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Riots of colour
Grant's oil paintings based on last year's riots
Plumpton artist Grant Dejonge is accustomed to painting the bluebell woods around his home but an iconic image in last year’s riots ignited his imagination in a darker direction.
The result is a striking oil painting in three parts that conveys the mayhem and wanton destruction that took place.
The triptych is on display in ‘Art in Mind Expressions’ at the Brick Lane Gallery, London until November 4.
Grant said: “When the riots hit the headlines I can remember one image in particular - the picture of a Polish lady jumping from a burning building to a group of firemen.
“The lady was just a silhouette against a blaze of fire captured in mid fall and the firemen’s arms held aloft in what seemed such a desperate hope of catching her.
“This and many other stories and images seemed to me to be so powerful. The riots were somehow different from the riots of the early eighties that also shocked London.
“The looting and robbery were not directed at the police but rather at an opportunity for personal gain set against the backdrop of social disorder.” Grant, who has a young family, added: “The age and naivety of some of the rioters was also shocking. The pointless theft of desirable items smacks of a consumer culture gone mad.”
Grant says all his work reflects his desire to find truth - something he believes all artists should seek out.
Pictured: Grant’s paintings on display
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Weather for Haywards Heath
Monday 20 May 2013
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