Powerful artistic expression and a profound sense of care and concern for nature and local environment are woven together in the exquisite exhibition “Elemental” New Paintings by Clive Bright, which opened at Hamilton Gallery on Thursday evening.
Clive Bright lives and farms on his family farm in south county Sligo. An organic farmer under his brand Rare Ruminare , he rears 100% pasture-fed beef and lamb on his 120-acre farm. An ambassador for Farming For Nature, Clive employs the ideas of Permaculture and Holistic Management to run the farm as an ecosystem in which, the livestock are just one part. He sees his role as managing the animals, so they maintain a balance within their niche. "Where nature thrives is a good place for a cow to live – it's that simple" he says.
But Clive is also one of the most impactful and highly regarded visual artists living and working in the region, and his highly anticipated 1st solo show in 8 years, opened for a packed audience at Hamilton Gallery on Thursday evening (Oct 30th) .
Clive’s ecological concerns are front and centre in the exquisitely rendered body of paintings that make up “Elemental”. The exhibition explores ecological fundamentals—the power and beauty of nature's diversity, and the fragile folly of the human desire to simplify it. Mans ideas, and designs for nature litter his paintings; powerful and haunting evocations of rusted tools and other abandoned human detritus, which nature constantly overcomes and subsumes. The presence of the harlequin, as clown like costume flows through the paintings, as sky, as background, as texture, contrasting the constraints and designs human beings place upon nature with natures heedless continuance and course, above and around those intentions.
The exhibition is a stunning and unique mediation from an exceptional artist who lives and works in and with nature every day.
Elemental continues at Hamilton Gallery until November 22nd and is a must see.
