Through the deft manipulation of thick acrylic paint on canvas, Conrad Jon Divine conjures up snow-capped peaks, tumbling mountain springs and changeable weather.
Bee JD Malat Gallerythe Swiss artist presents (previously) his largest oeuvre to date, RENAISSANCE, which follows a four-year hiatus. Godly is open about the mental health issues that kept him from painting, and in addition to his return to the gallery environment, the title refers to his experience of a ‘rebirth’ as he overcame personal struggles.
Godly is known for his dramatic impasto depictions of mountain landscapes, which were historically created with oil paint. In this new series he has switched to acrylic, which dries much faster and lends itself to coverage. He conveys the striking beauty of the Swiss Alps through fundamental compositional elements such as texture, form and tonal shifts.
Viewed up close, Godly’s paintings almost melt into abstraction as our attention is drawn to the qualities of the paint and the interaction of light and shadow. Farther away, the carefully sculpted edges and gestural brushstrokes reveal the sharp contours of snow, rocks, waterfalls and storms.
RENAISSANCE spans both floors of the London gallery and runs from December 12 to January 18. In the meantime, check out more on the artist’s website website And Instagram.
