Charlotte Hopkins Hall
I Need You to Be Afraid of Nothing
Charlotte Hopkins Hall (*1979 in Geneva, lives and works in London) who, in 2014, has been nominated for the prestigious "John Moores Painting Prize".
The interaction between fellow human beings is a complex ballet crowded with emotion. It is from this minefield that Charlotte Hopkins Hall has developed a curiosity in our idiosyncrasies and relationships to reality. She paints a form of psychological drama.
Drawn into her paintings by intricately executed elements, the viewer is then left with a slight sense of unease. Orchestrated by frequently larger than life size figures, this disquiet occurs subsequent to feelings of whether they are inclusive, exclusive or even intrusive.
The impact of negative space is essential. The figures are positioned strategically in various poses and stances within the pure white surface, influencing the painting’s character and the impact that it will have. This play with the space, on or off the canvas, creates an imperceptible weight, and gives rise to the possibility of open narratives.
At the core of Hopkins Hall’s paintings, however, are the figures. Either lost within their state of mind, dwelling within their own thoughts, or eagerly seeking attention, they are trying to give sound to their irrevocable silence.
23/5 – 20/6/2015
