ICON - Stoneage to the Stones Exhibition

Paintings by Lynda Miller Baker (UK), Keith Payne (UK), Ronnie Wood (UK), Andy Warhol (USA), John Sharkey(UK), Mary Lloyd Jones (UK), Steven Barret (UK), Katya Weyher (Poland), John Sharkey (UK); sculptures by Moussa Ouattara (France)

21 March - 20 April 2008

ICON - A Veritable Exhibition of the Eclectic

The Russell Gallery will bursts on the scene this year with an enthralling exhibition which takes one into the mysterious and enchanting world of iconology and the study of symbolism.

The gallery's director, Stefania Russell in collaboration with Gallerie Pomie (France), has brought together the works of a plethora of artists to celebrate that most fascinating of subjects, the icon, and those sacred and indeed not-so-sacred personages behind the myriads of images which have become icons to mankind since the dawn of time.

Throughout both the religious and secular world the recognisable image be it animal, human or symbolic draws people into similar or parallel understandings. The form attains energy through recognition which over time elevates it to the state of ICON.

Here we have gathered a collection of work from both traditional and contemporary artists who have all responded to the concept of ICONIC imagery. They represent prehistoric, animistic, religious and modern iconography posing the question “WHAT IS AN ICON”.

From Cave Art to Mary Mother of Jesus to David Beckham, the revered image as perceived through the human collective consciousness skips impertinently from the mysterious and deeply disturbing to the outright frivolous.

Consider the works of Ronnie Wood, the craggy Rolling Stones guitarist against the exquisite bronzes of Moussa Ouattara; compare the Sixties kitsch of Warhol to the and discrete and magical cave painting by Keith Payne.
This is an exciting but ultimately serious insight into that which makes us tick, that which for whatever reason, happens to become an iconic image, be it an object of reverence or an object of distaste. From gold leaf to plastic, from the grotesque demons of exhibition will engage and focus the attention like few others.

The Exhibition is opening on Friday 21th of March and will run until the 20 of April.