I managed to get to see the current group show at Signal gallery and I am glad I did. The shows called Mixed doubles presents works from Dan Baldwin, John Squire, Andrew Mc Attee, Sean Madden and Joram Roukes.

While I am familiar with the first three artists mentioned, I did not know much about the two latter ones – Sean Madden and Joram Roukes and what a shame that is as these two have got very strong and powerful works on display.

Joram Roukes – oil on canvas
Like Dan Baldwin, Joram Roukes does figurative paintings but unlike Baldwin’s works, Roukes’ color palette is lighter making the whole composition a lot less intense. But looking at what those paintings depict – series of layered figures, completely at random – you get for example what looks like a human body but with a bear’s head or a dog’s one, looks closer and you will notice the back stabbed with the back of an aircraft on fire; Joram Roukes’ paintings also have got an intensity in them.

You will have got it by now, Joram Roukes work will probably appear ridiculous to some but also and most probably like a joy for more people. Funny and intriguing could summarize what this is all about.

Sean Madden – bronze sculpture
I did not pay much attention to this artist when I first read about this show, I could blame on the gallery for actually not mentioning an awful lot about him but I should have made my own research so we call it a draw. We are looking here at sculptures work. Not a fan of these type of work, Sean Madden is certainly one of these artists that will make you like sculpture or at least take a closer look at it.

His sculptures for this show are tiny but yet so powerful. The display put together by Signal definitely does some good to emphasize the beauty of these sculptures. When you spot them, you cannot stop looking at them. What could be an angel is hanging above the other sculptures and give the whole installation a mystical dimension.

I have also included pictures of some of Andrew Mc Attee’s and John Squire’s artworks

The show runs until the 5th March 2011

Related links
Joram Rouke’s website – joramroukes.blogspot.com
Sean Madden’s website – http://contemporarybronze.com