- Venue
- Alley Cafe
- Location
"I seek to tell stories in my work, capturing a moment of time."
Neil Heath's paintings combine stories with stillness. With the development of his work, he has become increasingly interested in the honesty of the everyday, the truth of the ordinary. Francis Bacon is a big influence – see the skin tones and distorted twist of the self portrait, Despair to Where. Flesh and the physical are central to Neil's paintings, but there's also the stillness or the story beneath. Despair to Where expresses a desire to work out an ugly or uncomfortable truth whilst other works portray a stillness beneath the skin. Michael Heath expresses the quiet dignity of a grandfather. There's a directness there, which creates a powerful link between us and the man shown.
Neil says he can't see the point of photo-realism. He is as interested in his medium as he is in portraying! his subject. He's obviously fascinated with the depth and texture of painting, with creating an atmosphere. Painting allows him to express the sheer fleshiness of the everyday and the energy and quiet spirit that lies beneath. This could be either sadness or stillness, as with Niki. There's a story being told, but it's an uncertain one. Neil says: "I set out to achieve a likeness." Beyond telling the truth of what he sees, he creates ambiguity, atmosphere, story.
Camilla Zajac, January 2007
