About

Paul Harber's Artist Statement

The paintings contain many references to gesture and symbols, often using iconography 'out of context' in a gentle, humorous and ironic manner. None of these comments are obvious but do contain subtle political and social messages e.g. - Alien. In a bland surburban environment a girl of mixed African/European blood is contrasted with a blow-up 'Alien' - a comment about racism in a white society.

None of the objects in the paintings are natural or organic - especially objects held by figures - a comment on alienation urbanism and materialism. None of the clothes the figures wear are in any way fashionable. The gestures the figures make often refer to previous periods of art e.g. Graeco-Roman/Renaissance/Mannerism - counter - reformation art. In modern settings they lose their previolus meanings and take on new ones.

Some of the paintings e.g. 'That Certain Smile' (the teeth on the window sill) are vaguely sinister and threatening - but also amusing. In 'Rude Girl' a girl makes an obscene gesture (in a Renaissance style) at... Globalisation/Branding/over production/the emptiness of Western life? In 'Two Pious Girls' -- Fareham' two girls experience a kind of religious rapture - which seems absurd and ridiculous in such an everyday scene - but also oddly touching and affectionate. I'm not really laughing at religion - its just far from my sceptical experience.

On a more positive note in 'Jonathan on the Floor' an Afro-European boy is surrounded by objects and cloths from many different cultures - a positive affirmation of multi-culturalism. In 'Memories of Africa' and 'African Dancer', European and African objects intermingle in harmony. In 'the Devil ...probably' a young girl calmly ignores a devil doll - which turns away in despair.

Later paintings often refer to the neo classical tradition,sometimes in a humorous,affectionate manner, e.g.-'2 Roman woman and a fish' and 'the dawn of civilisation',or sometimes within a contemporary context,e.g.-.'Cornucopia' and 'warrior'.In this type of "down-market" neo-classicism issues such as poverty and militarism are explored.

The paintings are mainly watercolours/gouaches. There are some oils and acrylics. Some works are intentionally 'unpainterly'. These seek clarity in a deliberately 'unfussy', impersonal figurative style. Later paintings are more 'painterly' in some cases..

Personal Details:

Born 28th October 1948
Eastbourne, Sussex

Education
1965 - 67	Eastbourne School of Art Foundation Course
1967 - 71	Chelsea School of Art B.A Hons. Fine Art (Painting)
1972 - 75	Royal Academy Schools M.A. Fine Art (Painting)
1975 - 76	London University Institute P.G.C.E (Art & Design)
Exhibitions
Royal Academy	Summer Show	1974
Royal Academy	One Man Show, Gallery 1V (The Arts Council purchased 3 paintings from this show)	1981
Oak Farm Hillingdon	One Man Show	1986
Brewhouse Gallery Taunton	One Man Show	1986
Leighton House London	Artists for Richmond Fellowship	1988
Brewhouse Open Competition	Paintings & Drawings	19991, 1992, 1993
Pavement Gallery Taunton	One Man Show	1988
Arches Gallery South-Moulton Devon	One Man Show	1992
Horsham Arts Centre	Group Show	1995
Piers Feetham Gallery Chelsea	Thalassa Thalassa (mixed show paintings)	July/Aug 1997
The Pembroke Gallery Windsor	27 Paintings 'Winter Show)
Piers Feetham Gallery Chelsea	One Man Show	February 1998
Thompson's Gallery Dover St., Piccadilly	Group Show	June 1998
Gallery Focus, New Malden, Surrey	'Features' Mixed Show (English & Korean artists)	June 1998
The Ashcroft Art Centre Fareham Hants	Mixed Show	November 1998
Westbury Manor (Hampshire Museum Services)	'Shorelines' One Man Show with paintings from the collections of Hampshire County Council Museum's Service	November 1998
Gallery Focus, New Malden, Surrey	Christmas Show	November / December 1998
The Sculpt-It Gallery Godalming Surrey	Group Show	December 2000 - January 2001
The Karen Taylor Gallery Twickenham (S.W. London)	Drawings	February - April 2001
The Stables Gallery N. London	One Man Show	June - July 2001
The Karen Taylor Gallery Twickenham	Group Show	July - August 2001
West End Centre	With Carl Johnson (Photographer)	Oct - Nov 2003
Aldershot	Sponsored by Hampshire County Council	2003
Aspex Gallery,Portsmouth	"Redundancy" exhibition - Mixed show	April 2005
Other Activities
1990 - 1995	Founder member of Appleyard Arts (Somerset and Devon) Arts Organisation
1995 -	Public Lecture - '5 Quiet Artists' (Giotto, Chardin, Corot, Gwen John Morandi) Somerset Society of Artists - Bridgewater
Paintings in many private and public collections including Glasgow University, C.L.R James Foundation and the Arts Council.