Still Alive: The Contemporary Still Life

Mall Galleries is proud to present an exhibition of new still life paintings by members of the Federation of British Artists, with over 50 works by over 15 artists.

Covering an eclectic range of subject matter, from the traditional still life themes of flowers and fruit, to more unexpected images of pub grub, party shoes and crumpled curtains, the exhibition is an eye-catching survey of contemporary still life painting.

The styles on display are just as various as the subject matter. Jill and Martin Leman’s naïve St-Ives inspired paintings of tulips and teacups sit beside Chris Forsey’s experimental mixed-media paintings with scattered surfaces of bright colour, all of which are in stark contrast to David Cobley’s realist works.

The exhibition has been curated so that work by the Federation’s long-standing members, for example Moira Huntly and Roy Freer (elected in 1978 to the Pastel Society, and in 1987 to the Royal Institute of Oil Painters, respectively) will hang alongside pieces by some of the Federation’s newly elected members, such as Sam Dalby and Carole Griffin (elected to the Royal Society of Portrait Painters in 2013, and the Royal Society of British Artists in 2014, respectively). This fusion of the well-established and recently-elected makes for a dynamic display, blending firm favourites with fresh flavour.

Other artists featured in the exhibition include past winner of the BP Portrait Award, James Lloyd RP; winner of the Lynn Painter-Stainers Prize in 2009, Toby Wiggins RP; and author of The Still Life Sketching Bible, David Poxon RI. Plus David Cobley NEAC RP, Paul Curtis NEAC, Chris Forsey RI, Alex Fowler NEAC, Lachlan Goudie ROI, Felicity House PS, Jill Leman RBA, Martin Leman RBA, John Sprakes RBA ROI, and Ann Wilkinson PS.