This striking exhibition includes many new works by Paul which he's made over the past two years to capture these important buildings and a style of architecture which seems to be quickly becoming extinct. The exhibition opens three days before Coventry is officially launched as the 2021 UK City of Culture. And yet there is some irony to the convergence of these parallel celebrations of Coventry, as many of the buildings that express the culture and history of the town, which Paul so lovingly depicts in his linocuts, are under threat of redevelopment.
Paul had originally hoped that this would be an excellent opportunity to celebrate the post-war architecture which is so integral to the identity of Coventry, and yet instead because of the new plans to demolish much of the city's heart, Paul's images have taken on new meaning and are beautiful documents or homages to these mid-century architectural monuments.
The second part of the exhibition includes linocuts of London buildings which were also built in the post-war Modernist and Brutalist style which Paul found himself gravitating towards when he moved to the capital. Many iconic and much loved buildings such as the National Theatre and the Hayward Gallery on Southbank sum up a post-war mood of optimism and hope which permeated the Southbank area during the Festival of Britain in 1951. Sent from Coventry places Paul's London linocuts alongside his Coventry work, making a compelling visual argument for why all of this striking architecture should be preserved and admired.
This is a bold and heartfelt exhibition which we're delighted and honoured to be able to host at Eames Fine Art. This new collection has all the trademarks of Paul's greatest work: style, integrity, beauty and above all else, heart.
We have created a beautiful catalogue for the exhibition which is now sold out, but can be viewed online HERE.
