Days of Summer: Martin Finnin, Andrew Gifford, Leon Morrocco, Heidrun Rathgeb

"For the past eight months or so I was leaning into drawings with ink and charcoal which led to a body of oil paintings in monotone greys which have a narrative running through them. The restricted color pallet and the use of narrative is very different from my usual abstract work. Then, one wet May morning, I was loading my van and kept passing my neighbours roses. Maybe having worked without colours for months slowed me down enough to see the roses. I mean, truly see them.  For the first time. I pilfered a few and brought them with me to the studio. As they wilted they flaunted even more colours. There was vibrancy even in their decay. Flowers have an earthiness mixed with otherworldliness. They hide great power, often pushing themselves through concrete in the most uninviting places. I wanted to capture that energy."