John Abell: 'The Horse With The Human Heart'

About

John Abell is best known as a printmaker and this show will comprise a series of brand-new prints that will form the basis of the forthcoming graphic novel ‘The Horse With The Human Heart’, a story in woodcuts: 

‘A child is born with a hole where his heart should be. A vacuum where his soul should be. The only way to cure the baby is to find the horse with the human heart and give it to the child. But first the horse needs to be found...’

While Abell has long been a storyteller, this work represents his debut as both writer and illustrator.  The work demonstrates other new ways of working for the artist, differing from his usual practice of making sprawling images with found material, and while his head-swimmingly detailed signature style is still present in some of the new collection, others seem to sigh with a deeply composed quietness.  The journey through both is a real treat.

Those fond of Abell’s characteristically large-scale prints won’t be disappointed, but the collection comprises a variety of scales.  All in all it promises to be something quite special, for anyone familiar with this artist’s work, and those new to it.                 

John Abell won the Welsh Artist of the Year 2013 print prize and came runner-up for the main prize of the same year.  In 2012 he was appointed print-maker in residence for the prestigious Curwen Studio, by The Josef Herman Art Foundation.   

He lives and works, prolifically, in Cardiff. 

Admission to the gallery is free. Please see www.mwldan.co.uk or contact 01239621200 for further details.