Einstein & The Jealous Monk

60″ x 48″ (153 x 122cm) acrylic on canvas 2004. This painting was purchased in 2005 by the Huddersfield Art Gallery for its permanent collection, where it hangs alongside Sir Jacob Epstein’s bust of Einstein and works by Francis Bacon, Henry Moore and Walter Sickert.

In 2004, Chris Gollon had begun working on a series of paintings partially inspired by the lyrics and imagery in Bob Dylan’s great 1964 ballad Desolation Row. They were shown by IAP Fine Art in Cork St, London, in two exhibitions Einstein & The Jealous Monk (I) in late 2004, and Einstein & The Jealous Monk (II) in early 2005. Gollon’s images of Einstein came to the attention of the Institute of Physics, London, to promote Einstein Year 2005. This, the  largest work in the exhibition was partially inspired by these lyrics from Desolation Row:

“Einstein dressed as Robin Hood
With his memories in a trunk
Passed this way an hour ago
With his friend The Jealous Monk (…)

You would not think to look at him
But he was famous long ago
For playing the electric violin
On Desolation Row…” Bob Dylan

This painting is also featured in art historian Tamsin Pickeral ‘s book Chris Gollon Humanity in Art (Hyde & Hughes, 2010), endorsed by Bill Bryson OBE.

36″ x 48″ acrylic on canvas 2008. Permanent collection, River & Rowing Museum, Henley-on-Thames. In 2007, Chris Gollon was commissioned by the award-winning River & Rowing Museum, Henley-on-Thames, to paint the Henley Royal Regatta. The commission was co-funded by Beefeater Gin and the American Friends of the River & Rowing Museum. Gollon was given a rare ‘Silver Pass’ for the Royal Regatta of the same year, allowing him access to all enclosures, the press box and the finishing line. Gollon took hundreds of photographs and from them made several painting studies and four editions of silk-screen prints. He finally took the decision to paint the anguish of the losing crew, since there are no silver or bronze medals awarded at Henley, therefore after months of training most crews’ experience is that of losing.

Around them there is in place everything for a joyous day: the pretty girls, the drinks, the colourful attire and the beautiful setting; yet all they can feel is the pain of defeat making their heads drop and their limbs leaden. Gollon painted a colourful diptych study, then two versions of the final work. The River & Rowing Museum chose to own the second version version, unveiled in 2008, which now hangs in the Museum’s permanent collection alongside Raoul Dufy’s Regatta at Henley and works by John Piper and Julian Trevelyan. Further studies are shown, and a detailed story of the commission told, in art historian Tamsin Pickeral’s book Tamsin Pickeral’s book Chris Gollon Humanity in Art (Hyde & Hughes, 2010), endorsed by Bill Bryson OBE. The painting was also reviewed in The Times:

“…tremendously vivid paintings by Chris Gollon that explore the idea of defeat on the water. All defeat is painful – that is what sport means. All glory is measured in the tears of the losers. But in rowing, complete exhaustion accompanies the fact that you are not, in fact, good enough; body and spirit are simultaneously and devastatingly shattered. The poor rowers, exposed in front of us, generally huge men in tiny, ill-fitting boats, can do nothing but show the world their pain.”
Simon Barnes, The Times

A series of silk-screen print studies were also made, which may be viewed in Printmaking.

Big Fish Eat Little Fish

“The roots for this series can be traced back to 2001, to when Gollon had his studio on Platts Eyot island. As an artist working in such close proximity to the river Thames, his work came to the attention of Paul Mainds, Trustee & Chief Executive of the River & Rowing Museum, at Henley-on-Thames. Mainds invited Gollon to stage a solo exhibition of his work as one of several exhibitions including John Piper (1903-92), reflecting how the Thames had affected their paintings. Gollon painted the exquisite Big Fish Eat Little Fish triptych for the exhibition along with a number of smaller studies, all executed with a combination of striking realism and characteristically Gollonesque quirkiness.

The haunting atmospheric effects and naturalism of these works makes them particularly isolated within the artist’s oeuvre, and demonstrates the extraordinary scope of his abilities. Before he commenced painting the triptych Gollon immersed himself in the river not far from his studio to study the effects of light as it filters down through the water; a quite remarkable venture considering his paranoid fear of fish. The painting was a huge success and was purchased by the Museum with help from the Victoria & Albert Museum.”

Text by art historian Tamsin Pickeral from her book Chris Gollon Humanity in Art (Hyde & Hughes, 2010), endorsed by Bill Bryson OBE. 

Magdalene

15” x 13” (38 x 33 cms) single-line, hard-ground etching on Arches Creme 300g fine art paper, 2005. Signed edition of 25. After the edition sold out, a signed artist’s proof aside from the edition was acquired by the British Museum in 2011 for its permanent collection. The etching was made by Chris Gollon at Limberhurst Press (printmakers Ian & Jan Wilkinson)  and published by IAP Fine Art.

‘Magdalene’ is a lyrical single-line, hard-ground etching from an edition of 25. This work is also an official study for his epic series of paintings of the Fourteen Stations of the Cross.

A signed artist’s proof of ‘Magdalene’, aside from the edition, is now part of the British Museum’s permanent collection, and is housed in the Department of Prints and Drawings.

St Ethelflaeda

Site-specific diptych: each panel 59″ x 20″ (150 x 50cm), acrylic on canvas 2016. Purchased by the grade-one listed Romsey Abbey, Hampshire, and permanently installed. This work shows the legend of the 10th century Abbess St Ethelflaeda, when at the moment when she entered the Abbey a gust of wind blew out her candle, but a Divine light then emanated from her fingers enabling her to carry on her lecture of the Bible. As ‘Incarnation, Mary & Women from the Bible’, Chris Gollon’s national touring exhibition to English Cathedrals, came to Romsey Abbey in October 2016, he was very taken with the various legends of St Ethelflaeda and asked if he might paint her, specifically for an arcade of  bare stone niches in the south nave. Gollon’s diptych painting seems to create a passageway through which St Ethelflaeda re-enters the Abbey from the nunnery. As it was unveiled, there was a strong feeling among onlookers that her presence was suddenly felt again in the Abbey. The installation in 2018 was accompanied by the publication of an ISBN-numbered fine art catalogue, with texts by leading writers including Sara Maitland. Available from Abbey shop or IAP Fine Art.

Fourteen Stations of the Cross

Church of St John on Bethnal Green, a grade-one listed church designed by Sir John Soane, loaceted next to the V&A’s Museum of Childhood, London. Fourteen site-specific paintings, permanently installed in this beautiful Soane Church. Installed in 2009, then blessed by Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, this series of major works attracted much critical acclaim and national press. For more details, click: Stations of the Cross

Human

48″ x 36″ (122 x 91cm) acrylic on canvas 2009. Permanent collection, Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University.  In 2009, Chris Gollon was made a Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University, and invited to be its First Artist In Residence in order that he work with some of the world’s leading thinkers on the Being Human project. In that time he produced a remarkable series of works, and a catalogue was published featuring them and text by the thinkers. For more information and images: Being Human.

In The Beginning

36″ x 24″ (91 x 61cm) acrylic on canvas 2008. 48″ x 36″ (122 x 91cm) acrylic on canvas 2009. Permanent collection, Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University.  This painting forms part of Gollon’s Early Thoughts series, painted in 2008 in preparation for his time at the institute the following year. In 2009, Chris Gollon was made a Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University, and invited to be its First Artist In Residence in order that he work with some of the world’s leading thinkers on the Being Human project. In that time he produced a remarkable series of works, and a catalogue was published featuring them and text by the thinkers.

Gregorian Singer

30″ x 20″ (76 x 51cm) acrylic on canvas 2008. St Mary’s College, Durham University. Whilst Chris Gollon was Fellow and First Artist In Residence at the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University, he was given an appartment to reside in, within the bounds of the University’s beautiful St Mary’s College. He often attended the College’s formal dinners with the Principal and Masters. To thank them and the College for their many kindnesses, he donated this painting to the St Mary’s College collection for students to enjoy.

Still Life, St Mary's series

18″ x 14″ (46 x 35cm) acrylic on canvas 2011. St Mary’s College, Durham University. Following the success of Chris Gollon’s time as Fellow and First Artist In Residence at the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University, in 2009, he was invited to return in 2011, this time as Artist In Residence at St Mary’s College. He was once again given an appartment to reside in, within the bounds of the University’s beautiful St Mary’s College. It was summer terms and he very much enjoyed attending the College’s formal dinners with the Principal and Masters, and also the Summer Ball. To thank the College for their many kindnesses, he donated this painting to the St Mary’s College collection, writing St Mary’s College on the port bottle’s label.

Julian of Norwich (IV)

30″ x 22″ (76 x 56cm) acrylic on paper 2015. Purchased by the collection of the University of East Anglia for its new Julian Study Centre.

Here is an excerpt from Sara Maitland’s foreword to the exhibition Incarnation, Mary & Women from the Bible catalogue:

“…..more light heartedly, look at Julian’s spectacles. The first mention of reading-glasses comes from Florence in 1306 (in a sermon); Julian was born in about 1342 – so it is just about possible that she really did have a pair. But that is not the point: spectacles were associated early on with scholars. During Julian’s life time portraits were made of Cicero and Aquinas wearing spectacles (in some cases they were even added on to older –pre-spectacle-invention – paintings, as the recognised symbol of learning.) Julian was the first woman to write a book in English, the account of her ecstatic visions of God’s love. In giving her these neat pince nez, Gollon is claiming something for her – scholarship – not usually allowed to women, but from within a tradition that has no problem with symbolism.

These are not just powerful, beautiful and moving mages; they are also immensely subtle and profound engagements with two of the major historical strands of European iconography. They pull women into these dense webs of meaning in a way that is intelligent, truthful and deeply playful – in the most serious sense.”