Biography
Orlando Seale (b 1973) studied English and French Literature at Oxford University, acting at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d’Art Dramatique in Paris, and clown at the Ecole Philippe Gaulier. He grew up above his father’s art gallery so some of his earliest memories are of marvelling at the pieces on display and sneaking down to the busy openings with his little sister Delilah. Alongside his mainstream career in theatre, film and TV he continued to tour and perform clown and improvisation. From 2001 onwards he studied Creative Dreamwork with Sandra Seacat and Kim Gillingham, and this informs his creative, interdisciplinary practice to date. Orlando recently completed the two year ‘Integrative movement and performance practice’ programme at the Thomas Prattki Centre in Berlin, where he now teaches, and is committed to supporting other artists and facilitating creative work in communities where this has been overlooked. This provides rich material for his own drawing, writing and performance work, which underscores his paintings, rich in metaphor, symbolism and references to the collective unconscious. In this spirit, he created an inaugural ceremony for the recent ‘little lights’ exhibition at Paul Smith Art, weaving together songs, poems and performance.
Recent solo shows and exhibitions include: Solo show at Gallérie Etcetera, Eugenie-les-Bains, France (2024); Something Rich and Strange (Conditions for life), performance art piece at b12 festival, Berlin, Germany (2023). Solo show, Porto Heli, Greece (2022) In 2022 he created art pieces for ‘Lee’, feature film about the photographer and war correspondent Lee Miller; ‘Once Upon a Time’, London group show curated by Katie Heller and Flora Fairbairn (2022); artist in residence for INDIE, Vienna, Austria and Montaut, South West France.
Performance, acting, music: He has performed for the Royal Shakespeare Company and in the West End, with roles in film and TV including Death on the Nile, Motherland, Hamlet, Industry, Pride and Prejudice, Sleepy Hollow, Monday, Bobby, Hysteria, Jaques et la Mécanique du Cœur, Reign, HBO’s Doll & Em, the IT Crowd, Count Arthur Strong, The West Wing, and many others. With his bands Orlando has played festivals across the UK and Europe, done live sessions for BBC6, and supported the likes of Nadine Shah, Tom Robinson, and Supertramp.
“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 and again to Ariel’s song from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. In the play the young Ferdinand, weeping for the father he believes has been shipwrecked and drowned, hears the spirit Ariel singing to him. Like Ferdinand, I have found the more-thanhuman perspective offered by Ariel’s song a great consolation in the face of the often absurd and bewildering mystery of our existence.
This show brings together playful box-pieces made from recycled packaging, and mythopoetic pieces which come from my engagement with Animism as well as dreams and the unconscious. Here these two facets face off against each other, perhaps echoing the actor’s masks of comedy and tragedy.
The box-pieces emerge from the spirit of improvisation and play that I have cultivated in my work as a performer. Like some sort trash-alchemist I salvage discarded packaging, open it out, admire the box’s inner architecture, listen to it and ask what it wants to become. It delights me that these discarded pieces of card should “suffer a sea-change” and be reincarnated as “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 coincidence that in my work as an actor I was drawn to the absurd, to Beckett, clown, and Commedia dell’arte. After a few seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company
I set off to try my luck in Hollywood. It was in that unlikely place that I was introduced to Jungian dreamwork by Kim Gillingham and the late Sandra Seacat, cherished teachers and guides. This work has since become a key part of my artistic and teaching practice, and my fascination with the tricksterish worlds of myth, fairytale and dreams has only been deepened by my time at the Thomas Prattki Centre in Berlin.
I dialogue with the images from my dreams, following where they lead. I embody them, move with them and coax them onto the page/canvas. Over the last few years I have followed several recurring images: a crocodile, a fool, a firebird, a harpy and a green man. You will find these inner figures stalking through this show.
The figure of the fool, Shakespeare’s fool as well as the tarot’s fool, is one I have been exploring more deeply over the last few years. I have been dancing him, playing and singing him, as well as painting him. I believe he has something to offer us in these uncertain times: he takes a leap of faith. He laughs and steps into the unknown, perhaps into the jaws of the crocodile, definitely “into something rich and strange”.
I would like to thank Paul Smith and the wonderful curator Katie Heller for this opportunity to share my work. I would also like to thank my dear friends Angela and Stelio 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 sans cesse à la chanson d’Ariel dans La Tempête de Shakespeare. Dans cette pièce, le jeune Ferdinand, au bord de la mer, pleure son père qu’il croit naufragé.
Il entend l’esprit d’Ariel chanter pour lui. Comme Ferdinand, j’ai trouvé que la perspective plus qu’humaine offerte par cette chanson était une grande consolation face au mystère souvent absurde et déconcertant de notre existence.
Cette exposition rassemble des pieces ludiques fabriquées à partir d’emballages recyclés et des pièces mythopoétiques qui proviennent de mon engagement dans l’animisme ainsi que dans les rêves et l’inconscient. Ces deux facettes s’affrontent ici, faisant peut-être écho aux masques de comédie et de tragédie de l’acteur.
Les pièces recyclées émergent de l’esprit d’improvisation et de jeu que j’ai cultivé dans mon travail d’interprète. Comme un alchimiste des déchets je récupère des emballages jetés, je les ouvre, j’admire l’architecture intérieure de la boîte, je l’écoute et je lui demande ce qu’elle veut devenir. Je me réjouis que ces bouts de carton mis au rebut subissent un “sea-change” et se réincarnent “into something rich and strange”.
J’ai appris très tôt que la bouffonnerie et les absurdités sont utiles pour confondre les démons et les brutes. Ce n’est donc probablement pas une coïncidence si, dans mon travail d’acteur, j’ai été attiré par l’absurde, par Beckett, par les clowns et par la Commedia dell’arte.
Après quelques saisons avec la Royal Shakespeare Company, je suis parti tenter ma chance à Hollywood. C’est dans cet endroit improbable que j’ai été initié au travail onirique jungien par Kim Gillingham et la regrettée Sandra Seacat, des enseignants et des guides très précieux. Depuis, ce travail est devenu un élément clé de ma pratique artistique et ma fascination pour les mythes, les contes de fées et les rêves n’a fait que s’approfondir lors de mon travail au Centre Thomas Prattki à Berlin.
Je dialogue avec les images de mes rêves, en suivant leur direction. Je les incarne, je bouge avec elles et je les attire sur la page ou la toile. Ces dernières années, j’ai suivi plusieurs images récurrentes : un crocodile, un fou, un oiseau de feu, une harpie et un green man. Vous retrouverez ces figures intérieures errant à travers cette exposition.
La figure du fou, celui de Shakespeare comme celui du tarot, est une figure que j’explore plus profondément depuis quelques années. Je l’ai dansé, joué et chanté, et je l’ai peint. Je crois qu’il a quelque chose à nous offrir en ces temps incertains : il fait un acte de foi. Il rit et se lance dans l’inconnu, peut-être dans les mâchoires du crocodile, en tout cas vers “something rich and strange”.
Je tiens à remercier Paul Smith et la merveilleuse conservatrice Katie Heller de m’avoir donné l’occasion de partager mon travail. Je voudrais également remercier mes chers amis Angela et Stelio Christodoulou pour leur extraordinaire soutien, leur grande gentillesse et leur foi inébranlable en mon travail.
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
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
On the heath
2024
Oil on canvas
30 x 40 cm
€2,850.00 inc VAT
£2,400.00 inc VAT
Seachange 2023
Oil on canvas
30 x 40 cm
€2,850.00 inc VAT
£2,400.00 inc VAT
Black spring 2025
Oil on canvas
30 x 40 cm
€2,850.00 inc VAT
£2,400.00 inc VAT
Greenman 2025
Oil on canvas
25 x 20 cm
€2,450.00 inc VAT
£2,040.00 inc VAT
Under the mountain
2022
Oil on board
41.1 x 31.1 cm
€2,850.00 inc VAT
£2,400.00 inc VAT
I’m nothing, I’m nothing, I’m free 2025
Oil on canvas
30 x 40 cm
€3,300.00 inc VAT
£2,760.00 inc VAT
Flowering wand 2024
Oil on board
90 x 40 cm
€5,000.00 inc VAT
£4,200.00 inc VAT
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
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
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
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
Harpy lookout 2024
Watercolour, pencil & collage
21 x 29.7 cm
€1,000.00 inc VAT
£840.00 inc VAT
A Map of unseen forces i 2022
Watercolour, pastel & ink 21 x 29.7 cm
€1,450.00 inc VAT
£1,200.00 inc VAT
Unseen forces 2022
Watercolour, pastel & ink
11.5 x 17 cm
€950.00 inc VAT
£780.00 inc VAT
Spring fool 2025
Watercolour & pastel
29.7 x 42 cm
€1,450.00 inc VAT
£1,200.00 inc VAT
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
Work on Card
1. Now comb my beard! 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm
€800.00 inc VAT
£636.00 inc VAT
Pull yourself together man 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 42 x 59.4 cm
€800.00 inc VAT
£660.00 inc VAT
Total disaster 2024
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 40 x 50 cm
€750.00 inc VAT
£600.00 inc VAT
Peep show 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm
€600.00 inc VAT
£480.00 inc VAT
5. Game of cups 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card
21 x 29.7 cm
€750.00 inc VAT
£600.00 inc VAT
I was adored once 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 40 x 50 cm
€750.00 inc VAT
£600.00 inc VAT 7. Conspirators 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 29.7 x 42 cm
€750.00 inc VAT
£600.00 inc VAT
I love these old westerns 2021
Watercolour & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm
€750.00 inc VAT £600.00 inc VAT
9. Love at first sight (in the pool) 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm
€800.00 inc VAT
£660.00 inc VAT 10.
Submariners 2 2023
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm
€750.00 inc VAT
£600.00 inc VAT 11. And then she… 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm
€650.00 inc VAT
£540.00 inc VAT 12. Philip on encountering an actopus in the infinity pool 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm
€800.00 inc VAT
£636.00 inc VAT
13. Blue yogi 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card
40 x 40 cm
€650.00 inc VAT
£540.00 inc VAT
Another suitor madam 2023
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card
40 x 50 cm
€800.00 inc VAT
£648.00 inc VAT 15. Little men 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm
€650.00 inc VAT
£540.00 inc VAT
January and May 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm
€800.00 inc VAT
£636.00 inc VAT
17. But I love you! 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 30 x 30 cm
€650.00 inc VAT
£510.00 inc VAT
18. We shall not be moved 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm
€600.00 inc VAT
£480.00 inc VAT
19. Bullies 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 40 x 40 cm
€800.00 inc VAT
£636.00 inc VAT
20. Skinny-dipping 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 43 x 28 cm
€750.00 inc VAT
£600.00 inc VAT
17.
19.
20.
18.
€750.00 inc VAT
£600.00 inc VAT
Acrylic, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm
€500.00 inc VAT
£420.00 inc VAT
21 x 29.7 cm
€450.00 inc VAT
£360.00 inc VAT
22. ‘On the head! 2025
23. Hilton 2023
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card
22.
23.
21. Misty Harpy 2025
Acrylic, watercolour, pastel & pencil on card 21 x 29.7 cm
21.
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
