Daniel Hughes: Resurface

Press Release

Jill George Gallery is delighted to announce a solo exhibition of new work by Daniel Hughes.  It will be a rare opportunity to see this Canadian painter in London.  

Previous work by Hughes has shown his fascination with the human figure and its historical associations. His paintings are remarkable for their combination of figurative realism and intriguing narrative, which is allied with an astonishing technical virtuosity.

The artist underwent a formal, classical training which has given him an appreciation of master figure painters like Rembrandt and Vermeer, as well as a profoundly sympathetic approach to nineteenth century realism. Whilst studying in Toronto and New York, he was introduced to the contemporary realism of Lucien Freud and Antonio Lopez Garcia. Graduate studies with Eric Fischli and particularly Vincent Desiderio had a further huge influence on his technique by introducing the layering of opaque and translucent paint to create haunting illusions of space and luminosity that characterise the exquisite finishes of his work.

Since moving to the east coast of Canada last October, Hughes has found the rural isolation of his surroundings reflected in his canvases. Long fascinated with the relationship between portraits, the human figure and landscape, he now finds himself in an environment which allows further exploration of these elements. The resulting self-portraits and two-figure compositions reflect a level of self-exploration and development underpinned by an awareness of nature and the sublime.

Once more there is a sense of quiet in his work, but not necessarily of peace. The figures appear in an atmosphere of concealed tension or the expectation of intrusive interruptions, which lends an ambiguity to their narratives. But the artist’s growing relationship with the natural world is gently articulated with an emerging calmness towards and acceptance of his place within it.