Michael Corkrey

7th-29th September 2007

Seascape paintings have existed as a genre since the 17th Century when Dutch artists, no longer constrained by the need to paint religious or mythological scenes, began to use their own environment as a source of inspiration. During the 19th century, an increasing interest in the notion of the sublime led to paintings of coastal shipping and navel vessels being replaced by powerful images that emphasized the sea itself, and the awesome and beautiful power of nature, evoking emotions ranging from serenity and harmony to fear and isolation. Seascapes were no longer topographical through the genius of artists such as Turner, Whistler, and Homer.

In this way the genre has always been a source of inspiration for Michael Corkrey, and his work considers many historic but also contemporary philosophies. The new paintings for this exhibition dramatically replace the earlier works of gentle waves and clear skies with seas that writhe, twist, and thrash, and confront the viewer with the extraordinary primordial power of Nature. Corkrey however likes to juxtapose notions of romanticism with a certain dislocation and detachment - any attempt to engage with the work and admire the beauty in the image is repelled by a pattern of thoughtfully considered pictorial devices, such as brightly coloured marks that highlight the geometric blocks of wax that veil the superbly composed image beneath. He is not looking for a sentimental response to the work; these new paintings are ostensibly six wave studies but they are also carefully selected from over two hundred photographs, taken over a period of days, that are then methodically and ruthlessly executed over the period of year to achieve the exact results the artist is looking for. The genre is an instrument to demonstrate that a strong technique coupled with a highly-developed sense of composition can still be used to make uncompromising, contemporary painting.