For the exhibition Kaleidoscopic Realms at Nottingham Castle we were asked to commission two writers to comment on the practice and work of Michelle Roberts and Siddharth Gadiyar.
The writing is used in the exhibition programme which you can download here: Kaleidoscopic Realms Booklet.
We approached Tony Colley, who was an Artist Lead working with Michelle for many years in the Project Art Works studio.
Tony wrote:
When first encountering the works of Michelle Roberts the visual feast in front of us draws us into a world that bridges our engagement with her imaginative reality, a reality we share. The titles provide a point of entry and are readily recognisable: films she’s seen, usually musicals, such as ‘Singing in the Rain’, family holidays, ‘Walking the Dogs’, excursions to exhibitions and places, national events seen on television and so on. However, these realities are imaginatively transformed into images of intriguing complexity, both in their overall composition and in the ever-diminishing detail that fill the interlocking, abstract forms and characters that populate the paintings.
Michelle works slowly and methodically, typically drawing out the composition first which is improvised rather than planned, and completed without hesitation or correction. The composition is then patiently coloured using artist quality felt pens which enable the control and detail she desires. The act of making the work is, of necessity, carried out at close quarters, it’s immersive, her field of vision filled with the evolving image. The viewer is equally and of necessity, drawn into this immersive experience, brief glancing and moving on won’t do. The works, by their very nature, reward slow looking, a process we’re tending to lose touch with the more our attention span is impacted by the digital world.
This slow looking is especially rewarding when viewing Michelle’s folding drawing books. Like the paintings they develop over a period of weeks but unlike them the images are produced sequentially. I don’t know if each image influences its’ neighbour but it’s tempting to imagine the possibility that a narrative is unfolding, if so it’s a narrative without a story. The visual language is recognisably the same but pattern making becomes more pronounced. I think patterns are significant, I can’t tell you why, but pattern-making goes back a long way in our human story and are hard-wired in our DNA. Perhaps it’s the internal logic of patterns that attracts us, or the puzzle-like qualities that absorb our attention.? As with any enjoyable experience take your time, and savour the delights in front of you.
Tony Colley, 2024
For the writing about Sid we approached Angela Pell, a writer, who had know Sid as a child and has connected with his work many times by seeing his exhibitions and through her son Johnny Pell who is also an artist at Project Art Works.
Angela wrote about Sid:
There aren’t many artists whose work I have seen that have left such a lasting impression on me.
I have known Sid for a long time now as my own son Johnny, attended the same school.
Several years later, I was privileged to be present on the day that his work arrived at Phoenix Art Space, Brighton, ahead of his first solo exhibition.
I can distinctly remember the moment that Sid’s huge abstract pieces (which were rolled up) were laid out on the floor, and one by one opened, looked at and discussed.
It was like watching beautiful, exotic, giant carpets being unravelled. I was swept away by the sheer size, colour and captivating joy of each piece. I had a viscerel reaction.
I had heard from his mother Susmitha, how art had allowed Sid to express himself and had provided a space for him to escape into. In one particular piece, Sid had painted, “Siddharth love mummy” all over the painting. This was the first time ever, that he had conveyed that message to her in words.
Understanding some of the numerous challenges Sid faces everyday – and that Sid isn’t able to explain or tell us what any of this artwork means – adds a whole other layer to the magic of his paintings. They become even more mysterious. They have passed through the filter of ‘Sid’, who experiences life in such a different and largely unknown way to the majority of us.
Sid regularly attends Project Art Works, a supported studio in Hastings. The studio offers him access to a place where he can express himself freely – where he isn’t constrained – and he in turn gifts us this incredibly inspiring work.
Andy Cooper, one of the artist team at Project Art Works says, ‘Sid has a contagious energy and paints on a large scale every week. He will work quickly to cover paper and then likes to take his time and observe the way paint or water moves and flows. His work is bold in colour and thoughtfully instinctive in application. We often listen to music in the studio and loose sense of time. We exchange whistles and playful noises. There is a drama to his painting process and we often share a smile or a laugh when we know a good painting is on its way’.
Angela Pell, 2024
Kelidoscpoic Realms is open at Nottingham Castle till 3 November.