Before the doors even opened at Chris Moon’s second solo exhibition on Wednesday night, the buzz had begun. Or, to be more precise, he’d already sold sixty of the eighty pieces on show.
If you haven’t heard of him yet though, here’s why. Moon is a self-taught outsider artist who has only had one previous solo exhibition. Working from his studios in London, he is making the most of this outsider status. Eschewing traditional institutions he has taken the road less travelled, rising to prominence through independent work and making a big name for him self along the way (and lets face it, everyone loves a wildcard).
So as you can imagine he has a lot to prove – but odds aside – he’s showing a great deal of promise. This, his second exhibition, titled Reverie, showcases a raw talent and dexterity that hints towards a very bright future. Curated by John-Paul Pryor, the show leads the audience through a carefully narrated story of Moon’s large body of stunning paintwork.
Moon’s deft brushstrokes present vivid and intoxicating emotions that enchant the viewer, drawing you into his Reverie. Always though, his snapshots will just escape you – through the memories that he paints for you, he makes you feel like there’s something there that’s just, and only just, out of your reach. He shows you a place in his memory that’s defined by its own elusiveness; a place that you can’t put your finger on – but Moon can.
Most of the works are oil on canvas so the show itself feels like a real tribute to the art of painting. Technique takes centre stage, and his portrayals of softly focused images are supported by expressive bursts of colour; with layers of method that are visible at a closer look.
Whether it’s a lazy urban afternoon or a bleak lanscape, Moon blurs the distance between the artist, the audience and the canvas and lures you into his world. Despite his young age, his work has mature scope and a charged, haunted realism that’s already had him compared to Francis Bacon. It’s fairly safe to say that Moon’s time not at art college has been time well spent.
Event Information: REVERIE can be found at Londonewcastle Project Space, 28 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DP. The exhibition is open until Saturday 13th October.
Open: Monday – Saturday 10am – 6pm, Sunday 11 am- 5pm.
