Artist: Billy Bagilhole - 4me4you
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4me4you Features - ‘Wide Eyed Embers’.

Artist: Billy Bagilhole
ABOUT ME

4me4you recently had the pleasure of visiting Rhodes Gallery, which featured an intriguing exhibition by artist Billy Bagilhole - ‘Wide Eyed Embers’.

PROCESS

This showcase presented a series of new works on canvas, following Bagilhole's iconic characters through their dark, surreal world of symbolism and enigmatic narratives. His art uniquely blends vibrant colour with haunting imagery to explore themes of identity, memory, and the human condition.

Artist: Billy Bagilhole
Artist: Billy Bagilhole
Artist: Billy Bagilhole

  • Bagilhole’s artistic journey began in a household rich with his father’s paintings and prints. From a young age, he drew Native Americans, animals, and religious figures, imitating his father’s art. This early exposure, coupled with his father’s passing when Bagilhole was six, left a lasting impact, driving his passion for creativity.

Artist: Billy Bagilhole
  • In ‘Wide Eyed Embers,’ we encounter human characters like ‘Edwin’ repeatedly, though their relationships to one another remain unclear. They inhabit the desolate rural landscapes of Bagilhole’s imagination, where the intimacy of these characters contrasts starkly with the darkness of their external world.

 

 

  • In ‘Look through the Pine Barrens,’ a female figure gently holds a dog to her chest, walking away from surrounding fires, portraying a tender hopefulness and contentment amidst chaos.

 

 

 

  • These repeated motifs, which Bagilhole describes as ‘Easter eggs,’ invite viewers to delve deeper into each piece. Every detail is imbued with meaning; nothing is placed on the canvas without intent.
  • For instance, in this new series, a fire watchtower appears in the distance in several works, with a solitary figure in the window.

 

 

 

 

 

  • These watchtowers, common in the rural forests of America, symbolise solitude and vigilance. Another recurring image is that of cows, linking back to Bagilhole’s upbringing on a dairy farm.
  • For him, the cows represent ‘home,’ offering a sense of calm and idyllic simplicity amidst the chaos, adding layers of narrative and personal history to Bagilhole’s works.
Artist: Billy Bagilhole

Artist: Billy Bagilhole

Gallery: Rhodes

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