PRIVATE and Public’s director, Chris Clifford, has been on sabbatical since last summer, so his first 2024 exhibition marks something of a return for the gallery.
Cosmos, which opened on International Women’s Day, brings together the work of three female artists – Hazel Wynn, Rups Stewart and Francesca Warner.
“I’ve known all three artists for the last five or six years, and they are all emerging and developing their skills,” said Mr Clifford.
“They are committed and working full-time, having set up their own studios. They didn’t know each other, but they all have very clear interests in the natural environment – they all work with the beauty of nature, the rhythms of the tide, patterns of air, sea and sky – all those cosmological things.
“I though it would be interesting to do a show with the three of them and setting it up this week, they have all connected in really interesting ways and have been a joy to work with.
“This show is really bright and really bold – it’s super-colourful and, in a way, I wanted to do it now because we are right at the beginning of spring. When you come in the evenings after work for the preview nights, it’s still light so there isn’t that winter feeling,” he said.
Cosmos, which is sponsored by Rathbones, runs until 30 March and is open from noon until 6pm on weekdays and from 10am until 2pm on Saturdays.
