Art
Acclaimed International artist to exhibit new work at Williamson Art Gallery in Birkenhead
1 year ago
Berlin-based artist Helene Appel creates images that straddle the threshold between realism, sculpture, and abstraction. Appel paints ordinary materials from everyday life, working in a 1:1 scale.
Appel’s work highlights the sometimes-overlooked beauty of ordinary objects such as the bark of a tree, sand on a seashore, an envelope, the headlight of a car, and a loose fold of fabric, and will be on display at Williamson Art Gallery & Museum until 24 February 2024.
Appel’s closely-observed paintings even explore the aesthetic qualities of discarded vegetable peelings ready to be thrown onto the compost pile, or a kitchen sink full to the brim of murky washing up water.
The materials Appel uses, such as oil, watercolour or encaustic, start to resemble the object itself, giving her paintings a physical and three-dimensional presence.
This exhibition features key works from Appel’s career alongside a selection of new paintings. It is also an opportunity to see two works by Appel which were recently acquired for the Williamson’s collection: ‘Sand’ and ‘Dishwater’.
Williamson curator Niall Hodson said:
“It is really exciting for the Williamson to be showcasing Helene Appel’s fascinating paintings in this important exhibition. I believe this is the largest-ever display of Appel’s work in the UK. These paintings make you look again at the simple beauties and harmonies of the ordinary world we see every day.”