Tower and Town, November 2019

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Arts Review

September's exhibition at The White Horse Gallery was Wessex Landscapes, a collection of prints and etchings by David Inshaw, a prolific artist who has recently been described in The Spectator as ‘perhaps the greatest living proponent of the English Romantic tradition'.

Born in 1943, David Inshaw’s paintings are held in many private and public collections including Tate Britain, The Arts Council and the British Council. One of his most famous and recognisable pieces, The Badminton Game gained great public attention in the seventies, and was exhibited at the ICA Summer Studio exhibition in London in 1973. His exhibition at the White Horse Gallery was in collaboration with Wessex Gallery Press.

Some paintings leave you empty, flat, unimpressed and emotionless. Others, like David Inshaw’s, do the complete reverse. Originally oil paintings, these prints as well as etchings are simply majestic. Dark, muted, autumnal colours and undertones filled the gallery walls with quiet confidence.

On first encounter I immediately thought ‘Grant Wood’ - rolling hills, square upright houses and just the occasional lonely individual with a somewhat vacant expression. Some prints are like freeze frame photographs, whereas others such as Cricket Game and Bonfire Tree and Moon (my personal favourite) are like slow moving images. The Cricket Game for example, a snapshot of traditional ‘British Summertime’ being played on lush green ground, undisturbed by anything, and Bonfire…, immediately transporting the viewer to those cold smoky evenings spent outside watching fireworks, breathing in the smell of cordite. To use ‘techy’ language, these images reminded me somewhat of the ‘live action’ function on an iPhone - a still image that only moves when you press and hold the screen. Unlike some of Wood’s paintings, Inshaw’s seem more honest, more sincere.

This collection is earthy and tender. His work is terrific.  

Wessex Landscapes was at the White Horse Gallery from 26th September – 13th October 2019.

The next show at The White Horse Gallery will be Nigel Hudson, Savernake Light – Photographs from the Forest: 16th October - 2nd November 2019.

Gabriella Venus