HOTTEST
“RENAISSANCE # 21” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 39 3/8 x 47 1/4 inches. All images courtesy of JD Malat Gallery, shared with permission
In a Resounding ‘Renaissance,’ Conrad Jon Godly’s Acrylic Paintings Scale Alpine Peaks
November 27, 2024
Art
Kate Mothes
Share
Pin
Email
Bookmark
Through the deft manipulation of thick acrylic paint on canvas, Conrad Jon Godly summons snow-capped peaks, tumbling mountain springs, and shifting weather.
At JD Malat Gallery, the Swiss artist (previously) presents his largest body of work to date, RENAISSANCE, which follows a four-year hiatus. Godly is open about the mental health struggles that prevented him from painting, and in addition to his return to the gallery setting, the title refers to his experience of a “rebirth” as he overcame personal strife.
“RENAISSANCE # 03” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 23 5/8 x 19 3/4 inches
Godly is known for his dramatic impasto depictions of mountain landscapes, which were historically created using oil paint. In this new series, he has transitioned to acrylic, which dries much faster and lends itself to opacity. He conveys the striking beauty of the Swiss Alps through fundamental compositional elements like texture, form, and tonal shifts.
Viewed up close, Godly’s paintings melt into near-abstraction as our attention is drawn to the qualities of the paint and the interaction of light and shadow. Farther away, the meticulously formed edges and gestural brush strokes reveal the crisp outlines of snow, rock, waterfalls, and storms.
RENAISSANCE will inhabit both floors of the gallery in London and run from December 12 to January 18. In the meantime, see more on the artist’s website and Instagram.
“RENAISSANCE # 06” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 23 5/8 x 19 3/4 inches
“RENAISSANCE # 34” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 59 x 51 1/8 inches
“RENAISSANCE # 25” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 47 1/4 x 39 3/8 inches
“RENAISSANCE # 43” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 70 7/8 x 90 1/2 inches
“RENAISSANCE # 29” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 59 x 51 1/8 inches
“RENAISSANCE # 07” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 23 5/8 x 19 3/4 inches
“RENAISSANCE # 28” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 47 1/4 x 39 3/8 inches
“RENAISSANCE # 05” (2024), acrylic on canvas, 23 5/8 x 19 3/4 inches
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member now, and support independent arts publishing.
Hide advertising
Save your favorite articles
Get 15% off in the Colossal Shop
Receive members-only newsletter
Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms
Join us today!
$7/month
$75/year
Explore membership options
Previous articleNext article More
Art#animals
#cardboard
#conservation
#Josh Gluckstein
#paper
#sculptureMarch 15, 2023
Kate Mothes More
Art#architecture
#buildings
#Joshua Smith
#miniatures
#sculptureDecember 13, 2023
Kate Mothes More
