Piers Ottey “Sempre Endavant, Mai Morirem”
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Cover image: Self Portrait 1999 oil on linen 45 x 45 cm
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Piers Ottey “Sempre Endavant, Mai Morirem� (Piers sera toujours Piers) 15 to 26 November 2016 Zimmer Stewart Gallery at Menier Gallery 51 Southwark Street London SE1 1RU open every day except Sunday 11:00am to 6:00pm tel: 01903 882063 (prior to the exhibition) mob: 07901 677933 (during the exhibition) email: james@zimmerstewart.co.uk
www.zimmerstewart.co.uk
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Hackney, New Year oil on linen 122 x 92 cm back page: Piers Ottey in the studio All photography by Richard Ball 4 Piers Ottey 2016 Exhibition Catalogue V2.indd 4
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W
e are pleased to present ‘Sempre Endavant, Mai Morirem’ (Piers Sera Toujours Piers) a collection of paintings and drawings by Piers Ottey at the Menier Gallery, Southwark Street, London, SE1.
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he exhibition’s title translates as ‘Always forward, we’ll never die’, the motto of the French town of Collioure, near where Piers Ottey has recently set up a studio.
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he subtitle translates as ‘Piers will always be Piers’, referencing Piers’ individuality and distinctive style. This is Collioure’s alternative motto, and is a play on Maurice Chevalier’s famous song ‘Paris sera toujours Paris’
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ollioure has a strong Catalan culture and also a rich artistic heritage: In the early 20th century several Fauve artists made it their meeting place; Derain, Braque, Matisse and Charles Rennie Mackintosh have all been inspired by the Town’s Royal Castle, and now so has Piers Ottey.
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hen not teaching, Piers Ottey splits his time between studios in Collioure, Sussex and London and this variety is reflected in his work. His paintings of London, both of the landmarks and of the cities rarely seen underground culture clearly show how he is influenced by his surroundings. His landscapes of the Sussex Downs are a reflection of the gratification gained in painting the local countryside, often returning to the same views again and again.
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ell known for his landscapes, Piers is also an accomplished figurative artist. ‘Dux Populi’ (The Peoples’ Leader), one of Piers Ottey’s recent works.
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he subjects to be included in this exhibition then innevitably include London, France and Sussex scenes as well as a large new Brough motorcycle piece, some figure paintings, self-portraits and of course Audrey, Piers’ jack russell and constant companion. 5 Piers Ottey 2016 Exhibition Catalogue V2.indd 5
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Collioure Forte oil on linen 100 x 100 cm
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Under the Collioure Trees oil on linen 92 x 92 cm
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The paintings are about the places, but also become objects in their own right. They are not simply a view, “Collioure Forte” is about design, colour and light - the area of unpainted linen is as important as the painted boats and the castle; all three create a harmonious structure. The bare linen makes the other colours “sing”. “Under the Collioure Trees” is about a quieter part of Collioure, where not many people go, there are no landmarks; it could almost be anywhere, yet it is special to Piers. Similarly with “Blue Blue Blue Collioure”, it stems from standing on a spot Piers named “Jesus on the hill” from where you can see an enormous expanse of blue stretching out towards Argeles. “La Lande sur Eure”, Normandy, shows a ruined chateau destroyed in the Revolution, owned by the then Minister of Finance. It can be seen from the road south to Collioure. It was a shock, and an amazing sight to see this in the evening light driving past. The painting is an attempt to capture that experience.
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Blue Blue Blue Collioure oil on linen 100 x 100 cm
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La Lande Sur Eure oil on linen 135 x 195 cm
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No 1 Cornhill from Wapping oil on linen 125 x 125 cm We Love London oil on linen 183 x 153 cm
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Redchurch Street oil on linen 90 x 140 cm
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“No 1 Cornhill” took six months to paint, and focusses on the dome, not of St Pauls but of Cornhill. Here Piers is showing the beauty, calm and symmetry of the hectic place that is London. “We Love London” is one of a pair of paintings intended to sum up Piers passion for London.The second painting was destroyed as he felt it compromised the power of the first one. The model is a foreign visitor to London who he felt shared the joy of being in this dynamic, special place. The graffiti in Brick Lane now painted over seemed an ideal backdrop to convey the message “We Love London”. Equally “Dux Populi” could have been about the Annie Liebowitz portrairt of the Queen exhibited at the terrific Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, but became a comment on the wonderful cross section of London visitors to the show. People stumble into “Redchurch Street” from the top end of Brick Lane. There is an extraordinary paradox in that the conglomeration of traffic posts and scaffolding set against the zinging graffiti make for a mesmerising scene.
Dux Populi (The Peoples’ Leader) oil on linen 184 x 153 cm
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Pink Diagonal framed watercolour on paper
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Soft Arm, Hard feet oil on linen 73 x 182 cm
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Nigel’s Seat VII oil on linen 107 x 155 cm
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The human figure represents the ultimate combination of ‘beauty, space and elegance’. When you place a human form within a rectangle it creates resonances as special as any subject matter to be found. “Soft Arm, Hard Feet” required the model to hold an astonishingly difficult pose for a number of weeks, but the resultant painting appears to show a calm image, but in fact it is anything but. The diagonals are necessary to counteract the extreme horizontals in the composition. “Nigel’s Seat VII” was drawn on the cavnas on the spot, but completed in the studio. Piers had intended to finish it outside, but decided to be more whimsical and subjective to conjour up the positive emotion of his fondness for Nigel Stevens. The paintings on the next two pages, “The Brough” and “The Cardinal” are examples where the subject of the Piers Ottey’s paintings are not provided by the titles. In the case of the former it is all about light, colour and form and the latter is really all about the cherub, ironically standing over the solemnity of the cardinal.
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On the Edge of Carnagh Station, NZ oil on linen 122 x 122 cm
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Brough (self portrait) oil on linen 92 x 92 cm The Cardinal oil on linen 122 x 92 cm
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Biography Born London 1955 Studied London (Chelsea School of Art ) 1974-1978 Moved to Sussex 1980 Currently full time professional artist and art tutor. Solo Exhibitions include: 2016 - 40th Anniversary Exhibition, Oxmarket, Chichester 2015 - “Raindrops on Roses”, Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 2014 - “We Love London” at Hoxton Arches 2013 - Form and Process’ at Redchurch Gallery, London, 2012 – Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 2011 – ‘London Seen’, Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 2009 – ‘Alpine Paintings’ Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 2008 – ‘Sussex Landscapes’ Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 2006 – ‘Metamorphosen’, Galerie Stapfelhus, Germany 2006 – ‘New York Paintings’West Stoke House, Chichester 2006 - Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 2005 – Saddlers Row Gallery, Petworth 2003 – ‘Figures’ Sheridan Russell Gallery, London 2002 – Saddlers Row Gallery, Petworth 2001 – Sheridan Russell Gallery, London 2000 – L’Artichaut Gallery, Chichester 1999 – Recent Works from Skyros, Deborah Bates Gallery, London 1994 – Seaford College, Duncton, Sussex 1994 - Stanstead House, Rowlands Castle, Sussex 1991 – Capron House, Midhurst 1989 – The Grange, Rottingdean, Brighton Group Exhibitions include: 2013 – Highgate Contemporary, London, The LONDON Exhibition 2012 – Medici Gallery, London, Cityscapes 2012 - Highgate Contemporary, Work from the Figure 2011 – Medici Gallery, London, The Geometry of Painting 2011 - The London Group, Cello Factory, London 2010– Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 2009– Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 2008 – Zimmer Stewart Gallery, Arundel 26 Piers Ottey 2016 Exhibition Catalogue V2.indd 26
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2006 – Oxmarket, Chichester, Piers Ottey and Michael Frith 2004 – Rowley Gallery, London 2003 – ‘Unpacked’, Chichester; 2003 - ‘You are here’, Havant Arts Centre, Havant 2002 – Piers Ottey and Stig Evans, The Mill Studio 2001 – Peters Barn Gallery, Midhurst; 2001 - 101 Goswell Road, Barbican, London; 2001 - Beatrice Royal Gallery, Southampton 2000 – Sheridan Russell Gallery, London; 2000 - L’Artichaut, Chichester; 2000 - The Red Gallery, Marlow; 2000 - Beatrice Royal Gallery, Southampton; 2000 - Royal Academy, London 1999 – L’Artichaut, Chichester; 1999 - The Red Gallery, Marlow; 1999 - Space and Light, Chichester Festivities, Bishop’s Palace; 1999 - Portsmouth Open, Portsmouth 1998 – Chichester Open; 1998 - Beatrice Royal Gallery, Southampton; 1998 - Portsmouth Open, Portsmouth 1993 – Art’ 93, London 1990 – Four Sussex Painters, Paris, France 1982 – Amberley Fine Art Centre, Sussex 1981 – Amberley Fine Art Centre, Sussex 1980 – Sussex Artists, Brighton; Bath Contemporary Arts Fair 1978 – Stowells Trophy, Royal Academy, London Publications, Reviews and Prizes 2009 – Sussex Life, Piers Ottey, Artist 2008 – Essay, Piers Ottey, New Work, Mary Rose Beaumont 2007 – Winner Bath University Painting Prize. 1999 – Essay, Piers Ottey , New work from Skyros, Norbert Lynton 1999– Feature, Exhibit A magazine. 1994 – Landscape in a square , The Artist 1989 – Piers Ottey , New Work, West Sussex Gazette Public & Corporate Collections include:Exxon Mobil, St Richards Hospital, Grant Thornton, Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, Worthing Museum, Pallant House Gallery, St Thomas’s Hospital. Private Collections:London, New York, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Denmark amongst others. 27 Piers Ottey 2016 Exhibition Catalogue V2.indd 27
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Zimmer Stewart Gallery 29 Tarrant Street Arundel West Sussex BN18 9DG tel: 01903 882063 or 07901 677933 email: info@zimmerstewart.co.uk
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