‘Songs of the Open Road’ opens at Halcyon Gallery

Halcyon Gallery’s latest exhibition showcases the convergence of art and adventure, offering visitors a visual insight into the artistic exploration of unexplored creativity by seven artists. This exhilarating visual odyssey, titled ‘Songs of the Open Road’, premiered at Halcyon Gallery on July 13 and highlights the work of seven esteemed artists. A celebration of the transformative power of visual art, the showcase explores journeys both monumental and personal in the lives of the respective artists. The creative exploration inspired by the likes of Bob Dylan and Claude Monet is celebrated, with each reflecting on their own journeys from across America to hiking along the Normandy coastline.

Inspired by Walt Whitman’s poetic celebration of discovery, ‘Song of the Open Road,’ the show pays homage to the 19th century technological innovations that revolutionized artistic practice, allowing artists to travel far and wide with portable equipment and embrace life’s spontaneity. in the open air painting. ‘Songs of the Open Road’ promises a profound exploration of the artistic instinct to wander and invites visitors to engage with contemporary responses to these enduring traditions of creative discovery.

This showcase has made a significant addition to its prestigious line-up by introducing the works of Robert Montgomery, a creative celebrated for his dual prowess as both an artist and a poet. Montgomery’s spotlight will feature his renowned light sculptures, which have graced public spaces and monumental landscapes around the world, combining his evocative poetry with visual artistry. His earlier works will also harmonize poetry and landscape, influenced by his romantic sensibilities akin to those of JMW Turner and Casper David Friedrich. Montgomery’s works will be contrasted with paintings by Bob Dylan, highlighting their shared admiration for vast landscapes and a shared quest to reconnect with nature.

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Works by contemporary British master David Hockney and Spanish painter Pedro Paricio are exhibited alongside Montgomery. Inspired by Hockney’s images of Southern California, Paricio’s “Master Landscape” series reinterprets iconic landscapes such as the Hollywood Hills and Pacific Coast Highway in his signature geometric style. Hockney’s dynamic “Snail’s Space” prints accompany Paricio’s works, offering a reflective dialogue on California’s winding roads.

Claude Monet’s “Le Val d’Antifer” (1885), a remarkable demonstration of the Impressionists’ ability to capture fleeting moments in vivid and intricate detail, will also be on display among these contemporary masterpieces. In honor of the movement’s anniversary, digital artist Dominic Harris will unveil “Blue Visions of an Iridescent Soul,” an immersive installation inspired by nature. This captivating work magnifies the intricate structure of a butterfly wing, echoing the innovative brushstrokes of Impressionist painters and translating the ephemeral beauty of the natural world into the digital realm.

The exhibition will also present a new work by Ernesto Cánovas, The road to the top, that brings together fragments of an otherworldly landscape, playing with the nostalgic imagery of a typical American road trip. Exploring the relationship between photography, history and collective memory, Cánovas works with various vintage sources, digitally manipulating images and transferring them onto wooden panels. The hazy, edited quality of the photographs appears as a hazy memory or an ethereal dreamscape.

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‘Songs of the Open Road’ is on view at the Halcyon Gallery’s flagship exhibition at 148 New Bond Street until 1 September 2024.

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