Rebecca Molloy | The Work
Statement
Rebecca Molloy has trained her brain to see heightened colours, and when talking to people she often see these intense bright colours later transferring this into painting. There are many elements in which she considers when working on a painting, and colour is something that plays a huge part. Molloy aims to create something that looks realistic and is technically good, in contrast using colour to transform the painting into something else. Working with such heightened colour can prove difficult at times and it is a balancing act to avoid the paintings becoming garish and instead remain realistic. Molloy believes that viewer has a preconceived idea of the human form and of the way it looks, its surface and colouring. So when using these various techniques, the viewers engagement with the piece comes from the reaction between their new understanding of the human form and their previous ideas. There is an excitement in portraying something we see everyday, into something very different.
Rebecca Molloy mainly works from photographs, and this is an integral part of the process, enabling exciting perspectives and view points of the human body. When choosing images there are many elements which need to be considered. She requires the images to be interesting and to avoid traditional stereotypes of what a nude, still life or portrait should be. Positioning of the subject matter and the way it interacts with the surrounding space are a focus.
Molloy works on pieces of perspex with speed to ensure that the initial response to the image remains in the piece. She likes there to be a spontaneity within the paintings. Working on perspex means that she can scratch away at the surface and use thin layers of paint to add real luminosity to the final image. Often areas of the paintings are left with one thin layer of paint, so that you can see hints of the back of the perspex.
Having always been fascinated with the aesthetic of the human body, the way it moves, its form, structure and line, Molloy's most recent paintings have been exploring the detail and aesthetic of the face and body rather than representing a particular person. These pieces are experimental in terms of the colour, composition, negative space and cropping of the image, and has opened up endless possibilities of compositions exploring depth, form of the models and also the interaction between them. The aim is to create paintings, which although are centred around realism, have a life of their own, so that they become a vivid and altered version of the original.
CV
EDUCATION
Ba Illustration at Camberwell College of Arts
EXHIBITIONS
2011 Contemporary Group Exhibition @ Dolphin Square, Pimlico, London
2011 Flash Gallery Solo Exhibition @ Soho, London W2
2011 Red Group Exhibition @ Cultivate, Vyner Street, London
2011 Blue Group Exhibition @ Cultivate, Vyner Street, London
2011 Edisyon Group Exhibition, Edisyon Gallery, Istanbul Turkey
2011 FineLine Solo Exhibition @ Elephant Hotel Gallery, Elephant and Castle, London
2010 Pride London Exhibition "Rough and Dandy" @ 10 Gales Gallery, Bethnal Green, London
2010 Twisted & Screwed Solo show, London @ 10 Gales, Bethnal Green, London
2010 The Next Generation ArtBox Auction Group Show@ London Miles Gallery, Westbourne Studios
2007 Life and Death Group Exhibition @ The Kings Cross Church Crypt, London
2006 Truman Brewery Degree Group Show , Truman Brewery, London
2006 Camberwell Degree show @ Camberwell college of Arts, London
2005 Inspired Arts Fair 2005, @ Se1, London Bridge Arches, London
2004 Illustrated Ape, Elephant and castle, London @ Corsica studios
2003 Recorded Delivery, Redgate gallery, London
AWARDS
Year, Award, Name, Location
COMMISSIONS
2012 Amy Winehouse, Norway
2011 Self Portrait, Marrakesh
2012 Flag Artwork ,Olly Murs, Brits 2012
2011 TFL illustrated, London
2011 Flag Artwork, The Sugababes, T4 on the Beach
2011 Mural ,Eat 17 Restaurant, Greater London
2011 Marilyn Monroe portrait, London
2011 Piano, City of London
2001John Lenon Portrait
2011Erykah Badu Paintings on card
2010 1st Class, Canada
2010 Tfl , Canada
2010 Ski, Cananda
2010 Her Stare, Norway
2010 Female Form, Norway
2008 Four seasons, London
2008 Transition, London
2008 x3 Abstract painting, Next Ltd Store worldwide
2007 Josh ,London
2006 Jack Stuart, Notting Hill ,London