Bernard Voita 1995

George Shaw

I saw a Shaw the other day in Birmingham in a new accquisitions show, this was the first time I'd seen one since his Ikon show. They suffer very much in reproduction I feel. Looking at one for real I'm struck by an overwhelming admiration for the technique, it seems to pay reference to the pre raphaelite work in the next gallery. It appears at first glance unerringly precise in its vision, almost forensic but its not ,this is most definitely about paint and its application in a particular way.Looking at an old catalogue i am struck by the difference between these painings and the preparatory sketches which are much much looser.

Algernon Newton

I came across Newton's work years ago and was fascinated by their emptiness and the subject matter it seemed so every day, they were painted in the 20's and 30's . There's one in the Harris Gallery Preston , this one is in the Tate and recently I saw a drawing in the Geffrye museum. I liked their precision.