David Hollington

• Artists
• /
• David Hollington

"Animals and birds are messengers, healers and protagonists within the narrative structure of my paintings.

"I feel closely connected to forms of Shamanism where a channel is opened between the human world and the world of animals.  I can't control this process when I am drawing, objects that are undetermined, shift and change shape until I begin to understand what the message is that I am receiving.  At this point a key animal will appear and take the lead, this will be one of my trinity - the fox, the hare or the owl (often white).  Once the animal or bird has taken the lead it will engender the possibility of including a mortal or god, sometimes a Hindu or Celtic deity.  Then the tone of the painting will crystallise, this can take a considerable time, sometimes months, but once it does I begin to see in colour and feel the time of day the story is taking place.

"Obviously folk stories, songs and myths have a huge influence in creating a contextual framework around the more mutable elements within the process of creating a painting.

"Recently a larger spectrum of British garden birds have been making their presence felt.  Everything that happens in my studio is a direct response to the life outside of it, be that birds and foxes teeming in my garden or travel to wild places in Scotland, Ireland or Iceland.  If there is a larger theme then that would be the need to listen to and nurture the natural world, there is a very fine balance and humanity can tip the scales.

"An animal or bird is loaded with many more meanings than I bring to its ancient shape, it becomes a cypher once it has left my hands and alchemically, I would hope, opens an emotional frequency in each individual viewer."

David studied at Harrow School of Art and at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London.

See David's 2011 Rowley Gallery Christmas card here.

Solo Exhibitions

2024
The Cat Becomes A Fountain & Other Stories, Rowley Gallery, London
2023
Hollington's Florilegium, The Rowley Gallery, London
2021
Hollington's Florilegium, The Rowley Gallery, London

2017/18
Ear To The Ground, La Macchina Fissa, Mantua, Italy
2014
Fierce Symmetry / Dear Zeus, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2013
Stay For The Rain, Penny Fielding Gallery, Walthamstow
Apocalypse Of Love, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2010
Saint Kilda, Saint Krishna, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2009
Animal Messengers, Lauderdale House, Highgate
2008, 2007
Gallery 39, London

Group Exhibitions

2015
Hexagon Group, Espacio Gallery, London
2009
Christmas Show, Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London
2007
Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander Award, Mall Galleries, London

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