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Commissions:

• Institute of Advanced Study: Being Human
• Stations of the Cross
• Henley Royal Regatta

Gollon At Henley

RIVER & ROWING MUSEUM COMMISSION BRITISH ARTIST CHRIS GOLLON TO PAINT THE HENLEY ROYAL REGATTA

Background

In 2001, following a solo exhibition of his work, the River & Rowing Museum (with the aid of the Victoria & Albert Museum) purchased for its permanent collection a hinged triptych by Chris Gollon entitled ‘Big Fish Eat Little Fish’. Chris Gollon was then invited regularly to functions at the museum by Chief Executive Paul Mainds, and on one such occasion in 2005 they stood chatting on the deck of a 19th century university barge watching the Royal Regatta races. Mainds, a former competitive rower himself, explained to the artist that there was no silver or bronze medals at Henley, it was all just win or lose, and that as a younger man he had only just failed one year to win it, having trained for many months. Mainds had previously shown Chris Gollon Dufy’s ‘Regatta At Henley’ in the museum’s collection. As they watched the Regatta Mainds asked Gollon how he would paint the Regatta if asked, to which the artist replied that he’d focus on the beauty and pain of the event, in short, upon the losing team. Having lived those emotions himself, Mainds seized on this approach and offered Chris Gollon the commission, which Chris Gollon accepted.

Research

For the Henley Royal Regatta 2007, the RRM arranged for Chris Gollon to be given a rare ‘Silver Pass’, which allowed him access to all areas of the Regatta including the Stewards Enclosure and the Press Box. Chris spent 5 days taking hundreds of photographs and making drawings of the body language of the winning and losing rowers; the latter seeming to lose all strength as their limbs become heavy in defeat. Gollon also observed that these athletic dramas were so often played out against the indifference of a colourful and elegant crowd. This seemed to both add a beauty and a further weight to the sadness of defeat.

Studies

In late 2007, Chris Gollon made 3 monochrome painting studies. One was of women in the crowd, and two were images of single defeated rowers in order to work out the body language of defeat in strong silhouette against sunlit water. He then simplified the images of rowers again further by making 4 editions of silk-screen prints at the Goldmark Atelier in Rutland. To see a short film about the making of the latter, click: Henley Royal Regatta silk-screen print studies . In January 2008, Gollon then completed the first coloured painting studies of his Henley Royal Regatta in the form of a diptych. These sketched paint studies are highly coloured, the right panel showing the huge torsos of the defeated rowers, their heads turned to look at the pretty girls in the crowd. The left hand panel shows the pretty girls and the drinks embodying the elegant social occasion. It had been Gollon’s original intention to make the girls indifferent to the losers, but in this diptych the girls show some sympathy.

Before embarking on the final painting, Gollon painted a first version, pictured here. In the final painting, he chose to make the figures slightly more realistic. In both this and the first version the use of aerial perspective makes the figures and the psychological drama more monumental. The unveiling and exhibition opening at the RRM on May 10th 2008, is the result of a year's work and research. The exhibition will shows photographs and painted studies, which the artist used in making the final work. Gollon has established that the only way to fit in the crowd, the Fawley bar, the bridge and church denoting Henley, and the rowers, is to make the spectator’s viewpoint almost behind the rowers as they pass the finishing line and look to the crowd . The 'Sketched Diptych Study for Henley Royal Regatta' does not yet feature the Fawley bar, the bridge and the church, but has helped the artist see where they will go in the final work. Given the theme of the beauty and pain of sport, the dilemma was whether to depict the girls in sympathy or indifferent to the losing rowers. In the end, Gollon chose the latter, and the pretty girls turn away from the losers, leaving them alone in the anguish of defeat.

Paul Mainds, Trustee & Chief Executive, River & Rowing Museum, said: “As a rower I know only too well the pain of losing at Henley. The emotion of losing and the bitterness of defeat are feelings that bind athletes and fans together, and something to which we can all relate. This is what makes Gollon’s work so powerful and evocative.”

Chris Gollon said: “I am fascinated about human endeavor and the effort required to be the best. Of course there is a flip side, and this is losing. The pain of not reaching one’s goals is something we can all relate to. In a physical sport like rowing the heaviness and loneliness of defeat is touching. I was taken by the drama of the competition, the determination and brutal effort to win, quickly followed by the sharpness of losing. This is what I’ve tried to capture in my paintings.”

Nick Blacknell, Brand Director for Beefeater, said: "As a long-term sponsor of the Boat Race through the 80's and 90's Beefeater has always had a close association with rowing. We’re delighted to be able to continue this association and sponsor this remarkable new commission. Gollon has dramatically captured the drama of competition and we look forward to a successful showing in the USA later this year.”

created on 2008-02-07 19:14:37 by iapgoll