Brumfield’s Gallery in Boise Idaho is
happy to be hosting an exhibition of paintings and printmaking by
Corinna Button. The gallery has for some time represented Button’s
printmaking, but it is this British-born artist’s recent move to
Chicago that has created the opportunity for the gallery to show the
artist’s larger scale paintings in this solo show opening on May
4. This exhibition features some of the artist’s most recent
paintings of single female ‘idols’, along side other works which are
drawn from closely observed interactions and social discourse, especially
that between girls and women.
The ‘Idol’ series explores the façade of
modern popular culture. Theses figures are rendered as isolated,
composed, and larger than life. They begin as representations of the
inaccessible status of our revered pop icons. But, the classical way
in which the subject matter is handled also comments on the way in which
the female persona has been historically romanticized in art. The other works
in this show provide a much more ‘real-life’ depiction of women. When
asked why so much of her work features three female figures the artist
comments that, “groupings of girls and women in threes [that] provide a
window into the intimate thoughts and secrets that shape the narrative
of ulterior sentiment.” Her pieces frequently comment on the social
parameters of interaction and communication: the social dealings and
perceptions that make up the human existence.
Corinna Button works in several mediums
and will often combine these, blending painting, printmaking and collage
to create the qualities she is seeking in each individual work.
The results are uniquely textured artworks that embrace both the
deliberate and accidental elements of the artist’s process. Her
bold mark making reveals her artistic leaning towards the German
Expressionists, and she freely admits the influence of artists such as
Max Beckmann, Munch, and Emil Nolde. The gestural nature of her work
dictates a physical and consistent engagement with the pieces, giving each
a sense of immediacy and forthright honesty.
Originally from Sheffield, England, Button
earned her BA (Honors) in Fine Art from Leeds College
of Art. Although continuing to paint, Button adopted
printmaking as her primary medium of expression and earned a postgraduate
degree in advanced printmaking from the Croydon School of Art. Her
exhibition history is extensive, with shows in the US, Hungary, Denmark,
Germany, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Korea, and of course her country of
origin, the UK. Her work is held in a number of
important collections including the BBC, The University of Aberystwyth,
and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. She has
garnered recognition with several awards, including the Printmaking
Prize at the A4 International Open Print exhibition and the Hector
Purchase Prize in 2009. Button’s work is featured in
several publications, such as ‘Extraordinary Sketchbooks’ and
‘Printmaker’s Secrets’.
Corinna Button’s opening event will be
Saturday, May 4th, 6pm – 9pm. Brumfield’s Gallery opening are open to the
public and have a no-host bar provided by 13th Street Pub and Grill. The
artist will be in attendance to discuss her work in person. The
exhibition continues through Sunday, June 2nd. Brumfield’s Gallery
is open seven days a week, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and
Saturday through Sunday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. For further information and
press images, please contact Jane Brumfield, tel: 208 333 0309 or janebrumfield@mac.com.
