7 January–1 February 2023
100 Prints, 100 Days is a new show of work by printmaker Dale Devereux Barker on display at Bircham Gallery in January 2023.
"This suite of linocuts came after another large body of prints called '100 prints of Solitude' made during the last Covid lockdown in January 2020. These works were an explosion of pent-up ideas natured after a printmaking drought of eight months. Like the prints of Solitude, this newer suite deliberately operates to a given size format of a 12x12cm linoblock. This means the series binds itself together like pages in a book yet allows me to explore as many subject matters and techniques as I can muster. Both suites shared a kind of visual diary theme, with thoughts, feelings and possibilities being able to be looked into at will.
'100 prints of Solitude' deliberately had a time span set by myself to complete itself; exactly one month. The ensuing 100 prints, 100 days allowed more time for deliberation, introspection and experimentation. But, things happen with the 'difficult second album'!
Whilst the series started well with ideas (stockpiled) being released quite smoothly in the initial period of production. This gradually slowed down to me being happy with barely a single image being made per week. In retrospect, I see this as a good thing as my expectations from the suite had climbed much higher than the initial series. I gave myself time and freedom and the final 100 unique works you see in this exhibition have been whittled down from some 400 works. Even though the linoblocks have been cut and can obviously be re-printed, variations in colour have been made so each image is totally unique.
But what of ideas and themes? A year in anyone's life is filled with events large and small and a million thoughts are mulled over. I look back at this sequence now and see the passing of my father, a world of post Covid 'normality', the embracing of new artists influencing me (particularly Keith Vaughan), a delight in the colour possibilities of 'offset' printing, a revisit to the anarchy of Chine Collé and a reminder to surprise myself by printing blocks upside down, upon themselves and risk ruining everything.
Whilst the title of the shown seems to suggest a seamless continuum pre-planned and carefully executed, this was far from the case. The 100 days may, in all honesty, be an ambition rather than the actuality. But a show entitled 2097hrs, 57mins and 10secs seems too ragged. Maybe next time?" Dale Devereux Barker 2022
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Dale Devereux Barker is an artist working across a variety of media and scale. He is particularly well known for his use of lino and this exhibition showcases the depth of knowledge and unique approach in using this material combining a celebration of colour and form with warmly engaging subject matter. The events of everyday life are transformed into colourful images loaded with humour and feeling. Objects about the home, mealtimes, figures in interiors or engaged in daily activity all take on a new life through his very personal imagery.
Dale studied at Loughborough, Leicester, and at the Slade School of Art and has gone on to lecture in printmaking and creative practice. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers in 1996 and has exhibited widely in London, throughout Britain and abroad. He now lives and works in Suffolk.
