CHRIS KLEIN
May 14 to June 19, 2016
A GORA GALLERY is pleased to present an exhibition of recent paintings by CHRIS KLEIN. These quiet yet visually captivating paintings combine exquisite colour with contrasting textures and a convincing sense of depth through meticulous use of light and shadow, reminiscent of Dutch masters. Also included in the exhibition is a selection of paintings from his Second Hand series, juxtaposing old and recycled materials in beautiful and surprising ways, which similarly explore colour, texture and light.
Biography
British artist Chris Klein has been gaining international attention for his series of paintings of costumes from the warehouse of the Stratford Festival, where he was head of scenic art for eight seasons. Early in his career, Klein’s work was accepted into the prestigious Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, England: more recently, his work has been shown in galleries in Romania, Portugal, Germany, Montreal, Toronto, New York and at Art Basel Miami. Klein is also a respected scenic artist, having worked as a painter for theatre in London, England, as well as for Cirque de Soleil and many Hollywood films.
Artist’s Statement
I find inspiration from all of my surroundings. This is reflected in my last two series of paintings: my “Costumes” series inspired by my work in the theatre, looking at all the clothes as they hang in the vast costume warehouse in Stratford, and my “Second Hand” series, which was originally inspired by passing a local salvage yard and admiring the colour and texture of the crumpled and rusting metal.
I see mundane or everyday objects in a way that others might miss. It isn’t simply the objects themselves that I wish to reproduce, it is their forms, many of which create abstraction with light and shade, colour and texture. It is the composition that is of initial importance to me, not the subject. But when complete, the objects themselves add a whole new life to my paintings. They create their own stories, they can tap into people’s subconscious minds, sparking memories or creating stories that may or may not have existed.
