Scenes from the Passion: Valentine’s Day

George Shaw (1966 - )

Humbrol enamel on board

2004

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  • About the work
    Location
    Country: Canada
    City: Ottawa
    Place: British High Commission

    A path opens onto an unremarkable suburban spot, disappearing behind an algae-covered wall defaced with graffiti. Beyond, a high-rise looms, its square windows staring blankly out. Bare trees and an icy sky emphasise the wintry February of the painting's subtitle, 'Valentine's Day'.

    Amid the desolation, tiny blades of grass and pebbles lie in the foreground, painted with an immense delicacy reminiscent of that of the Pre-Raphaelite John Everett Millais in his painting 'Ophelia' (1851-52). George Shaw paints almost exclusively with Humbrol enamel paint, usually used in model making. Its glossiness accentuates the photo-realism of his work, while the limited palette of brown, green, khaki, black and white bring a consistency of colour.

    This work is from the series 'Scenes from the Passion', first exhibited in London in 1999. Although the title refers to the Christian Stations of the Cross, the scenes do not represent this subject. They show places around the Tile Hill housing estate in Coventry where Shaw grew up. By deliberately omitting identifiable people, cars and signs from his images, he avoids placing a scene within a specific time. Instead, he focuses on recapturing and fixing his nostalgic memories of the streets and places of his teenage years.

    George Shaw studied at Sheffield Polytechnic (1986-89) and at the Royal College of Art, London. He has had solo exhibitions in Birmingham and Dundee (2003-04) and has exhibited in international group shows. Since 1996 he has lived and worked in London.

  • About the artist
    Born in Coventry, George Shaw studied art at Sheffield Polytechnic and the Royal College of Art, London. He has exhibited his work internationally: in 2010 he represented Britain at the Shanghai Exposition; and in 2011, had a solo show at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. He lives and works in North Devon.
  • Explore
    Places
    England, Coventry
    Subjects
    townscape/cityscape, ivy, grass, tree, New Testament, road, graffiti, litter, wall, tower, curtain
    Materials & Techniques
    board, Humbrol enamel, enamel painting
  • Details
    Artist
    George Shaw (1966 - )
    Title
    Scenes from the Passion: Valentine’s Day
    Date
    2004
    Medium
    Humbrol enamel on board
    Dimensions
    height: 125.00 cm, width: 91.00 cm, depth: 5.10 cm
    Acquisition
    Purchased from Anthony Wilkinson Gallery, July 2004
    Provenance
    Anthony Wilkinson Gallery, London
    GAC number
    17879