A Savage Garden

Workplace is delighted to announce A Savage Garden, a new exhibition in Newcastle by Sarah Schlesinger, which runs from 23 September - 4 November 2023.

Rooted in the psychology of looking, Schlesinger paints monochromatic landscapes which are often obstructed by hedges, bushes and other objects, prompting the viewer to consider concealed meanings or underlying narratives beyond that which is presented.

The exhibition includes nine new small scale works, and continues the artist's exploration into the act of looking as metaphor for understanding. The title, drawn from the novel The Vampire LeStat (1985) by Anne Rice, a follow up to her critically acclaimed debut, Interview with the Vampire (1976), refers to an influential quote and serves as a description of the paintings presented: ‘It was as dangerous and lawless as the earth had been eons before man had one single coherent thought in his head or wrote codes of conduct on tablets of clay. Beauty was a Savage Garden.”

Subtle details explore and expand Schlesinger’s characteristic motif through the series, and her rigorous muted tones capture the velvety darkness of a night sky, the intricacy of clouds and billowing smoke, the tranquil beauty of wide open spaces. A moody atmosphere permeates the scenes, as the juxtaposition of light and shadow evoke tensions between paradoxical beauty and impending doom. In others, hedgerow weaves under the tranquil night sky, winding across the surface of the canvas to create a sense of movement and rhythm. At times, a hint of danger is present through misty haze, a perplexing smoke without fire. While the presence of lost objects, tools and weapons, hint at a concealed conflict.