EYES on US

Exhibition title: 'EYES ON US' Venue: Janes James Project Space, Commercial Buildings. (by Normans) Dates: 10-20 November 2022. Private view 10 november 5.30-8.30

Janes James Project Space, Commercial Buildings. (by Normans) Dates: 10-20 November 2022.

EYES on US’ is the first exhibition of paintings, prints, fragrances, soundscapes, immersive experiences, VR and flat films since Nicholas Romeril was the Artist in Resident with Wildlife ACT.  This conservation NGO saves endangered species, in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and the Maloti Drakensberg Mountains in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa

‘Whilst in the bush I was blown away by the animals we encountered. I loved drawing and painting them in my “Field Studio” and while the landscapes set the scene it was the animals who played the principal role for me.

I knew I would engage with the landscape when I returned to my home studio. However, I was not comfortable placing the animals “on show”. They are elusive, shy, and hard to see in the scrubby bush. After several months of painting the landscape, I began to feel that something was missing, so one day, I decided to paint a life-sized rhino.

I worked quickly in black and white. Colour is an emotive distraction, I wanted to simply capture the animal’s majesty, energy and power.

Whilst creating these paintings I became aware of their ‘stare’. Are they suspicious of our intentions? Are they asking us a question? After all, their survival is in our hands. Inspired by this notion, I painted the animals that you see on display and invite you to look into their eyes’.

Nicholas Romeril 2022

A percentage of the sales will be donated by Nicholas Romeril to Wildlife ACT to support their mission