Contrasts feature heavily in my paintings and never more so than in Checkmate. A painting of the Shard London and a lamp post on the Thames Embankment. The two tall elegant structures on opposite sides of the River, reminded me of chess pieces on a board. Two Kings, in a game of wits.
The dark organic form of the lamppost base. We don’t even see the whole of this lamppost due to its proximity. Two fish-like creatures entwine each other, and the pole with their faces looking down the river. Scales cover their bodies in a textured mass of detail. Above them the decorations cover the pole, flowers and ridges and the plinth below has even more layers and detail.
Deep dark colours hide much of the shaping, from black to blues and browns. White lines, the only relief, picking out the shapes and details, so we can see what it is. The manacing lamppost dominates. The Fish’s eyes watching you. Mouth open, gasping for air. It looks angry, wants to leap back into the Thames, and swim away. It’s alive!
The Shard, by contrast, is light and distant, both physically and metaphorically, lifeless and smooth in texture. Shiny it reflects the light, and buildings around it. Inspired by geometry, the Shard has simple linear profile, next to the undulating outline of a fishpole. The tower reflects light, whereas the other steals it. Iridescent inks bestow a luxurious texture, in contrast to the murky browns and blacks of the sea creatures.
Even the skies around them contrast with each other as a result of colours flowing, bleeding from the lamppost. The Shard is surrounded by speckles like stars in a night sky. The River Thames keeps the players apart. London Bridge, which is the only visible means of crossing. Its low arches and smooth sides catching the low sun in the sky. Below the bridge is more darkness. The river is a barely visible strip of blue, grey and brown, between the dark underside of the arches and the purple top of the embankment wall.
In the painting of the Shard London, energy flows from the buildings, as they reflect the scene on mirror surfaces. Each capturing a private scene and distorting the angles so that the final image is fragmented therefore exaggerating some features, and minimising others.
The Shard is surrounded by buildings, more chess pieces protecting their king from capture. The dark King feels isolated, vulnerable, exposed and abandoned. Is that because he is? Or are his players still nearby? Whatever it may be, certainly he looks ready for a fight.
Check Mate?
Check Mate is one of four paintings chosed for the 159th Annual Exhibition by the Society of Women Artists. You can see the whole exhibition here.
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