In partnership with Bingham Riverhouse, DegreeArt Gallery is delighted to be showcasing an exhibition of iconic images by artists Kate Winskill and Rory Thomas.
‘Icon. What is an icon? When someone is iconic it means they have established a certain kind of legacy possibly, and I think it does come with time. It's something in the arts, I feel. Maybe not, maybe it doesn't have to be in the arts exactly. I'm not really sure. But I don't think you are born an icon.’ - Diana Ross
The exhibition is located in the beautiful Georgian Townhouse on the River Thames and includes digital paintings, collage and photographs taken by the artists. The show commences with a selection of Winskill's Battersea Power Station photos. Kate Winskill created this series of contemporary digital paintings from an original photograph of Battersea Power Station she took in 1978. Then a London teenager with an obsession with photography, weekends were spent with an old SLR shooting City scenes. This image of the iconic Battersea Power Station structure, fully functioning, is important historically and artistically and forms part of the memories of many Londoners still living in the city.
Further works include digital colages overlaid with Rory Thomas' hand written song lyrics.
Book a Viewing: You are welcome to visit the exhibition and the Bingham to sample their restaurant menu or enjoy a drink in the bar or on the terrace overlooking the river.
If you would like to arrange to meet with a member of the team for a viewing, please email Gallery Director Elinor Olisa who will be delighted to arrange this for you.
Private View: 19th September 2024 - Strictly Invitation Only
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Kate Winskill was brought up in London during the 1970s and was deeply influenced by the city's edgy atmosphere. She captured images of the city, particularly Battersea Power Station, and documented music icons who performed at venues like the Rainbow in Finsbury Park and the Brixton Sundown.
In 2010, while studying fine art at Kingston University, Kate rediscovered her photographic archive and began creating a series of digital paintings and collages. These works aim to recreate the London atmosphere she experienced during her formative teenage years and are inspired by the crude screen-printed posters of bands that proliferated on city billboards at the time.
Educated and based in Richmond, artist and musician Rory Thomas pursued his interest in art by earning a degree in Art History at Sussex University. Rory initially began his career lecturing in art history, but a period of ill health led him to change his creative and career path.
Now focused on creating art that incorporates his song lyrics and poetry, Rory describes his style as urban expressionism. His original artworks feature a mix of ink, acrylic, digital collage, and photography, often including song titles and fragments of poems as part of their composition.
His work has a strong visual identity, frequently drawing on mid-20th-century imagery and often telling emotional stories.
