— Grove Gallery announces a provocative new solo exhibition by leading contemporary pop artist Sara Pope opening on 06 December 2023- January 2024
Debuting her first exhibition at Grove Gallery, Red presents a series of distinguished and voluptuous multi-media compositions that seek to capture the sensuality and seductive power conveyed by the most primal of colours.
Psychologist Carl Jung described colour as ‘the mother tongue of the subconscious’ and in a season denoted by the rich and tantalising use of red, Pope explores the power and influence that the colour has over the decisions we make and the emotions we feel.
Pope is widely recognised for her evocative portrayals of the human lips, drawing on her background as an acclaimed fashion designer and magazine art director she infuses her artworks with a polished, seductive aesthetic. The results are glossy and compelling, and in her exploration of the colour red, seek to demonstrate the cultural eloquence of a colour so often synonymised with love, lust, romance and so many other significances, including of course, Christmas.
Sara’s process begins with a makeup brush and a lipstick. She paints the models’ lips, then, using specific techniques of makeup and lighting, begins the process of capturing her subjects’ unique expression, through an extensive photographic study. These shots provide the foundation from which Sara draws inspiration to start her painting. Involving painting several layers of thin-oiled diluted paint, occasionally mixed with lipstick, the layers are blended and smoothed at each stage to create a glossy and tantalising surface. Combine this with an exploration of the colour Red, and the result is a seductive, irresistible portrayal of the human mouth that fuses our primal itches, exposing the colour red’s influence over our autonomy.
Her captivating works continue to take the art world by storm. Having been shown in countless solo exhibitions and art fairs across the world, including Paris’ Next Street Gallery, London’s Saatchi Gallery and the Royal Academy of Arts, Sara Pope has attained her distinction as an internationally acclaimed contemporary pop artist.
By developing her own unique technique and commentary, Pope continues to push her medium and perusal to extraordinary boundaries. Her work bridges her personal reflection of colour with its innate influence and association with the universal beauty of the body – demonstrating the limitless power of the colour red.
The Exhibition is FREE
Grove Gallery – London
Open Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 16:00
156 New Cavendish Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1W 6YW