'Late Abstractions', Ewen Henderson curated by Anthony Shaw

About

LATE ABSTRACTIONS

I met the man and his work in 1976 at his exhibition at Amalgam gallery in Barnes. I don’t remember being aware of him before this.

With Gordon Baldwin, Ewen Henderson was a considerable influence, opening my senses and being, to search out feelings in work, rather than just the appearance. Both became my touchstones.

I was very excited when Ewen moved away from vessel forms, allowing his collaged clays to fragment into sculptural compositions. Starting with skulls and bones he sought different forms of landscape. Increasingly abstracted watercolours and collaged drawings helped free his work with clay.

It is the late abstractions, that I feel he was always working towards, that I am concentrating on. I love that he was either unable or unwilling to control his emotions that pour out of the work. He was passionate about life and his interests, which he allows full reign.

Ancient times caught and made contemporary, commenting on our very superficial present. The strength of the inner man, senses of symbolism and belief, the serious nature of being, all contribute to his lifeline of human nature. This makes him unforgettable.

-        Anthony Shaw

Marsden Woo Gallery and Anthony Shaw are also collaborating with S|2 on their forthcoming Ewen Henderson exhibition, taking place from 10 July - 30 August at Sotheby’s London

Anthony Shaw has been collecting art work for 45 years. His collection is one of the most important holdings of contemporary ceramics, sculpture, two-dimensional art and other objects, with new additions being continually made. It is currently on long-term loan to the Centre of Ceramic Art at York Art Gallery.

As a collector of art, he chooses pieces based on his personal connection to the work and is particularly drawn to those that explore the sculptural and painterly qualities of clay. Marsden Woo Gallery is very excited to see him bring his unique approach to curating to this upcoming Henderson exhibition.