Dates

• 2 - 31 March 2023

Igor Tcholaria was born in 1959 in the small town of Ochamchiri on the coast of the Black Sea in Abkhazia, Georgia. During his school days, his teachers noticed his exceptional talent and suggested that he apply to the prestigious Art College of Sukhumi. Tcholaria spent the next three years there studying under the guidance of artist Givi Guergaya. After completing his studies at the College, Tcholaria moved to Leningrad to study at the University of Arts named after Vera Mukhina.

Tcholaria became one of the first artists in the Soviet Union who earned a living by painting portraits in the street. During Gorbachev’s Perestroika, Tcholaria was noticed by the owner of Cenacolo Gallery in Piacenza, Italy. Intrigued by Tcholaria’s talent, the Italian art dealer offered to collaborate with him, the start of an artistic venture abroad. In Italy he had his first solo exhibition, soon followed by shows in Greece, Belgium and Netherlands, along with auctions and art fairs. Among other commissions, he was asked to paint two four-meter long murals for famous ocean liner, the Queen Mary II. In 2009 he won the gold medal for his aerographics on the latest Volvo C70, exhibited at the Millionaire’s Fair in Moscow

• 2 - 28 February 2023

Penny Crofts - the exhibition ‘Heatwave’ of the artist's latest artworks.

Penny Crofts studied Fine Art at Central Saint Martins’ College of Art and Design, London, England, graduating with a BA (Hons) Fine Art in 2002. Her first solo exhibition was in 2006, and since then she has had further exhibitions around the UK.

Penny’s work is continually evolving and she continues to push the boundaries with her unique brand of art, using thermography as a starting point to reflect on the world in which we live.

Climate change is becoming particularly relevant to her paintings, the new challenges it brings with the UK perpetuating to be a tropical climate, a distinct change from the moderate climate we have been used to. Heatwaves are becoming more prevalent in this country with the hottest day ever recorded in 2022.

Some of these paintings also contain imagery of Olympic champion athletes which have been translated on to canvas using acrylic paint. They reflect the power, talent and determination through the vibrancy of colour. However, the initial source of the imagery, using a thermal camera that records heat instead of light, is a true reflection of warmth which is effecting our world today and in the future.

• 2 - 31 January 2023

Ashkal - the exhibition 'The Death Of Cleopatra' of the artist's latest artworks.

'My depiction of the series " The Death of Cleopatra " an event that occurred on August, 30 BC, in Alexandria is based on surrealism.
As an artist, I work hard and that hard work includes my study, research, and efforts to develop paintings that speak both to me and to others and what inspires me to portray The Death of Cleopatra which has been depicted in various works of art throughout history is the narrative itself and the way Old Masters portrayed it.
Cleopatra was the most beautiful woman of her era but she regardless of her looks was certainly a formidable leader—and one of the most powerful members of a Greek dynasty that dominated Egypt for more than three centuries.
As the Queen of Egypt faced with the prospect of losing her kingdom, she killed herself by allowing an asp (Egyptian cobra) to bite her.
I was very much inspired by this famous subject matter that I decided to represent a historical event in my manner.'

Ashkal