The Catto Gallery is hosting a solo exhibition of recent paintings by Alain Bertrand, from 18th May until 5th June, 2008, to coincide with the UK launch of his new book ‘American Classic’ (price £25). This latest book is an illustrated overview of Alain’s recent work inspired by Cuba, New York, his tours through Middle America and the legends of Jazz. Alain will be signing his book on Sunday 18th May from 1:30 – 6:00pm at The Catto Gallery.
This exhibition will have 30 of Alain Bertrand’s recent works in oil, with his moody nightclub scenes, redolent of post-war Havana, and his automobile portraits evocative of the American Dream, with prices starting from £5,950. In Bertrand’s American Dream series, the main focus of these works is the 1950’s automobiles and trucks. His work has a realistic quality, harking back to his past as a graphic designer and poster artist for such directors as Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Spielberg. His fascination with American automobiles –even his signature wouldn’t look out of place on a bonnet of 1950’s Oldsmobile, dates back to his childhood, where he grew up next to a post-war American air base in France. But it was in the 1970’s when he toured the States, particularly Arizona and New Mexico that his love for all things American solidified.
Alain makes much of the play of light and shadow and nowhere is this more apparent with his nightclubs scenes, with ‘Buddy Guy’ and ‘Muddy Waters’ both on their guitars in an underground nightclub. Whereas the ‘Blues Trio’ – are portrayed all suited and booted jamming in a shack ready for their performance later on. It was in the 1980’s when he discovered Cuba and the jazz bars of Havana that his portraits and portrayals of jazz musicians and bar life began.
Bertrand’s love of the motor car, which led him to design for Renault is evident in ‘Cliff House’ an evocation of the American Dream with a line of gleaming cars on the seafront, their bodywork and chrome shining with the Cliff House diner in the distance with it’s neon lit competing with the brewing stormclouds. This large canvas could easily be a still from a film.
‘Hi Dear Friend’ looks back to the New York of Eliot Ness, with the canvas in a series of blacks, whites and greys, to illustrate this New York street lined with gleaming cars, where these two friends greet each other. Bertrand’s time as comic illustrator for such magazines as Tintin, is shown to great advantage in this work.
‘Bowery Trolley’ is a cross section of everyday life in 50’s America where the cars add the glamour to this portrayal of downtown New York. ‘Duel in the Sun’ is a further portrayal of a New York street with the sun shining down in the recently fallen snow. The line of checker cabs draws the eye back to the skyscrapers of New York. Bertrand has a great eye for detail to make up this perfect ‘movie set’.
These canvases although they look back to the heyday of the American Dream, should in no way be viewed solely a nostalgia trip; they celebrate the achievements of man through the internal combustion engine and the city.
Mrs Gillian Catto, owner and curator of The Catto Gallery, said, ‘Alain’s work has a freshness, that takes it’s lead from Pop Art, with it’s highly finished graphic look and his celebration of the American way of life. His work is immediately recognisable and highly sought after by international collectors and we are thrilled to welcome him back to The Catto Gallery.’
For further information, images and a catalogue of the forthcoming Alain Bertrand exhibition, contact The Catto Gallery, 100 Heath Street, Hampstead.
www.catto.co.uk
