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Clarendon Fine Art is delighted to present Respair, a collection of new paintings by Michael F Rumsby (b. 1968, Suffolk UK), in the gallery’s first solo exhibition in London.

Painted from Rumsby’s home and studio in Saussignac France, Respair builds on work that was started in the 2020 lockdown (when leaving one’s home was strictly policed) and marks a new direction into still life. Bold and considered, the paintings pulsate with colour and light, reflecting on a long-awaited return to hope after a period of despair, and showing an increased energy with explosions of blossoms and maximum expression. The narrative flickers between the way we experience the past and present all at once; dotted with family heirlooms, antiques and new collectibles to create a nostalgic scene of that was then and this is now.

Rumsby’s practice is strongly informed by the South West region of France where he has lived with his husband Lee for the past decade. Together they operate Le1500, a boutique hotel, offering guests culinary and art experiences. The artist’s work is renowned for its close contemplation of nature, using colour extensively to depict the changing seasons with layer upon layer of paint. Golden ochre, violet-blue, plum-red colours trace each still life with energetic precision in a kaleidoscope fashion offering the viewer any which way they care to view the painting.

Respair presents a release for the artist; a coming out of lockdown, of hiding, of inauthenticity in his life and work and ultimately, towards a crazy colour celebration of life.

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