Feature: THE BIG PICTURE - The Free Painters and Sculptors’ winter exhibition at Campbells of London
Published: 04 November 2010
FREE Painters and Sculptors is a group of artists founded by Nina Hosali in 1952. Originally part of the Institute for Contemporary Arts, the artists broke away to form a group where freedom of expression is key and the use of a wide variety of styles and media is encouraged.
The group hold two London exhibitions a year, one of which includes sculpture. The current exhibition, at Campbell’s of London in Kensington, is a display of new work by established members on the theme of “Place”.
This painting, by guest artist Julian Hume, called “Poule Rouge, Giant Skink”, depicts two animals that are now extinct. Julian is a British paleontologist who has worked in Mauritius, where the first fossil remains of the dodo were discovered in 1865.
“The dodo of Mauritius is one of the most famous birds in the world, yet practically nothing is known about it in life,” explains Julian. “Is was not until the discovery of the Mare aux Songe marsh that the first fossil remains were discovered. Almost all dodo remains come from that one ‘place’. My recent excavation work at the Mare aux Songes has provided the first insight into the lost world of the dodo, including the habitat in which it lived and the other now-extinct animals that shared its island home.
“This has provided an opportunity to artistically reconstruct, based on scientific evidence, the dodo and other animals that once existed on Mauritius, before the arrival of humans.”
• The Free Painters and Sculptors group welcome submissions of work for selection, from talented artists. For more information, including how to submit work, email freepaintersandsculptors@ rocketmail.com or visit the website www.freepaintersandsculptors.org
• The Free Painters and Sculptors’ winter exhibition on the theme of ‘Place’ is at Campbells of London,
22 Thurloe Place, South Kensington, SW7, from November 12-22, 10am-6pm daily, www.campbellsoflondon.co.uk