The Search for Verrazzano's Sea
NEW WORK BY ADRIAN PAUL METCALFE
4th April- 2nd May 2009
ART CENTRAL GALLERY Town Hall Library, King's Square, Barry Opening times: Tues to Sat 11am - 4pm
The Exhibition will be officially opened By Malcolm Parr
Renowned Swansea based poet and translator of Federico Garcia Lorca At the
Private View 2pm - 4pm
Saturday 4th April 2009
Mysterious Island,
oil on canvas 2008 16" X 16"
Night of Kombo Island
oil on canvas 2008 3' X 3'
La Dauphine
Adrian Paul Metcalfe has built a creative reconstruction of Verrazzano's ship La Dauphine for his exhibition, The Search for Verrazzano's Sea. The model of Verrazzano's sixteenth century galleon stands six feet high and nine feet long, with three fully-rigged masts. This spectacular mixed-media sculpture of La Dauphine represents Verrazzano's journey of exploration which was the catalyst for Adrian's recent body of work in The Search for Verrazzano's Sea.
La Dauphine
La Dauphine
Voyage of Verrazzano,
oil on canvas 2008 16" X 16"
Fire of Kombo
oil on canvas 2008 4' X 3'
La Dauphine
La Dauphine
Exhibition Statement
In 1524 Giovanni da Verrazzano set sail in his ship La Dauphine in search of the fabled North West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Through his voyage he encountered many unexplored and strange lands, eventually believing he had found a sea linking the two oceans. On his return this sea was marked on new charts and for many years perpetuated as the Sea of Verrazzano. Unfortunately Verrazzano had not discovered a passage between the two oceans but a deep river estuary, which only led further into land. This error of navigation has been a starting point for new works, which explore this imaginary sea, and examines the limitless possibilities of that which may or may not exist. The work builds on themes that have been central to my practice for many years. The paintings explore experiences associated with time and place. They seek to create an atmosphere through the use of colour, light and form. The pieces produced are based on the idea of a voyage searching for Verrazzano's non-existent sea. Sometimes images relate to specific locations although more frequently are an amalgamation of a number of different times, both real, imagined, creative and chronological. This emphasizes the diversity of sources behind the work, which encompass literature, poetry and music. Many titles are also drawn from maps, charts and descriptions of other voyages. The work does not illustrate these but seeks to reference them as a starting point for the viewer. The work itself is primarily oil painting, although watercolours, screen prints, acrylics and digital images are also used. The show includes new large-scale oil paintings along with a wide selection of other recent work. A series of hand made, original, artist books will be on display including the recent Dell' Arcano Del Mare and The Sea of Verrazzano which contain versions of much of the work on exhibition. There will also be a chance to sea the large-scale book Mysterious Voyage for the first time since its initial exhibition in 2002. A new limited edition hand printed book of screen prints, The Sea of Verrazzano will be published for the show. The work is abstract, no one specific meaning can be sought; the titles suggest possibilities while remaining open to individual interpretation, encouraging the viewer to engage in personal contemplation and creative thought. As many questions are raised as are answered, but works seek to engage with the possibilities of existence and celebrate the richness of life. I hope visitors will explore the work for themselves, find their own meanings and enhance their own voyage of discovery.
Adrian Paul Metcalfe January 2009