Artvisor
Form/Gesture
London, United Kingdom, 8 October - 7 November 2024
curated by Piero Tomassoni
Artvisor and Caudwell presented the exhibition Form/Gesture featuring the works of sculptor Kevin Francis Gray (b. 1972) and abstract expressionist painter Paul Jenkins (1923 – 2012), curated by Piero Tomassoni. The intimate yet impactful showcase opened during Frieze London and remained on view by appointment from the 9th to the 31st of October 2024.
The exhibition was hosted in Caudwell’s Mayfair headquarters at 38 Park Street and featured a group of Gray’s recent sculptures, including several new works, displayed in the venue’s garden and interior spaces, alongside a group of paintings on paper by Jenkins from the Phenomena series, produced in the 1980s and 1990s.
Known for his evocative and technically masterful sculptures, Kevin Francis Gray bridges classical forms and ancient narratives. His ability to transform marble, bronze, and precious metals into figures and systems that appear timeless and inherently contemporary has distinguished his practice in exhibitions around the globe. This presentation drew attention to Gray’s exploration of the human body, astrological systems, and myth-making, which evoked themes of familial vulnerability, transformation, and transcendence.
The addition of Paul Jenkins’ historic watercolours provided an operatic and colour-saturated horizon to the environment. Jenkins, a vital member of the post-war New York School with his friends and colleagues Willem De Kooning, Morris Louis, Helen Frankenthaler, and Joan Mitchell, redefined the limits of abstraction, introducing new and highly recognisable gestural techniques with influences from jazz music and oriental calligraphy. Jenkin’s gem-like veils of transparent and translucent colour have characterised his work since the late 1950s.
Both artists’ meticulous technique and depth resonated with Caudwell’s commitment to the highest quality and attention to detail in their construction projects. The firm’s choice of celebrated American architect Robert Stern, former dean of the Yale School of Architecture, for their 1 Mayfair development further reinforces their commitment to cultural excellence.