Angela Fewer.
" Rus In Urbe " ( Country in the City ) Acrylic, Plaster and Collage on Canvas, 106 x 106 cms.
" Constructed World " Acrylic and Collage on Canvas, 80 x 92 cms.
It is very interesting for me that these two paintings were selected for the exhibition, as they represent the two sides of my practice. I have always been attracted by dualities, trying to create a harmony with opposites - nature and culture, the natural and the " man-made " abstraction and representation, the painterly and the graphic.. I try to meld these incompatible elements to create a harmony.
" Rus in Urbe " ( Country in the City )
This work affirms the need to look at our cities and built environment and realize the importance of nature to our survival and place on the planet. I manipulate space and structure to render moments between abstraction and representation, moments of reflection on how we live ,and what need to be done for nature to survive within our urban environment.
Rus In Urbe means literally - an illusion of countryside created by a building or garden within a city. Trees and parks provide enormous benefit to citizens in many ways - they are a vital part of urban living for health, well - being and the environment.
Layering, space, line , texture and color make up the painting. The painting is like a collage - there is constant change- elements are repositioned , rearranged ,reassembled , until a satisfactory composition is achieved. The painting is acrylic on canvas and I often add collage, plaster and charcoal.
Constructed World.
This painting represents the more abstract side of my work. Again, there is a melding of opposites - abstract forms and natural features. I am very influenced by the Russian Avant Garde, Ben Nicolson, the Constructivists and the Bauhaus. I am interested in the art, culture and philosophy of Japan and Asia. These influences effect my paintings.
Playing with space and structure I create a push and pull within the flat picture plane.
Color adds to the illusion. Using acrylic on canvas, the paint application creates a mosaic like effect - charcoal provides the line.
This painting is more hermetic and reflective There is an architectural quality, but it contains no representation of architecture. Yet, the influence of architecture is clear. There is a figure/ground relationship, a relationship of nearness and distance between forms. Looking at this painting, the eye attempts to establish relationships, both physical and intellectual.
However, I also introduce some natural feature - a leaflike shape, an abstract tree, some natural form to remind the viewer of the importance of harmony between nature and culture.
My background is in architecture. I qualified as an architect and worked for many years in architecture both in Ireland and abroad. However I returned to college as a mature student and qualified from the Crawford School of Art, Cork in Fine Art. I have had many solo exhibitions and taken part in group shows. I have attended residencies in many countries and this has been an invaluable experience meeting other artists and seeing exhibitions.
I was born in Manchester, England. My family came to Dublin where I grew up, and I am now living and working in Cork. I come from a multi- cultural background and I think this is where my interest in dualities and opposing ideas comes from.
Angela Fewer September 2025.