Jonathan Silverman at Rivington Gallery
Painting huh? People keep trying to write painting off as some kind of outdated artistic relic. 'It's all about installations now, darling, and conceptual interventions and, um, other really modern stuff.' But painting keeps fighting back. Right now London's got the likes of Gavin Nolan, Nadine Feinson, and Will Tuck leading the charge.
And now, there's another name to add to the battalion of painters helping to keep the brush aloft: Jonathan Silverman. I went down to the Rivington Gallery to check out a solo show of this London-based artist. And I was impressed.
Unlike the names mentioned above, Silverman isn't trying to do something radically new or experimental with his medium. Rather, he sticks by and large to nudes and portraits, exploring what these classic forms can still do in the modern world.
Although this is not ground-breaking or challenging in a formal sense, Silverman's work is still consistently engrossing. Why? Because he is brilliant at capturing and creating character. You feel you know the people in these works. Stand-out pieces in this regard are Yoel & Lilly – which depicts a seated man, his young daughter, pinkly, brightly clad and perched on his knee, her face happily agape – and Shirin, a portrait of a raven-haired woman looking over her shoulder, but not quite at the viewer.
My personal favourite though is the specially commissioned Paul Turp, Vicar of Shoreditch Church, the titular Turp, a white-clad modern-day saint completely calm, somehow stern and serene at the same time. And yet, is there a hint of something slightly patronising there? Or is that just me?
Silverman is also a master of gesture, of exploring the language of the body. The best example of this is a pair of simple portraits – Luke and Ed. Both have palms pressed together, fingers pointing skywards. Luke's eyes are open, and his hands seem simply in an incidental pose. Ed, on the other hand, has his shut in deep contemplation. In this context, the clasped hands become a clear symbol of prayer.
Not all of the works are as contended as these however. In Rasputin, we see a Jesus-like depiction of the Russian 'Mad Monk' – his raised lefty hand is somehow blessing and cursing at the same time. Another work shows a young man, in hooded top and glasses, nerves and apprehension to the fore. Silverman's style though – strong, calm, confident and confidential, but with sufficient room for doubt – prevents such works from becoming angsty.
Muted tones and bold brushwork confirm Silverman as a confident painter, utilising rather than revelling in his talent. Painting? Yeah, it's here to stay.
Jonathan Silverman is at Rivington Gallery until 05.11.08.
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