Mirage Series, 1976, gouache on paper, 57 x 38.3 cm, BGT1647
Mirage
Hales is delighted to announce Mirage, a solo exhibition of works by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (b. 1912 St Andrews, UK – d. 2004 St Andrews, UK) – a pioneer of British abstraction and a prominent member of the St Ives group. Barns-Graham’s first solo show with the gallery pinpoints key recurring themes throughout her seven-decade oeuvre, reflecting her deep engagement with nature.
The exhibition, Mirage, takes its title from a 1970s series which explores ethereal and atmospheric plays of light on the earth’s surface. Barns-Graham’s stimulus often came from the landscapes she explored, Cornish seascapes from living in St Ives to travelling frequently – including to the volcanic areas of Lanzarote and the beaches of Orkney. Drawn to rugged rock formations, her work demonstrates a fascination with stratification and the shifting rhythms of the natural world. Returning to her experience of place throughout her career, the works show Barns-Graham’s evolving strategies and complexities of composition within her practice.