26 January 2007

Black Button - new exhibition at University of Dundee

Photo opportunity: 6pm, Lower Foyer Gallery,
Friday January 26th

The Cooper Gallery presents a solo exhibition of watercolours and sculptures by Glasgow-based artist Henry Coombes. The preview is Friday 26th January 6-8pm, with the exhibition running 27 January to 24 February 2007.

Henry Coombes is one of six artists that will represent Scotland at the 52nd Venice Bienniale this year, in the exhibition ‘Scotland and Venice 2007’. He has also recently been short-listed for a Creative Scotland Award.

The small watercolours on exhibition create strange, surreal, figurative worlds that are inspired by where the artist made them, everyday happenings, memories from his childhood and his interest in the Old Masters. Not all of them were produced in the studio. One was made whilst Coombes was delayed for a day in Madrid airport, another few were made in a hotel room in Los Angeles where the artist recently completed a month long artist residency.

Aswell as this solo show in the Cooper, on show in Lower Foyer Gallery is the results of a two day workshop Henry led with 3rd and 4th year students at Hospitalfield House in Arbroath. Hospitalfield is a Residential Arts Centre for artists' residencies and project workshops for the promotion of contemporary arts and international exchange. Taking Hospitalfield House’s historic collection as a starting point, the students then worked in an experimental way with plaster, clay and anything to hand, in the studios that are part of Hospitalfield’s facilities. The results of their workshop can be seen in the exhibition ‘The Golden Hammer: A workshop with Henry Coombes at Hospitalfield’ in Lower Foyer Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee. This exhibition runs 27 January to 10 February.

For further information, please contact University of Dundee Exhibitions Department Curator, Jenny Brownrigg 01382 388017

Editors notes:
Coombes was born in London in 1977 and completed his BA at Glasgow School of Art in 2007. He is based in Glasgow and represented by commercial gallery Sorcha Dallas, Glasgow.

Cooper Gallery and Lower Foyer opening hours: Monday to Friday / 9.30am - 5pm, Saturday / 10.30am - 4.30pm