Nicholas Borden’s Solo Show
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
I love his paintings, and the way he catches the light and the atmosphere, just wonderful. Valerie
Fabulous work, love every single one and as they say here in Cyprus ‘bless your hands’
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.
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.
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.
I like these very much – shapes, rhythms, juxtapositions, use of colour, especially white. Catching the light and the essence of places. Great.
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.
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.
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
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 …