PRESS RELEASE
DENBY MEYER | Arboreum
Jan 26 – Feb 24, 2024
DENBY MEYER | Arboreum
26 January - 24 February 2024
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Everard Read London is delighted to present Arboreum – a collection of new paintings by South African artist, Denby Meyer, for her second solo exhibition with the London gallery.
Arboreum arrives amid some of the darkest days in the northern hemisphere and Meyer’s evocative portraits of trees remind us of blue skies to come and anticipate the arrival of spring, with a spray of pink blossoms and an African coral tree in bloom. “Trees can evoke a response on an emotional level,” notes Meyer. “They can conjure memories of a specific time or place we experienced. A palm tree, for me, might be reminiscent of a balmy evening on a tropical island I once visited, or a particular beach promenade.”
“My arboreum is a collection of observations and memories – they embody the significance of our personal response to the many different and beautiful trees around us,” says Meyer.
In this new collection, Meyer continues her practice of recording her observations of nature and seasonal shifts - both anecdotal and universal – prompting us to see the beauty around us and recall what it feels to look skywards though the branches of a towering tree.
Indeed, many of Meyer’s paintings view her arboreal subjects from below. “When we observe, we tend to look at the world around us from a standard vantage point, “ says Meyer. “But shift that view and we see things differently. These paintings are about changing perspective.”
“I’ve tried to look at my subjects through a slightly different lens, zooming in at times, and then zooming out,” explains Meyer. “Or viewing from beneath, or from above. Shifting the way we view our surroundings... If we don’t try and view the world in new or different ways, there’s no room for discovery or change - no room for growth.”
