Claire Whitten

F a c e t o F a c e w i t h C l a i r e W h i t t e n



Fitzwilliam Street, oil on canvas


If one word could sum up what Claire's Whitten's paintings are all about, I would choose 'mystery'. In her earlier work she was drawn towards the mystery of cathedrals, investigating and exploring the architectural shapes and spaces. Lately she has been painting mysterious cityscapes of a Belfast in the aftermath of 'The Troubles', 'a place in transition...in twilight, portraying images of empty streets and wide-open areas waiting to be filled with new enterprise'. There's another mystery evident; the fact that her earlier paintings seem to radically differ in style from her latest paintings, is just a small detail.

"It's just the subject matter that's changed," she says.

I find that statement intriguing, since she's obviously seeing something the rest of us dont. Standing in the gallery, the paintings numbered 1-8 are vividly coloured, abstract and full of opposing forces. Turn forward to take in paintings 9-11, and the colours are growing more subdued, and the spaces inside the canvass less crowded. To one's right comes the real surprise: 'spectral imagery' steeped in low light. Yet, the more time one spends in Claire Whitten and her paintings' company, the more things come together.

I met the artist at the talk she gave in the Portadown Millenium Court Arts Centre, where she is currently exhibiting. She is unpretentious, fresh and easy to talk to. The words she used to describe her painting, were 'instinctive', 'explorative' and 'experimental'. Her earlier work was all done from the imagination, her latest works - 'Fitzwilliam Street', 'Castle Street' and 'Ormeau Avenue' were done from snapshots and drawings, thus more figurative.

A visitor to the artist's talk observed that it was possible to zoom in on a section of one of Claire's later paintings, and arrive at a point where it would be very similar to her earlier abstract works. It does seem as if she has moved back from her subject, and painted with a clearer perspective, leaving the observer with a sense of her greater confidence in painting. The fact that all the later paintings are framed, whereas most of the earlier ones are not, seems to suggest that the later ones are more resolved. As the leaflet accompanying the exhibition states:

'The paintings not only demonstrate skill and aesthetic awareness but the content and theme of work equally as compelling... Whitten uses moody colours and tones creating a set of extraordinary and haunting pieces of artwork that both intrigue and mystify the viewer.'

It would be interesting to see if Whitten could maintain the intensity of her earlier painting, her sense of exploration and dealing with conflicting issues - and integrate that with her new innovations.

Colin Davis

I n s t i n c t i v e A r t
Catch a glimps of some Art on the run in Armagh


'Prussian Mist': Inked Lithographic Plate by Colin Davis

My teenager phoned from school in Armagh today, not feeling well. I arranged for her to leave early and picked her up for a bit of art therapy! She was whipped into the car and into the Armagh Market Place Theatre Gallery - for a quicky. It was just round the corner of the school, and how could we let such an opportunity pass us by? I'm not so sure she was very impressed with me, but I did put her in bed with a hot cup of sweet tea when we returned home

And the art? The exhibition was named 'Animal Instinct', featuring eighteen paintings, drawings and prints by Lurgan-born artist Colin Davis. Just listen to some of the titles:

…Spirited Journey ...Final Lap ...Blue Spirit ...Solitary Flight ...The pursuit...

My poor listless girl must have felt very miserable, looking at the energy and life oozing from the pictures on the wall. She did pick up, though, when we started analysing what we saw. Her commentary started off with 'this is boring' and grew into a proper critical appraisal:

‘What’s he painting with? It looks like... yes, charcoal’
‘He uses the same image over and over’
‘It’s messy’
‘I like that one most - it looks like it's moving more than the others’
‘This foot bothers me, sticking out like it's out of proportion’

There you go - the harshest art critics on this planet must be teenagers. The one she liked best was number two, ‘Final Lap’. The artist used the same three images for a number of different versions in technique, colouring and intensity. There was the sprinting canine - which we both loved - the running horse and the elk. I loved the elk; he seemed caught in a moment of fright or surprise, tangled in blotches of paint and angry dirt smearts. It was the running horse that Alana had problems with, since its one front leg jutted out unnaturally, making it look rather stationary for the overall theme of dynamic movement.

I played counsellor to the sick by leading her to one unique print of a blue mare's head, her ears flattened and her eyeball glistening white through the layers of scratches and ominous deposits of blue ink (or paint, I can't be sure). Number eighteen, it was, entitled ‘Equus I'.

I said in her ear:

'See, my darling, how frightened and angry she looks... as if she's desperate to escape from the oil and pigment, causing splashes of midnight blue to splat in all directions... look how she kicked and scratched the paper'

Well, I had to make it compelling and captivating for the darling little philistine! So shoot me.

To be fair, I loved the tactile and vivid quality of the art. It made me long to get in there and get dirty, dropping greasy fingerprints all over, as the artist had done... very warm, human and personal.

It reminded me of the San rock art in the Western Cape's Cederberg… the way those shamans observed the animals, displaying a very intimate and close relationship with their brothers in arms. Only a few well-drawn lines could tell a whole story of movement, chase, fear... dynamic lines etched permanently into rock, to outlast their creators for decades, centuries.

To close, let me quote the artist himself (from the printed 'artist statement')

‘...my work has been preoccupied with the elements of atmosphere, space and dramatic lighting found within confined internalised spaces’

'...introduce a further dimension, a feeling of movement... the dynamic of an animal as it disturbs the parameters of the other qualities. These movements are implied by abstract gestures and surface markings, at times very intense and erratic'

'...not solely purely acurate representations of Animals but are concerned more with their movement as metaphor for the life and energy we all possess.'


Colin Davis' 'Animal Instinct' is on until the 29th of May 2005 at The Market Theatre and Arts Centre, Armagh.

Discover the magic of San Rock Art.

The Art of Afrika

Barbara Freeman & Paul Wilson

E y e o f t h e B e h o l d e r

“We never listen half so well as when we are trying to identify the source of the sound.”

Banks of the River Bann: Installation by Barbara Freeman & Paul Wilson

Last Friday I took my four-year-old to the Portadown library, but it was closed. So, we wandered round the corner and stepped into the Millenium Court Art Centre in William Street. Most of my visits to art exhibitions are laced and punctuated with the harsh criticisms of one or more of my children… and it’s not a bad thing either. They keep my feet firmly on the ground but challenge my perceptions with their own, very honest and open impressions. The last exhibition we attended was one by South African artist William Kentridge, in Johannesburg. Wonder above wonder, Kentridge captured their complete attention and awe with his gritty but lyrical animated film, done mostly in charcoal. This time it was the turn of two Northern Ireland artists, Barbara Freeman (working with composer Paul Wilson) with their installation ‘Banks of the Bann’; and Claire Whitten with ‘Out of the Dark’. What would a pre-schooler make of them?

In the main exhibition space we were confronted with a series of huge metal plates, suspended from the ceiling and neatly stacked like the steps of a spiral staircase, but vertically, going up and up. These plates have been places, presumably the Bann River. As we approached, sounds from the world under water, voices and strange, etherial music started – we were spotted by an infrared detector. Placed quadrophonicaly (is there such a word?) around the plates were curved steel membranes, wired up and beaming the music right into the centre of the collection of plates. It created a subtle effect of echoes and resonance. Every movement from me, and my proximity to the plates, triggered a response. I had the feeling of being suspended with the plates, under water, in time… Lili was crawling underneath and looked very pleased with the effect, before she ran off to enjoy the big, white open space of the gallery.

I walked round and round these plates, looked closer at them to see if there were any markings among the rust and scratches that suggested a hidden meaning. Regrettably, I didn’t find any. I asked many more silent questions: why are the plates so perfectly rectangular, and not eroded? Does the texture of rust and scratches suggest erosion and the passage of time – or is there a more ‘elevated’ symbolism of timeless perfection?

The series of rectangular paintings along the walls of the gallery echoed the repetition of the metal plates in the centre, each painting an abstract of colour and texture, with a strong theme of water running through: blurred colours swimming in a sea of texture, watery drops splashed through thick paint, faded shapes. I picked Lili up and held her face close to the paintings so she could experience the texture and colours. She became very silent and serious, intently staring at each painting with me. I think the memory of absorbing colour, texture and sounds, and being closely held in mommy’s arms, will always stay with her. As for the subtle interactive sound effects surrounding the metal plates – she could not be still or around for long enough to appreciate that she was playing an active role in creating the sounds. Also, for a noisy kid that is bombarded with sounds from computer games, television and stereo systems – often simultaneously – it might not be such a novelty anyway!

Considering the official take and background to Barbara Freeman and Paul Wilson’s creation, I could not have had the insight from only a brief, blind visit to fully appreciate what it was all about. I quote from the leaflet printed to accompany the exhibit:

“This exhibition epitomises the term ‘Inverting Conventions’ by demonstrating how art can make one see the familiar and mundane through fresh and inquisitive eyes. ‘Banks of the Bann’ is the third collaboration between Belfast based Artist Barbara Freeman and the Downpatrick Composer Paul Wilson. Together they have produced an installation that explores the sounds and images of the River Bann in a way that emphasises the majesty and mystery that surrounds the river.”

“…the installation itself bridges the gap from the outside world of nature and chaos to the gallery space, which tames and investigates these forces.”

“She creates these paintings with a combination of computer colour analysis and traditional painting methods, a process that merges the acts of both construction and deconstruction.”

“We never listen half so well as when we are trying to identify the source of the sound.”

“…a constantly transforming soundtrack that unites poetry, recordings of the river and surrounding noises, which creates the impression that one is hearing the very soul ofthe river.”

The exhibition was a good experience, but I feel the chaotic forces of the Bann was not only tamed, but nearly very killed by a suspicious curator who simply would not disappear and leave me be. How can one soak up sounds and colours when you are being watched as if you are on display? Does he think I’m planning on walking out with the plates under my arm?

What I would love to discover, is a gallery space that can tame the whirling force of a four-year-old!

I will refrain from relating my impressions of Claire Whitten’s painting, partly because this post would be too long and you’ll get bored, and partly because she’s giving a talk on her exhibit on Thursday evening at seven. I would make sure to be there and hear what the lady has up her sleeve. Watch this space for some feedback.

Go have a look, if you are near Portadown:

'Banks of the River Bann'
A new visual and sound installation by Barbara Freeman and Paul Wilson, based on the sounds and images of the River Bann and its surroundings. Millennium Court Arts Centre, William St, Portadown Wed-Thurs 10am-8pm Mon-Tues, Fri-Sat 10am-5pm Until May 28 048-2838394415

'Out of the Dark'
Paintings poised between representation and abstraction, by Claire Whitten. Millennium Court Arts Centre, William St, Portadown Wed-Thurs 10am-8pm Mon-Tues, Fri-Sat 10am-5pm Until May 30 048-2838394415

Get to know more about the South African artist, William Kentridge

A biography and images by Kentridge