David Manley: 'Epidemic'/'Black North' And 'Since 1843: In The Making' In Nottingham

David Manley, 'Conficiutur (DDA22)', Acrylic On Aluminium, 2013

While I was viewing the exhibition, ‘Pop Art To Brit Art:Modern Masters From The David Ross Collection’, in the Djanogly gallery at the University of Nottingham’s Lakeside Arts Centre, my eye was also caught by some paintings by David Manley, displayed in their adjacent Angear space.  The work represented two series, ‘Black North’, and ‘Epidemic’, with the second selection interesting me especially.

David Manley, 'Epidemic', Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham, January 2014

‘Epidemic’ consists of numerous circular paintings, in acrylic on aluminium, which initially appear abstract in a painterly way, and decorative in intent, but actually represent microscopic views of various viral cultures.  This duality between something operating formally at one scale, and representationally at a very different one, really interested me.  I was also engaged by the tension between Manley’s employment of joyful, heightened colours, - refreshingly and directly applied, and the sinister implications of the viral strains depicted.

David Manley, 'DDA4', Acrylic On Aluminium, 2013

The distribution of a large number of these discs, of various diameters, across a wide expanse of well-lit wall worked really well.  Although each has its own intrinsic qualities, it was their compilation into a greater whole that created the most impact (the micro versus macro is there again), and reinforced the suggestion of germs multiplying before the eyes.

David Manley, 'Epidemic', Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham, January 2014

I thought about the paintings a lot in the few days between my two visits to Lakeside and, amongst other things, found myself reflecting on the sheer painterliness of his work.  It seems very different from my own rather methodical, paint & collage approach to picture making and something that, part of me secretly envies.  As I also work predominantly in acrylics, I was intrigued by the seductive juiciness of his paint, - something that’s not always easy to preserve with the medium.

David Manley, 'Yellow Fever (DDA13), Acrylic On Aluminium, 2013

I’ve since discovered David Manley’s website and blog too, both of which appear to be full of interesting stuff.  I suspect I’ll be spending some time browsing through them in coming days.  He seems to be pretty active within the Midlands, but on the wider painting scene too, and I notice with interest that he also teaches at my hometown of Lincoln’s own University, (Lincolnshire College Of Art & Design In my day, - how time moves on).

David Manley, 'Epidemic', Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham, January 2014

David Manley, 'Black North', Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham, January 2014

The last of my recent exhibition visits in Nottingham was also University-based but this time, at Nottingham Trent Uni.  That institution, (Trent Poly as was), has acquired a strong reputation of Art and design education over the years, both nationally, and within the region.  Their exhibition ‘Since 1843: In The Making’ featured work by alumni of various courses during that period, and included a selection of interesting bits and pieces and some pretty high profile names.

Andy Earl, 'BowWowWow' ('See Jungle! See Jungle! Go Join Your Gang, Yeah! 
City All Over, Go Ape Crazy!), Photograph, Printed 1991 

Jonathan Glazer, Still From: 'Sony Bravia (Paint)', TV Ad., 2006

Amongst these were Andy Earl, whose sleek photography for Pink Floyd and Post-Punk Pop band Bow Wow Wow is instantly recognisable, and Jonathan Glazer, whose TV and Cinema ads could be regarded as masterpieces of the form.  I’m reluctant to pay too much respect to such a compromised genre; this is Capitalist Spectacle in the raw after all.  However, it would be foolish to ignore the wit, elegance and high production values of his work for Guinness, Stella Artois, Nike and Sony.  His tower block exploding in a rainbow of paint, in particular, is a truly delightful image, but I just wish it existed for some reason other than to flog tellys.

David Bachelor, 'Idiot Stick 25', Plastic Bottles, Polycarbonate
Sleeve & Fluorescent Lighting Tube, 2013

Instead, the piece that really charmed me was David Bachelor’s ‘Idiot Stick 25’.  Comprising a totemic column of brightly coloured, plastic bottles, assembled around a fluorescent lighting tube and propped in a dark corner, - it was suffused with a simple, synthetic beauty.  One could argue it utilises a similar chromatic immediacy as Glazer’s Sony ad, but the differences in usage (or uselessness) and intention, seemed to make all the difference.

David Bachelor, 'Idiot Stick 25', Plastic Bottles, Polycarbonate
Sleeve & Fluorescent Lighting Tube, 2013

I often contemplate the distinctions, between ‘Art’ and ‘Design’, and I know you’re going to tell me it matters less and less these days, and that ‘Idiot Stick 25’ is actually just another form of saleable artifact with an ‘Art’ label attached.  Perhaps, I just sense that Bachelor’s exploration of the contemporary relationship between colour, light and synthetic materials came independently of the pay-off, rather than merely to facilitate it.  End of lecture.


David Manley's 'Epidemic/Black North' ran from 16 November - 02 February 2014 at: Angear Exhibition Space, Lakeside Arts Centre, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD.  He is represented by: Tarpey Gallery, 77 High Street, Castle Donington, Leicestershire, DE74 2PG.

'Since 1843: In The Making' ran from 09 January - 07 February 2014 at: Bonnington Gallery, Nottingham Trent University, School Of Art & Design, Bonnington Building, Dryden Street, Nottingham, NG1 4GG.