Into something rich and strange...

Into something rich and strange...

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Exhibition to run: Friday 13th June - Sunday 19th October ‘25

32 Rue de Grenelle Paris, 75007, France

Into something rich and strange...

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Over the past decade, Orlando has found enduring inspiration in Ariel’s song from The Tempest, drawing comfort from its otherworldly perspective. This exhibition weaves together playful box-pieces made from recycled packaging and mythopoetic works rooted in dreams, Animism, and the unconscious — reflecting a dialogue between comedy and tragedy. Influenced by a background in performance, clowning, and a deep engagement with Jungian dreamwork, the artist transforms discarded materials into imaginative forms, guided by recurring dream figures like the fool, crocodile, and firebird. Central to the work is the fool — a symbol of trust, play, and courage — who steps into the unknown, offering an example for uncertain times.

Biography

Orlando Seale (b 1973) studied English and French

Recent solo shows and exhibitions include: Solo

Literature at Oxford University, acting at the Conservatoire

show at Gallérie Etcetera, Eugenie-les-Bains, France

National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique in Paris, and clown

(2024); Something Rich and Strange (Conditions for life),

at the Ecole Philippe Gaulier. He grew up above his

performance art piece at b12 festival, Berlin, Germany

father’s art gallery so some of his earliest memories

(2023). Solo show, Porto Heli, Greece (2022) In 2022

are of marvelling at the pieces on display and sneaking

he created art pieces for ‘Lee’, feature film about the

down to the busy openings with his little sister Delilah.

photographer and war correspondent Lee Miller; ‘Once

Alongside his mainstream career in theatre, film and TV he

Upon a Time’, London group show curated by Katie Heller

continued to tour and perform clown and improvisation.

and Flora Fairbairn (2022); artist in residence for INDIE,

From 2001 onwards he studied Creative Dreamwork

Vienna, Austria and Montaut, South West France.

with Sandra Seacat and Kim Gillingham, and this informs his creative, interdisciplinary practice to date. Orlando

Performance, acting, music: He has performed for the Royal

recently completed the two year ‘Integrative movement

Shakespeare Company and in the West End, with roles in

and performance practice’ programme at the Thomas

film and TV including Death on the Nile, Motherland, Hamlet,

Prattki Centre in Berlin, where he now teaches, and is

Industry, Pride and Prejudice, Sleepy Hollow, Monday, Bobby,

committed to supporting other artists and facilitating

Hysteria, Jaques et la Mécanique du Cœur, Reign, HBO’s

creative work in communities where this has been

Doll & Em, the IT Crowd, Count Arthur Strong, The West

overlooked. This provides rich material for his own drawing,

Wing, and many others. With his bands Orlando has played

writing and performance work, which underscores his

festivals across the UK and Europe, done live sessions

paintings, rich in metaphor, symbolism and references to the

for BBC6, and supported the likes of Nadine Shah, Tom

collective unconscious. In this spirit, he created an inaugural

Robinson, and Supertramp.

ceremony for the recent ‘little lights’ exhibition at Paul Smith Art, weaving together songs, poems and performance.

“Full fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made; Those are pearls that were his eyes: Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a sea-change Into something rich and strange.”

Ariel’s song from The Tempest William Shakespeare

Into something rich and strange...

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Over the last decade I have found myself returning again

I set off to try my luck in Hollywood. It was in that unlikely

and again to Ariel’s song from Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

place that I was introduced to Jungian dreamwork by Kim

In the play the young Ferdinand, weeping for the father he

Gillingham and the late Sandra Seacat, cherished teachers

believes has been shipwrecked and drowned, hears the

and guides. This work has since become a key part of my

spirit Ariel singing to him. Like Ferdinand, I have found

artistic and teaching practice, and my fascination with

the more-thanhuman perspective offered by Ariel’s song

the tricksterish worlds of myth, fairytale and dreams has

a great consolation in the face of the often absurd and

only been deepened by my time at the Thomas Prattki

bewildering mystery of our existence.

Centre in Berlin.

This show brings together playful box-pieces made from

I dialogue with the images from my dreams, following

recycled packaging, and mythopoetic pieces which come

where they lead. I embody them, move with them and coax

from my engagement with Animism as well as dreams

them onto the page/canvas. Over the last few years I have

and the unconscious. Here these two facets face off

followed several recurring images: a crocodile, a fool, a

against each other, perhaps echoing the actor’s masks

firebird, a harpy and a green man. You will find these inner

of comedy and tragedy.

figures stalking through this show.

The box-pieces emerge from the spirit of improvisation and

The figure of the fool, Shakespeare’s fool as well as the

play that I have cultivated in my work as a performer. Like

tarot’s fool, is one I have been exploring more deeply

some sort trash-alchemist I salvage discarded packaging,

over the last few years. I have been dancing him, playing

open it out, admire the box’s inner architecture, listen to it

and singing him, as well as painting him. I believe he has

and ask what it wants to become. It delights me that these

something to offer us in these uncertain times: he takes

discarded pieces of card should “suffer a sea-change”

a leap of faith. He laughs and steps into the unknown,

and be reincarnated as “something rich and strange”.

perhaps into the jaws of the crocodile, definitely “into something rich and strange”.

I learnt early in life that fooling and nonsense are helpful for confusing devils and bullies so it was probably no

I would like to thank Paul Smith and the wonderful curator

coincidence that in my work as an actor I was drawn to

Katie Heller for this opportunity to share my work. I would

the absurd, to Beckett, clown, and Commedia dell’arte.

also like to thank my dear friends Angela and Stelio

After a few seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company

Christodoulou for their extraordinary support, their great kindness, and unfailing faith in my work.

À cinq brasses sous les eaux ton père est gisant, Ses os sont changés en corail ; Ses yeux sont devenus deux perles ; Rien de lui ne s’est flétri.

Mais tout a subi dans la mer un changement En quelque chose de riche et de rare.”

La chanson d’Ariel, La Tempête William Shakespeare (traduit par François Guizot)

Into something rich and strange...

Orlando Seale

Au cours de la dernière décennie, je suis revenue

Après quelques saisons avec la Royal Shakespeare

sans cesse à la chanson d’Ariel dans La Tempête de

Company, je suis parti tenter ma chance à Hollywood.

Shakespeare. Dans cette pièce, le jeune Ferdinand,

C’est dans cet endroit improbable que j’ai été initié au

au bord de la mer, pleure son père qu’il croit naufragé.

travail onirique jungien par Kim Gillingham et la regrettée

Il entend l’esprit d’Ariel chanter pour lui. Comme

Sandra Seacat, des enseignants et des guides très

Ferdinand, j’ai trouvé que la perspective plus qu’humaine

précieux. Depuis, ce travail est devenu un élément clé de

offerte par cette chanson était une grande consolation

ma pratique artistique et ma fascination pour les mythes,

face au mystère souvent absurde et déconcertant de

les contes de fées et les rêves n’a fait que s’approfondir

notre existence.

lors de mon travail au Centre Thomas Prattki à Berlin.

Cette exposition rassemble des pieces ludiques

Je dialogue avec les images de mes rêves, en suivant leur

fabriquées à partir d’emballages recyclés et des pièces

direction. Je les incarne, je bouge avec elles et je les

mythopoétiques qui proviennent de mon engagement dans

attire sur la page ou la toile. Ces dernières années,

l’animisme ainsi que dans les rêves et l’inconscient. Ces

j’ai suivi plusieurs images récurrentes : un crocodile,

deux facettes s’affrontent ici, faisant peut-être écho aux

un fou, un oiseau de feu, une harpie et un green man.

masques de comédie et de tragédie de l’acteur.

Vous retrouverez ces figures intérieures errant à travers cette exposition.

Les pièces recyclées émergent de l’esprit d’improvisation et de jeu que j’ai cultivé dans mon travail d’interprète.

La figure du fou, celui de Shakespeare comme celui du

Comme un alchimiste des déchets je récupère des

tarot, est une figure que j’explore plus profondément

emballages jetés, je les ouvre, j’admire l’architecture

depuis quelques années. Je l’ai dansé, joué et chanté, et

intérieure de la boîte, je l’écoute et je lui demande ce

je l’ai peint. Je crois qu’il a quelque chose à nous offrir

qu’elle veut devenir. Je me réjouis que ces bouts de carton

en ces temps incertains : il fait un acte de foi. Il rit et se

mis au rebut subissent un “sea-change” et se réincarnent

lance dans l’inconnu, peut-être dans les mâchoires du

“into something rich and strange”.

crocodile, en tout cas vers “something rich and strange”.

J’ai appris très tôt que la bouffonnerie et les absurdités

Je tiens à remercier Paul Smith et la merveilleuse

sont utiles pour confondre les démons et les brutes. Ce

conservatrice Katie Heller de m’avoir donné l’occasion de

n’est donc probablement pas une coïncidence si, dans

partager mon travail. Je voudrais également remercier mes

mon travail d’acteur, j’ai été attiré par l’absurde, par

chers amis Angela et Stelio Christodoulou pour leur

Beckett, par les clowns et par la Commedia dell’arte.

extraordinaire soutien, leur grande gentillesse et leur foi inébranlable en mon travail.

Oil Paintings

Oil Paintings

Wandering fool 2025 Oil on canvas 30 x 40 cm €2,850.00 inc VAT £2,400.00 inc VAT

Winter king 2023 Oil on canvas 30.7 x 41 cm €2,850.00 inc VAT £2,400.00 inc VAT

A Map of unseen forces ii 2022 Oil on board 31 x 41 cm €2,150.00 inc VAT £1,800.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

Weather permitting 2022 Oil on canvas 29.7 x 42 cm €2,150.00 inc VAT £1,800.00 inc VAT

Becoming blossom 2025 Oil on canvas 51 x 41 cm €3,600.00 inc VAT £3,000.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Oil Paintings

On the heath 2024

Seachange 2023

Oil on canvas 30 x 40 cm

Oil on canvas 30 x 40 cm

€2,850.00 inc VAT £2,400.00 inc VAT

€2,850.00 inc VAT £2,400.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

Black spring 2025

Greenman 2025

Oil on canvas 30 x 40 cm

Oil on canvas 25 x 20 cm

€2,850.00 inc VAT £2,400.00 inc VAT

€2,450.00 inc VAT £2,040.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Oil Paintings

Under the mountain 2022

I’m nothing, I’m nothing, I’m free 2025

Oil on board 41.1 x 31.1 cm

Oil on canvas 30 x 40 cm

€2,850.00 inc VAT £2,400.00 inc VAT

€3,300.00 inc VAT £2,760.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

Flowering wand 2024 Oil on board 90 x 40 cm €5,000.00 inc VAT £4,200.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Digital Print & Work on Paper

Digital Print / Work on Paper

There may or may not be 2022 Digital print 34.7 x 42.1 cm €500.00 inc VAT £420.00 inc VAT

From you to me 2024 Watercolour & pastel 29.7 x 42 cm €1,450.00 inc VAT £1,200.00 inc VAT

Midnight harpy 2025 Watercolour, pastel, pencil & ink 40 x 50 cm €1,750.00 inc VAT £1,440.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

Meeting Baba Yaga 2025 Watercolour, pastel & ink 37 x 49 cm €1,450.00 inc VAT £1,200.00 inc VAT

Return 2024 Watercolour, pastel & pencil 29.7 x 42 cm €1,800.00 inc VAT £1,500.00 inc VAT

Emerging 2023 Watercolour, pastel & pencil 29.7 x 42 cm €1,800.00 inc VAT £1,500.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Digital Print / Work on Paper

Next year 2024 Pastel & ink 21 x 29.7 cm €950.00 inc VAT £780.00 inc VAT

Fool and kite 2024 Watercolour, pastel & ink 29.7 x 42 cm €950.00 inc VAT £780.00 inc VAT

This used to be a motorway 2025 Watercolour, pastel & pencil 29.7 x 42 cm €1,450.00 inc VAT £1,200.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

Firebird 2023 Watercolour & pastel 37 x 49 cm €2,850.00 inc VAT £2,400.00 inc VAT

I am unknown in the city 2023 Watercolour & ink 30 x 30 cm €1,100.00 inc VAT £900.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Digital Print / Work on Paper

Harpy lookout 2024

A Map of unseen forces i 2022

Watercolour, pencil & collage 21 x 29.7 cm

Watercolour, pastel & ink 21 x 29.7 cm

€1,000.00 inc VAT £840.00 inc VAT

€1,450.00 inc VAT £1,200.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

Unseen forces 2022

Spring fool 2025

Watercolour, pastel & ink 11.5 x 17 cm

Watercolour & pastel 29.7 x 42 cm

€950.00 inc VAT £780.00 inc VAT

€1,450.00 inc VAT £1,200.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Digital Print / Work on Paper

Nose to tail 2025 Watercolour, pastel, ink, pencil & collage 42 x 297 cm €12,000 inc VAT £10,123 inc VAT

Studio visit 2021 Watercolour & pastel 29.7 x 42 cm €750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

Work on Card

Work on Card

1.

2.

3.

4.

1.

2.

3.

4.

Now comb my beard!

2025

Pull yourself together man 2025

Total disaster 2024

Peep show 2025

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 42 x 59.4 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 40 x 50 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

€800.00 inc VAT £636.00 inc VAT

€800.00 inc VAT £660.00 inc VAT

€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

€600.00 inc VAT £480.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

5.

6.

8.

7.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Game of cups 2025

I was adored once 2025

Conspirators 2025

I love these old westerns 2021

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 40 x 50 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 29.7 x 42 cm

Watercolour & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Work on Card

9.

10.

11.

12.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Love at first sight (in the pool) 2025

Submariners 2 2023

And then she…

2025

Philip on encountering an actopus in the infinity pool 2025

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm

€800.00 inc VAT £660.00 inc VAT

€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

€650.00 inc VAT £540.00 inc VAT

€800.00 inc VAT £636.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

13.

14.

15.

16.

13.

14.

15.

16.

Blue yogi 2025

Another suitor madam 2023

Little men 2025

January and May 2025

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 40 x 40 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 40 x 50 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm

€650.00 inc VAT £540.00 inc VAT

€800.00 inc VAT £648.00 inc VAT

€650.00 inc VAT £540.00 inc VAT

€800.00 inc VAT £636.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Work on Card

17.

18.

19.

20.

17.

18.

19.

20.

But I love you!

2025

We shall not be moved 2025

Bullies 2025

Skinny-dipping 2025

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 40 x 40 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 43 x 28 cm

€650.00 inc VAT £510.00 inc VAT

€600.00 inc VAT £480.00 inc VAT

€800.00 inc VAT £636.00 inc VAT

€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

Into something rich and strange...

21.

22.

23.

21.

22.

23.

Misty Harpy 2025

‘On the head!

2025

Hilton 2023

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

Acrylic, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm

€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT

€500.00 inc VAT £420.00 inc VAT

€450.00 inc VAT £360.00 inc VAT

A solo exhibition by Orlando Seale

Paul Smith Space, at 9 Albemarle Street, is a dedicated gallery presenting artwork which resonates with the company’s ethos of creativity, individuality, and curiosity.

A full programme of exhibitions will see Paul Smith Space change periodically throughout the year, each time introducing an exciting new array of work.

For all art enquiries please contact:

art@paulsmith.co.uk Katie Heller Art & Exhibitions Manager Paul Smith 9 Albemarle Street London W1S 4BL +44 (0)7553 352 959 +44 (0) 207 493 4565 katie.heller@paulsmith.co.uk Brontë Crouch Arts and Interiors Consultant Paul Smith 9 Albemarle Street London W1S 4BL +44 (0) 207 493 4565 bronte.crouch@paulsmith.co.uk

PAUL SM ITH.COM