JENNY POCKLEY
(b. 1972, United Kingdom)
Through thin layers of oil paint emanating from perfectly smooth surfaces endowed with diffused, ethereal light, Jenny Pockley’s monumental cityscapes teeter on the verge of color field abstraction, with clear nods to Rothko, Richter and Turrell. A graduate of the Royal Academy in London, Jenny Pockley’s work has been exhibited in London, Paris, New York and Toronto.
“My paintings appear to be suspended in time. They are still and beautiful; imagery created by the fall of light. Brush marks or evidence of the artist’s activities are absent and the surface is smooth and softened to enhance the mystery in these works. The paintings cultivate the viewer’s emotions and assimilate memories and yet are representative of all times. They verge on the abstract as the viewer becomes absorbed by the subtle play of colours reminiscent of Rothko. For me, the process of how I make the work is vital and says something about the content of the work. The paint quality is made up of thin veils of colour which are washed onto an ultra-smooth gesso surface; the tonal variations built up and softened using the 'wet into wet' process. The materials and surfaces used are key to the work and add to its delicate timelessness and so ultimately as time is spent looking at these paintings, they appear to hover and envelop the viewer. “ - Jenny Pockley