BRINK Present Horace Panter at the Talisman Theatre & Arts Centre

Green Red Orange by Horace Panter

The ‘I Want More Life...’ exhibition , featuring the work of Horace Panter, is the second in an exciting season of on-going exhibitions, organised by the Kenilworth-based arts organisation at the Talisman Theatre and Arts Centre.


BRINK is proud to present the work of Horace Panter at the Talisman Theatre, from 5th May until 26th June 2012.


Although more well-known as the bass-player of The Specials, Horace Panter, aka Sir Horace Gentleman, has always been involved in art.


Horaceʼs formal education started with a one year course in Art at Northampton College in 1971. In 1975, he graduated with a degree in Fine Art from Coventry’s Lanchester Polytechnic, now Coventry University. While confirming his skill and passion for painting, his time at Lanchester Polytechnic introduced him, in his second year, to Jerry Dammers. And, together they formed what would become one of the defining bands of the decade.


Whilst studying Fine Art in the mid-Seventies, Horace was immersed in art theory and conceptualism, exploring and interpreting the art of ancient civilisations, such as the Mayans. Even then, Horaceʼs influences were eclectic, ranging from the minimal sculptures of Donald Judd and Robert Morris to the post-abstract-expressionist paintings of Kenneth Noland, Morris Louis and Robyn Denny.


The artist’s work reflects a broad range of influences, ranging from Pop Art to iconic forms of religious and political propaganda, culminating in colourful, highly stylised, ultra-modern images. Panter creates his own unique form of iconography, admitting he is fascinated with orthodox icons, seeing them as art with a purpose: “You want your crops to grow you pray to an image, that’s purposeful”.


While acknowledging their functionality as venerated objects, he simultaneously recognises their beauty as cultural artefacts. The subjects of his paintings, often, lone figures against stark backgrounds, beg the question “who and what is important enough to take centre-stage, to be idolised”? This could also be a subconscious reference to his own experience as a musician on the stage, translating his experience of a performer, thrust into the limelight, in his paintings, where, as Pop Art dictates, the object is ʻelevated' from the ‘mundane’.


After the success of his first solo exhibition at The Strand Gallery in London in November 2011, Horace has recently exhibited at the White Room, in Leamington-Spa and Bath, and the Penny Lane Gallery in Liverpool.


In the ‘I Want More Life...’ exhibition, which will be held as part of the MOSAIC Art Trail, during the Kenilworth Festival, BRINK will be presenting a series of works featuring Horace Panter’s iconic Robots and Hoodies. Alongside these works, BRINK will also be showcasing a small series of unique, one-off, mixed media works by Tim Robottom.


The private view will be held on Saturday, 5th May 2012 from 7pm.


The Talisman Theatre and Arts Centre is open 7:00pm show nights (see www.talismantheatre.co.uk for details) and 8:00pm every non-show Friday.