Show: 17 – 29 November 2018
Launch night: Friday 16 Nov 7-10pm
Free Workshop: Saturday 24 November 7pm
www.deptforddoesart.com
Paul presents a series of prints that reflect the urban environment to create images that express a dialogue between his experiences of that environment and his inner feelings and imagination. The river Thames and the town of Deptford where he has lived for the past 40 years have a deep and meaningful resonance in many of the prints but he also refers to other areas of London as a source of inspiration. It is important to him that the references to particular places are not lost and considers his pictures to be a “psychogeography” of his life in London. At times he references renaissance paintings that have inspired him and there is also an essence of fantasy and magic realism but all the images have their origin in his relationship with the landscapes, buildings, people and wild life of London.
Paul Prestidge attended Goldsmiths Art College 1969 – 1973. In 1975 he joined an arts-community group based in New Cross called the 395 Association. The group lived and worked together on community projects including the painting of murals, art workshops and working in schools.
In 1978 he formed a mural painting company with Christopher Ryland called South London Murals. This small company painted several murals in the local community including the one opposite the Albany depicting the construction of Deptford station that was replaced by the current mural a few years ago.
In 1983 he organised a mural painting project on the Crossfield estate. Several on the artists were involved. Paintings remaining include the Pink Palace in Frankham Street.
In 1989 he organised a competition to paint a mural in Creekside based on the theme of “Love over Gold” that was once a piece of graffiti in Creekside, Deptford. The mural still exists and it has been confirmed by Mark Knopfler, who used to live on the Crossfield estate, that the graffiti inspired the title of his 1982 album of the same name.
Paul has worked in watercolour and pastels over the last 30 years but has taken a particular interest in digital art as a means of expressing his relationship with the urban environment.
