23/09/2007

"Between The Rock and a Hard Place"

“Between The Rock and a Hard Place” is an exhibition of Rock paintings and images by Gibraltarian artist Paul Cosquieri (COSQUI). The exhibition is organised by the Gibraltar Fine Arts Association and will be held at the Fine Arts Gallery, Casemates Square, Gibraltar, as from the 23 September 2007. The exhibition comprises around thirty large format paintings in different media, together with a selection of drawings and watercolour studies.

Paul Cosquieri, a graphic designer and advertising man by trade, is no newcomer to the Gibraltar fine art scene, having taken part in numerous art competitions and exhibitions over the last few years. He recently submitted a painting to a “cross border” exhibition held in La Linea and organised by the “Mar del Sur” association, whose main aim is to foster cross-border relationships between Gibraltar and La Linea.

Paul’s paintings have achieved considerable success over the years, having obtained various major prizes in Gibraltar art competitions. These include First Prize in the Gibraltar International Exhibition in 2005, Second Prize in the Gibraltar Spring Festival 2004, and also the Gibraltar Theme Prize in the Gibraltar Spring Festival 2005.

The title for his latest exhibition is no coincidence. Paul has been renowned for his fascination with the shape of The Rock and the many varied depictions of the Rock of Gibraltar in his “Rock Formations” series. However, this time around his aim is somewhat different. Every painting, and indeed image, in this exhibition depicts the same constant view of the north face of The Rock, yet none is the same. Every single painting is a different quest, and shows that subject matter can be a secondary issue for an artist who is really searching within himself and looking at deeper concepts within art. Paul has used this unique approach for a very precise reason. Following his first solo exhibition in 2005, in which he exhibited all his early work and which was mainly a pot pourri of the work of a “young” artist with many undefined and at times immature ideas and concepts, this exhibition now carries on from there and shows the work of a much more “mature” artist. Paul now clearly aims to define his style and set the trend for his future work and artistic path. Subject matter is not really important in this exhibition, which is why Paul chose such a well-known theme in Gibraltar, one that is very close to his heart and his art, and used it as a trampoline to launch his career as an artist. It is as if he was trying to “shake off” his infatuation with the Rock as subject matter and at the same time take the plunge and open his art to a wider audience. It is clear from the paintings in this exhibition that Paul has been “caught between a rock and a hard place”, but it is just as clear that he now has a vision and knows where he is heading. When asked about this, Paul did not hesitate to state that he has already embarked on a new road and concept for his next exhibition, which he intends to take abroad.

Gallery

• 
  • Knitted Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Wool on canvass
• 
  • Pollock Rock Colour
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic and Xerox copy on canvas
• 
  • Pollock Rock B/W
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic and Xerox copy on canvas
• 
  • White Stencil Rock
  • SOLD
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray on canvass
• 
  • Black Stencil Rock
  • SOLD
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray on canvass
• 
  • Red Stencil Rock
  • SOLD
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray on canvass
• 
  • Green Stencil Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray on canvass
• 
  • Blue Stencil Rock
  • SOLD
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray on canvass
• 
  • Yellow Stencil Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray on canvass
• 
  • Pink Stencil Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray on canvass
• 
  • CMYK Stencil Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray on canvass
• 
  • All Quiet on the Norther
  • SOLD
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic on canvass
• 
  • Sack Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic spray, paint on hesian on canvass
• 
  • Rock & Roll
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on canvass
• 
  • Lament for the Rock. green
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Watercolour and acrylic varnish on canvass
• 
  • Lament for the Rock. pink
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Watercolour and acrylic varnish on canvass
• 
  • Yellow Chronicle Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on Xerox copy on canvass
• 
  • Lament for the Rock. black
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Watercolour and acrylic varnish on canvass
• 
  • Yellow Sky Dripping Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Watercolour and acrylic varnish on canvass
• 
  • Lament for the Rock. blue
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Watercolour and acrylic varnish on canvass
• 
  • Love on the Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on canvass
• 
  • Financial Times on the Rock
  • SOLD
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on canvass
• 
  • Tourist Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on canvass
• 
  • Gibraltar Our Own Land
  • SOLD
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on canvass
• 
  • Bleeding Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic on Xerox copy on canvass
• 
  • Bleeding Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on canvass
• 
  • Charcoal & Watercolour Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Charcoal & watercolour on canvass
• 
  • Charcoal & Watercolour Rock
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Acrylic on Xerox copy on canvass
• 
  • Between the Rock and a Hard Place
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on canvass
• 
  • Rock Soldiers
  • *P.O.A.
  • 100cm x 100cm
  • Mixed media on canvass