After spending over a decade abroad living in Australia, France and the US, contemporary artist Louise Howard returned to London during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the challenges and uncertainties of the time, this period of life proved inspirational for her art. It was a difficult time personally and financially and Howard found herself musing that as long as she was stocked well in cat food for her feline and wine for herself, she was happy! Reflecting on this period in her life, she felt compelled to create a series of works that echoed the rawness of the time.
In Catfood & Wine is Howard’s latest solo exhibition, bringing together 20 to 25 evocative pieces of art. These works will be available for public viewing for the first time on the 27th of March, opening at an intimate gallery space on 144a Kensington Church Street, a three-minute walk from Notting Hill Gate station.
The exhibition reflects Howard’s signature focus on contemplative female faces and expressive eyes, a recurring theme in her work. Choosing everyday women as her models, Howard grounds her art in the authenticity and relatability of ordinary life. In this collection, she introduces more playful elements into her work, including realistic depictions of everyday objects and even her beloved cat, the mischievous Leonard Cohen.
The title of the exhibition refers to finding contentment in simple pleasures and gratitude at basic necessities when going through difficult life situations which at the time also included a global pandemic. In Catfood & Wine explores themes of resilience, vulnerability and the unexpected beauty that emerges from life’s challenges.
While Howard’s journey as an artist has seen her experiment with abstraction, this collection marks a renewed focus to her love of realism, which can be seen in the intricate depiction of hands for the first time in her body of work. Utilising her mastery of oil painting, sprinkled with several touches of mixed media to create rich textures, her compositions create a deep narrative within each piece. Her use of moody, dark tones balanced with bursts of vibrant hues captures the duality of life.
Having exhibited around the world, Howard has established a unique reputation in the art world. Her latest collection showcases her most emotionally raw and authentic work to date. In Catfood & Wine is unapologetically personal, raw and deeply reflective of her own experiences.
- Goho
