Adrian Wiszniewski RSA RGI - Prudence Perched in Paris

About

In this exhibition of new paintings and works on paper, Adrian presents us with a suite of charming figurative drawings. They are paired down in their simplicity, fine and linear, focussing on the characters and their story. In a change from his more vivid colours, he paints in delicate softer shades, blocking out the background affecting both the composition and mood of the painting.

In contrast, there are also several new paintings in stark, graphic black and white. The characteristic thick outlines we are so used to seeing in Wiszniewski’s distinctive style have become more delicate, like lacework and calligraphy. Duncan Macmillan, art critic, writes “there is something of Matisse in the purity of his line.” Drawing for Adrian is fundamental and essential. Over the years he has explored many different art forms such as sculpture, tapestry, printmaking, installations and ceramics. The thread that runs through the decades and defines his distinctive individuality is his fertile imagination and superb illustrative draughtsmanship. His bold, large figurative and landscape paintings demonstrate a unique and unmistakable style, his subjects are diverse and often allegorical, in the final result he takes us on a dazzling visual journey.

Adrian rose to prominence in 1984 after graduating from Glasgow School of Art. He presented his debut solo show in Compass Gallery, becoming a leading figure in a revival of figurative painting in Scottish Art as part of a group known as The New Glasgow Boys. Rapid recognition and success followed in London and internationally, and he has had numerous solo and mixed exhibitions worldwide. Works in public collections include the Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh; Glasgow Museums; The Gulbenkian Foundation; Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Setagaya Museum, Tokyo; Tate Britain, London. He has completed major large commissions for the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral; the GOMA Cafe; the Millennium Tower, Hamilton.