The Fall of the Rebel Angels (solo show)
Preview: Tues 29 Jan 6-8pm
London-based artist, Gordon Cheung takes inspiration from
John Martin’s famous 19th-century illustrations for
Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost in an exhibition of
the same name at Alan Cristea Gallery throughout February
2008.
This biblical story covers the fall of the rebel angels into
Hell, the temptation of Adam and Eve and their subsequent
expulsion from paradise. Cheung sees this story as having
a metaphorical relevance to the way we have entered the 21st
century. The series of 24 works in the exhibition depict imaginary
worlds on the brink of devastation reminiscent of a sci-fi
landscapes in spray paint, Chinese ink and Financial Times
stock listings.
Gordon Cheung said ‘I felt I could translate John Martin’s
Paradise Lost series into a contemporary and relevant context.
The idea that we are losing, or a certainly becoming increasingly
urgent with, our relationship to Earth is compelling and to
use an archetypal story as a means of understanding our current
era attracted me a great deal.’
Born in 1975 in London, Cheung studied painting at Central
Saint Martins College of Art and Design and the Royal College
of Art (2001). In 2005 Cheung was the first British Born Chinese
to have been selected for the British Art Show and achieved
finalist status for the John Moores 24 Painting Prize and
Decibel Award in 2006.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated
catalogue and coincides with displays of the artist's works
at the Chinese Arts Centre in Manchester. ‘Paradise
Lost’ was commissioned as part of the Laing Art Gallery
Solo Award in 2006.
Notes to editors
1. Alan Cristea Gallery is the largest dealer
and publisher of 20th-century and contemporary prints in Europe,
publishing prints by the very best international artists as
well as regularly showing paintings, works on paper, lightboxes
and installations. This year the gallery expanded into additional
space at is now at 31 Cork Street and new space at 34 Cork
Street.
2. More information on Gordon Cheung is at
gordoncheung.com
Press information: Contact Jeanette Ward at Theresa Simon
& Partners
020 7734 4800; 07729 930 812; jeanette@theresasimon.com
Open
Mon-Fri 10am-5.30pm
Sat 10am-1pm
Alan Cristea
Gallery
31 & 34 Cork Street
London W1
020 7439 1866
info@alancristea.com
www.alancristea.com
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