DONOR, BURGERS, CHICKEN & CHIPS by Rowan Melling

Oil

46 x 36 cm

40 x 30 cm

£950

Enquiries

To enquire about this artwork, please email the TITLE and NAME to thegallery@greenandstone.com

Artist Statement

My current body of work is inspired by the way artificial light glows in the darkness. Street lamps, car headlights and windows act as spotlights that emphasise the figures in these oil paintings.

The inclusion of figures is key: they breathe life, energy and narrative into an otherwise mundane scene. These everyday late-night rendezvous are relatable and allow the viewer to insert themselves within the painting and speculate about the conversations taking place. 

The paintings intentionally depict unremarkable scenes, devoid of specific location indicators, in order to further incite a feeling of familiarity. However, this is then juxtaposed with the exaggerated use of vivid colours which creates a deliberately artificial, cinematic layer. It is almost paradoxical: the viewer can relate despite the sense of unrealness.

Each work begins with a flat black acrylic base. With every brush mark, the painting reveals itself gradually as each contact with the canvas brings light to the scene. My brush becomes the taper that ignites and illuminates so that the painting literally emerges from the darkness. 

I recently graduated with a first-class Fine Art degree in 2022.