30 April to 11 June
Paul Crook’s paintings depict urban and suburban architecture, depicted in a palate of seductive pastel colours. Focusing primarily on the domestic structures that were popular in Europe between the 1950s and 1970s, Crook’s work bring’s new life to the everyday buildings that we tend to overlook.
With today’s stylish new builds, it can be difficult to see the appeal in these mundane, often vulgar locations, viewing their harsh materials and unforgiving layouts as dated. However, in Crook’s eyes these buildings carry echoes of the post-modernist utopian visions of the past, where the aesthetics of the building were as important as its functionality.
Through his use of colour, Crook’s aims to call attention to the hidden beauty in these familiar structures. He hopes the viewer will speculate on the forgotten stories of these buildings. losing themselves in his eerie, colour-soaked world that is so close to our own, yet so different.
“I am interested in the idealised, post-modernist architecture that can be found in simple domestic settings or in a much larger urban context. These places offered a promising, beautiful and perfect future; a place for shelter, escape and happiness. The paintings attempt to explore what remains of this optimistic new world.” – Paul Crooks
