V1 Gallery proudly presents
Black Diamond
A solo exhibition by Richard Colman
Since Richard Colman's first solo exhibition at V1 Gallery, Super Fortress in 2006, he has been busy on the international art scene. Richard's participation in exhibitions, group exhibitions and fairs has from day one attracted great attention, latest in connection with his participation in the praised exhibition Mad Love (2007) at Arken, a Danish museum for contemporary art, consisting of selected pieces from the most important private collectors in Denmark.
With Black Diamond, Richard Colman cuts a strange and surreal incision revealing an unfiltered world. The horror vacuui's claustrophobic fear of emptiness and the black holes endless perspectives become one whilst the obsessive compulsive repetition becomes a relief from the meaningless logic of everyday life as well as a trap incarcerating impulse.
Colman's characteristic symbolic naked men, faceless bears, women dressed in black and baroque skeleton heads inhabit worlds where the infinite spectre of the rainbow becomes the unfathomable red threat. A thread that confuses and at the same time creates coherence while it turns familiar tunes upside down. Contrasts and similarities explode in colourful cascades, flooding definite truths. Black Diamond assaults the viewer with the madness of the world, but it also expands the horizon for man's eternal attempt to find the 'black diamond' his or her own unique trait in the world whether in life, love, art etc.
With Black Diamond Richard Colman has challenged his own artistic expression and impulses. The colours are brighter and new ways of expression such as a deconstructed wall painting and a giant installation has been explored. The presence of the mythological, religious, and historical iconography is still present, but this time history belongs just as much to Richard Colmas as to others. And his will to insecurity and curiosity becomes his artistic strength, keeping his eye fixed towards the future rather resting on the laurels.
Richard Colman lives and works in San Francisco. He has exhibited throughout the world, both solo and in seminal group exhibitions. Colman's iconography is set in the tone of Jos Orozco, Henry Darger, Edward Gorey and Andrew Schoultz. It will be possible to buy the book The Art of Richard Colman in connection with the show.
