Andrew Mackenzie: Vertical Forms

×

Expand

Andrew Mackenzie, "Clear to Bypass," 2018

oil on linen on panel, 70 x 120 cm

Opening Saturday, October 13, 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Paul Kuhn Gallery is pleased to present VERTICAL FORMS, an exhibition of new paintings by Scottish artist, Andrew Mackenzie. This is the artists’ first solo exhibition with the gallery.

Andrew Mackenzie was born in Banff, north east Scotland. He received his MFA in 1993 from the Edinburgh College of Art. Presently, he lives and works in the Scottish borders. As an artist, his work mines the territory between abstraction and representation. His paintings, drawings, lithographs, etchings and wall drawings respond to the land and overtly acknowledges the constructs through which it is seen.

VERTICAL FORMS is an exhibition of nine new paintings which explore the relationships between tree planting and the built environment. The artist draws inspiration from the rural environment where he lives and his fascination with the shifting threshold of the city. These new works reflect Mackenzie’s personal journey growing up in a rural farming community, moving to Edinburgh to study and work, and then moving back to his village once more. Like most cities, Edinburgh is encircled by a bypass, with associated illumination, roundabouts, traffic management etc. Vast tracts of former farmland and woodland have been paved over to adapt to the encroaching expanse of the city.

In order to reach the Scottish landscape one must navigate through this urban maze. The paintings and drawings of VERTICAL FORMS are the artists’ response to this stunning overlap between trees, snow poles, street lights, wind turbines, traffic lights and other verticals forms seen and meshed within both rural and urban scenes These new works include meticulously layered schematic line drawings in paint which approach the edges of abstraction. Drawings are carefully built up over densely worked surfaces, like palmisets.

Andrew Mackenzie is exhibited widely in the UK and abroad. His work is included in many private and public collections, notably, The Fleming Collection, The Bank of America and The University of Edinburgh Collection.

The artist will be visiting Calgary and attend his opening.