Charles Debenham
Artist Space
August 19 – September 16
Charles Debenham has made a name for himself as one of the most prolific and respected voices of landscape and urban painting in East Anglia. His residency in firstsite’s Artist Space celebrates over 50 years of painting practice.
From the outset, the former student of the Colchester School of Art and Design, has captured unexpected and surprising elements of life. For any local historian, Debenham has played a fundamental role in documenting the physical and social changes to town of Colchester over this extended period.
Early work documented a now lost Colchester of the 1950s, recording the bustle of a post war town looking to the future. Recent work humorously captures the changing use of shops and other buildings on the High street, from X to Y, A to B. His work continues to be characterised by its attention to detail; usually wonderfully mundane detail: a dog sniffing the pavement, a woman laden with heavy shopping.
Fifty years on and visitors to Colchester still turn a corner to be greeted by Charles’ distinctive moustache, the small wooden block clamped into the tall easel, matched by the pallet, paint brush and all weather gear.
Subjects are deliberately obtuse or banal, and often ignored by the majority of passers by. The abandoned curry house, the tattoo parlour, the betting shop in the rain. These are images of little merit invested with the greatest possible care.
The paintings, highly detailed but often with a dreamlike vagueness remind the viewer of a memory. The close cropping of many of the paintings, displayed in small wooden squares add to an idea of snatched recollections, filed and stored for posterity.
In the past he has been widely known for his book Charles Debenham’s East Anglia, a well known and successful collection of paintings from across the region.
Charles will be based in the Artist Space – a unique facility offered by firstsite that stands somewhere between a gallery and an artist’s studio.
Book Launch
From the other side of the street
Friday 18 August . 6 - 8pm
firstsite is delighted to be publishing this new book, celebrating Charles' 50 years painting Colchester and its neighbouring villages. Join us for the book launch, buy a copy at the special exhibition price of £25 and have it signed by the artist.
Admission Free
No need to book
