Richard Wathen
19 November 2021 – 15 January 2022

Richard Wathen’s recent paintings depict figures lost in moment of contemplation, listening at walls, pretending to sleep, blowing soap bubbles. The works invite ambiguity. Gender, age, location, time, etc are uncertain. “I was interested in portraying someone at more than one point in their life; taking the Cubists idea of multiple viewpoints and applying it to time”. ‘At no point is their potential narrative complexity figuratively explained or made pictorially palatable’. (1) ‘He creates characters open enough in referential remit to enable ample room for the viewers self-projection’. (2) The figures seem fragile, lost, perhaps considering the incommunicable sensation of begin alive.

Over the past 18 months Wathen has been making watercolours and describes the medium as a wonderful shift from oil paint and perfect for making studies. Frans Kasl Projects is delighted to present ‘Woolgathering’ the second show at the gallery and the artists’ first show of works on paper.

Recent solo Exhibitions include ‘New eyes every time’ MOSTYN Wales, UK, ‘Futures and Pasts’ Atlas House, UK. His work has been included in Group shows at Salon 94, Max Wigram gallery, Blum and Poe, Hauser and Wirth and Galarie Martin Janda amongst others.

Richard Wathen (b. 1971, London, UK) completed his masters in fine Art. At Chelsea School of art in 1996. He lives and works in Suffolk UK.

(1,2) Rebecca Geldard excerpts from her text ‘Exquisite Weirdness’ New Eyes every Time, MOSTYN Exhibition Catalogue.