Brighton’s Arty: Making light work at Phoenix
Oh, I wish Patrick O’Donnell would put together a retrospective. Because of all the local artists we’ve encountered he surely is the master of reinvention. Well, until he does we’ll head to the Phoenix, where ‘Retreating Light’ showcases ink works that stem from Patrick’s current astronomical obsession.
Temperature and the chemical composition of bodies such as comets are denoted by specific hues radiating out from a white-hot centre as Patrick explores ‘subtractive colour’. He paints onto a white paper, using washes of ink to build up the images. Colours are created by subtracting parts of the spectrum to eliminate the visible white paper beneath. In contrast, the paintings start with a black canvas and build up a surface of colour and luminosity by layering films of paint over this. Until 11 December.
