Taking its title from critic Waldemar Januszczak’s rundown of the 2016 Abstract Expressionism exhibition at the Royal Academy – ‘there is not enough emotion in our art any more. We think too much and feel too little’ –
The paintings having a hypnotic quality to them – simultaneously drawing the viewer in and providing a sense of freedom.
In her second solo exhibition, abstract painter Alice Boyle works on hardboard with layers of plaster to inspire feelings of petroglyphs on ancient caves, etching marks into the drying surface with tools, forging a sense of spontaneity and dynamism. Titles such as Resist Resisting and The Great Balancing Act reflect this, conjuring up images of movement and flow, tension and release. The paintings display broad, expressive brushstrokes in cold tones, highlighted with flashes of bright reds, pinks and oranges. Appearing in the specially adapted Edinburgh Ski Club building, the show is small and intimate, giving a sense of winter, while the warmer hues of the paintings bring forth a sense of hope and regeneration. The paintings having a hypnotic quality to them – simultaneously drawing the viewer in and providing a sense of freedom. This message comes in symbolic form through the painting’s composition. Patterns and repetitions which represent over-thinking are laid over a less busy background.
Boyle suggests her artwork is about ‘the journey of learning about the spirit of the world and ourselves and accepting all the imperfections. I want people to feel there is joy and playfulness within my work and titles, which comes from enjoying the process’. This show most certainly highlights this and the feeling of delight within the paintings is infectious. I can’t help feeling the space somewhat limited Boyle – her paintings sometimes feel as though they were destined for a much grander scale, however this was clearly exchanged for a pleasing sense of intimacy within the rooms.