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Nicholas Borden’s Solo Show

October 18, 2015
by the gentle author

Nicholas’ first major solo show is at Millinery Works in Islington from today until November 15th

Princelet St

Ever since I came upon Nicholas Borden working at his easel in the snow on Vallance Rd in Bethnal Green a few years ago, I have been captivated by his painting. In a quietly subversive way, Nicholas has created his own distinctive way of viewing the city that entirely re-invents urban landscape painting. Sensitive to the spirit of place yet equally alive to the abstract and colourist potential of his subjects, his pictures possess a freshness of vision that is as unique as it is unexpected. Hardened by his years as a freshwater fisherman, he is curiously impervious to the English weather and you know that – like Joseph Mallord Turner or John Constable before him – each of these paintings is the outcome of a battle with the elements that Nicholas Borden won.

Fleur de Lys St

Middlesex St

Spitalfields from Petticoat Lane

Shoreditch High St

Durant St, Bethnal Green

Regents Canal

Wilton Way, Hackney

At the Royal Exchange

Queen Victoria St

Charing Cross Station

Charing Cross Rd

Shaftesbury Ave

In Cambridge Circus

Paintings copyright © Nicholas Borden

You may like to take a look at more of Nicholas Borden’s work

Nicholas Borden’s East End View

Nicholas Borden’s Winter Paintings

Nicholas Borden’s Spring Paintings

Nicholas Borden, Artist

Nicholas Borden’s New Paintings
10 Responses leave one →
  1. October 18, 2015

    I love his paintings, and the way he catches the light and the atmosphere, just wonderful. Valerie

  2. Yvonne Eade Kolessides permalink
    October 18, 2015

    Fabulous work, love every single one and as they say here in Cyprus ‘bless your hands’

  3. October 18, 2015

    Borden’s depiction of streets and architecture both striking and commonplace makes him a worthy successor to the artists of the East London Group: Turpin, the Steggles brothers, Hawthorne, et al. Interesting and attractive work; I look forward to seeing the show.

  4. October 18, 2015

    I no longer live in London but he puts you right there, doesn’t he? And the more you look the more you realise how subtle his paintings are. I hope the show is a great success.

  5. October 18, 2015

    I really like the quality of light in these paintings, especially in the West End ones: dusk In Shaftesbury Avenue, sun on the buildings in Charing Cross Road and the sense of buildings shutting out the light in Cambridge Circus.

    The East End paintings convey a different vibe and I love how the water on the Regent’s Canal reflects the winter sky.

    As a one time resident and quite frequent visitor to London, I find these paintings really evocative of what I see.

  6. Ros permalink
    October 18, 2015

    I like these very much – shapes, rhythms, juxtapositions, use of colour, especially white. Catching the light and the essence of places. Great.

  7. Joan Draper permalink
    October 18, 2015

    Is there a catalogue of his work available? I like his work but am in Canada and it is unlikely I will be able to attend any of his exhibitions.

  8. Katya permalink
    October 18, 2015

    These paintings are wonderful to look at. The more one looks at them, the more one sees. Nature’s rhythms do grandly hurl forth in Turner and Constable; here, light and bluster often seem more post squall. Except for the shock of sunlight that bathes the buildings of Charing Cross Rd, skies hover peacefully above in small, blue swaths, or journey swiftly by, all neutral business in their step. Yet uprightness seems skewed, just like nature, as buildings lean or bend, beckoning viewers to step in and join the flow.

  9. Miriam Delorie permalink
    October 19, 2015

    Those paintings are absolutely fantastic. It makes one look closer to see the detail and tiny strokes that go into making a picture. Everything seems to be moving in the pictures. And thank you so much for bringing all these wonderful emails to all of us – I so look forward to mine. Miriam

  10. Nicholas Borden permalink
    October 21, 2015

    Thanks for the comments, it is worth pointing out the exhibition includes a far reaching body of work, and that these images were taken two years ago …

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