelain figurines and ornaments. Her attention to surface and light, and precision with her use of paint, blends the real and not real, with a focus on capturing emotion. The artist’s exquisite portrayal of the porcelain patina brings objects to life in a way that resembles the luminosity of skin. Her depictions of women maintain a stillness that resembles that of the ornaments, forming a noticeable connection between the hollowness of the objects with the enigmatic appearance of the figures. These objects however are imbued with feeling, as if a vessel for the artist’s personal sentiments and memories. The impenetrable and often despondent expressions of the subjects painted gives her work a subtle air of sadness, and lead us to ponder over the connections we make with the objects in our lives.
Asif Hoque’s paintings are defined by his innovative synthesis of classical motifs and personal heritage. Hoque’s visual language plays upon the iconography of grand historical and religious works, taking inspiration from both Eastern and the Western artistic cultures. His take on allegorical narratives reinvents the Greek mythological genre, placing joyous Brown bodies at the centre of the work. Born to Bangladeshi parents, in Rome, Hoque’s works are an expression of his identity, and a celebration of life itself. The artist’s dramatic paintings typically present angelic figures floating through golden rays of light and billowing clouds, illuminating his characters and alluding to a story that goes beyond the canvas.
