Lesley Seeger’s "An English Imagination" - Norman Rea Gallery

The evening of Monday 9th saw the opening of Lesley Seeger’s new exhibition at The Norman Rea Gallery in Langwith College. Students and potential buyers came to have a nosey at Lesley’s work and enjoy the numerous bottles of free wine – it was all very pleasant.

Pleasant is probably the right word here. The paintings were ‘pleasant’ enough; you could hang one in your house without it making too much of a statement, or any statement at all for that matter. Considering the stacks of paintings shown you would hope to be able to find some hint of a story, or a message in Seeger’s work, but personally, I couldn’t see past the endless flowers and made-up, gaudy landscapes.

Seeger’s paintings are, in her words: “an expression of vital joyous passion... Baroque in a minimalist world... A celebration of everything that is holy about the physical world.” That’s all very well and good, but I’m not sure the paintings really live up to the description. Perhaps I’m being harsh here?

They are great to look at, and the colours are fantastic, but the overall effect is so busy that no space is left for our own imaginations. In fact, viewing paintings upon paintings of layers upon layers of bright paint and patterns becomes quite overpowering: it’s all a bit ‘too much’. If it’s possible for art to be overwhelming and under whelming at once – this is it.

If you fancy taking a look, the paintings will be up until the 27th, and are incidentally for sale. But priced between £600 and £800 I’m not sure how many buyers Seeger’s expecting to seduce. Fingers crossed for a bit more charisma from the gallery’s up-and-coming photography exhibition. See you at the opening!

Lesley Seeger’s “An English Imagination” showing at the Norman Rea Gallery, Langwith College, University of York from 9th-27th February 2009

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