Renowned Chef Mark Hix and gallery director, Rebecca Lidert proudly present Miranda Donovan’s Metaphors of Man at CNB Gallery.

Mark and Miranda first collaborated in 2009 when Miranda was commissioned to create a bespoke mobile for his restaurant HIX Soho. With little wall space, and in keeping with Hix’s love of contemporary art, it was decided the restaurant’s ceiling would lend itself well to artistic creations instead. It is here Miranda’s mobile can be seen hanging alongside the likes of Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas and Anthony Gormley. Over the years other works by Miranda have gone up in Mark’s restaurants including Tramshed and HIX City. An exhibition with the CNB Gallery has never been far from the table!

Since completing her fine art degree at The City and Guilds of London Art School Miranda has paved her way as the creator of a unique art form, which obscures the boundaries between painting and sculpture. She refers to her works as “sculptural paintings” in that they are three-dimensional but hang on the wall. For this show at the CNB Gallery, Miranda will present a selection of works from three series: her meticulously detailed brickwork pieces, skilfully created by carving out miniature bricks from building materials such as sand and cement. Her “steel sheet” with rivets works built and manipulated to look like sheets of steel but which are in fact constructed using resin. And thirdly her smaller figurative works on cement. These works investigate the human condition and the darker sides of civilisation. With their peeling paint, cracked cement, coiled, warped “metal” edges, and at times even shimmering Swarovski crystals man’s imperfections and insecurities, our faults and shortcomings: greed, wrath, gluttony and pride to name a few, are presented to the viewer. Metaphorically speaking, these structures, which once stood proud and strong, reflecting man’s ingenuity, his skills and strength, have had their “clothes” stripped to reveal the trials and tribulations of human life which ultimately for us all will end in death.