Pool Party: Summer Exhibition

Sarah Wiseman Gallery is delighted to announce the summer exhibition 'Pool Party', inspired by life at the poolside – whether that’s the urban glamour of Los Angeles or a local British lido.

‘We felt the need to let our hair down this summer,’ says gallery director Sarah Wiseman. ‘Art that explores a lovely sun-soaked theme seemed very appealing.’ She continues: ‘It’s also interesting to note that outdoor swimming is growing more popular in recent years, along with people’s appetite for more varied leisure pursuits. We’re especially interested in the idea of swimming and pools and that alluring, sparkling light contrasted with an urban backdrop.’

'Pool Party' artists include Henrietta Dubrey, Patsy MacArthur, Anna Marrow, Bonnie and Clyde, Dan Parry Jones and Veronica Wells and are all set to show new works inspired by a summer spent poolside. Visitors can expect to see an exhibition filled with clean lines, bright colour and dazzling light.

Exhibiting at Sarah Wiseman Gallery for the first time, Steph Burnley - who is known as Bonnie and Clyde - uses a blend of architecture, street signage and coastal life as central themes. Drawing on an archive of her own photography, Bonnie and Clyde’s seductive imagery plays on the irresistible allure and eccentric character of world-famous coastal cities such as Venice Beach, Havana and Santa Monica.

Henrietta Dubrey has created a collection inspired by ‘fashionable Slim Aarons type infinity swimming pools on the Côte d’Azur, stunning outdoor lidos, and secret freshwater pools hidden far from prying eyes in this era of Instagram and mobile phone connectivity.’ For this exhibition, she has reflected on her own recent discovery of out-door swimming, as well as the natural pools that form in the rocky shores and moorlands of her Cornwall home.

Dan Parry-Jones has recently been inspired by a recent trip to L.A, and the rest of the US West Coast, and the striking juxtaposition of concrete, water and mountains. Vivid, high contrast imagery layered with softer sherbet shades, describing the warm, electric atmosphere of a high-octane city.

Sarah Wiseman Gallery will introduce the Bristol-based artist Anna Marrow. Anna makes surprising, sometimes humorous or alarming images by combining mundane objects and environments with exotic creatures and characters. Working primarily in printmaking, she silkscreens high divers contrasted with glittering water-surfaces and vintage signage.

Brighton-based figurative painter Patsy McArthur investigates the otherworldliness of being under water. She says ‘with these paintings, I am trying to create a place that the viewer can really feel; a place with a temperature and a sensation of suspension and weightlessness. The larger the scale of the work, the greater the feeling of immersion for the viewer.’

Daniel Ablitt takes us on a natural journey exploring the delight of wild swimming in his collection for the exhibition. Daniel Ablitt is a great observer the landscape; he does not set out to record a likeness of a particular location but he seeks to engage with the profound effect it has on us as human beings. His paintings depict partly-imagined places and half-remembered landscapes captured mostly from his travel experiences and childhood. 

Clare Nicholls a ceramic sculptor based in Oxfordshire, used the exhibition brief to explore the format of the postcard. The ceramic cards are elegantly placed on feet, depict all the fun of an imaginary vintage pool, complete with plants, cool architecture, fabulous swimwear and deep blue inviting pools.

E-catalogue: Read more about the artists featured in 'Pool Party' and browse all available works in our digital catalogue here.