GARY GOODMAN

Gary Goodman has exhibited extensively: In France, USA, New Zealand, Germany, Italy and throughout the UK (National Portrait Gallery, Art First, Mall Galleries, Charlston Farmhouse and the Royal College of Art for the Hunting Prize 2005).

Whilst Gary's main area of work is painting and drawing, he also makes etchings, 3-d constructions and artists books. In addition he is a poet, winning several prizes at spoken word performances in the UK, Norway and the USA.

These paintings are at once both bright and sad - In one of his artist's statement Gary Goodman asks.... "Can a painting laugh or cry?"

His images are familiar to us, every day scenes, but the style of painting gives pause for thought. Very much in the same vein as the "Art Brut" group of post-war artists.

"Art Brut" appeared around 1945 and was attributed to the French painter Jean Dubuffet. They painted "works executed by those immune to artistic culture in which imitation has no role; in which their creators take all (subjects, materials, transposition, rhythm, style etc.) from their own individuality and not from the base of classical art or stylish trends".

The resultant paintings are thus personal, direct, humourous, expressive and instinctive "unadulterated by artistic self-consciousness" (Norbert Lynton - Art Historian).