blackShed opens new exhibition of courtly elegance by Siobhan Stanley

The gallery is celebrating with a new exhibition of paintings by Siobhan Stanley called Communion which opens on Saturday November 24 and runs almost to the end of January.

Owner and curator Kenton Lowe said: “Siobhan is a perfectionist: from a rigorous classical training from an early age, which led to a position as a soloist with Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet through to atelier arts schooling in both Florence and London, she thrives in the exacting nature of discipline. Her critical eye casts outwards as well, challenging contemporary conventions and identity politics through the medium of the ‘old masters’. She examines ‘otherness’, intimacy and indeed masculinity via the tropes of the Elizabethan court; a metaphor for our own times swathed in a rich aesthetic that not only encourages examination of contemporary norms but also our collective past. This exhibition represents a culmination of six years work resulting in a suite of 10 beautifully rendered paintings alongside an exhibition publication.

The blackShed will also be celebrating new growth fulfilling their ambitions to expand, and Kenton said: “We like change and this is progressive business, we are always ready to embrace new opportunities, we have taken over new premises and doubled our space, it has been a big secret for weeks, so we are extremely keen to showcase the gallery along side Siobhan Stanley’s beautiful paintings.”

The gallery is just off the A21 in a rural setting outside the historic village of Robertsbridge. For further details visit the website www.theblackshedgallery.org.uk.