RENAISSANCE
JD Malat Gallery
22 days left
RENAISSANCE
JD Malat Gallery
22 days left
JD Malat Gallery is proud to present ‘RENAISSANCE’, the much-anticipated comeback exhibition by Conrad Jon Godly. Spanning over two floors of the London gallery, this is Godly’s largest body of work to date. Not only is this the renowned Swiss artist’s first exhibition in four years, but it also bears the title ‘Renaissance’ as a declaration of his return and form of 'rebirth'.
This exhibition is a rebirth in every sense of the word. Godly traversed challenging moments personally and at times, he pondered on the question of life itself, much like many great artists before him. After periods of high intensity from an emotional perspective, Godly finally saw the light of day and begun painting again. Not only did the artist feel he obtained a second life as a human being, but he also felt he obtained his second chance to paint.
The artist was not sure he would ever paint again, indeed inaugurate an entire new body of work, so this exhibition comes as a miracle . Godly describes the flame of life burning inside him that never left him, although it was close to failing, it was always there, and he was able to turn into fire again.
Godly describes how his mental health took him to a place of deep reflection where his creative genius was tested and tried. Magnificently, after time and healing, he managed to restore himself back to sanity and peace. This exhibition is an ode to his recovery and a gift to Godly’s followers. He painted what he knows best, what makes him feel most at peace: the beautiful and everlasting mountains.
Godly’s photography background is irrevocable in these new paintings, his handling of light and perspective is brilliantly realistic and at times, might be mistaken with a photograph itself. Having said this, his ability to blend a mere landscape scene into an abstract rendition of a spiritual state is what makes Godly’s works so strong and universally resonant. Although we are faced with simple mountains, what we really see can become utterly subjective and personal. The artist paints so much more than a mountain, he paints how nature makes us feel and think. In light of his own personal experiences in the last few years, this existential factor cannot be denied.
With over thirty new pieces in the signature trio of colours, black, blue and green, Godly’s masterpieces are a powerful symbol of the beauty of existence and our ability to start again no matter what stage of life we find ourselves in. Confronted with one of his mountains, we can all experience our own kind of Renaissance.
Conrad Jon Godly
Born in 1962, in Davos, Switzerland, Conrad Jon Godly addresses the symbiotic relationship between human nature and the sublime. After graduating from Basel’s School of Art in 1986, Godly moved away from his nexus of inspiration in Switzerland, changing both his surroundings and medium. From 1988-2004, Godly’s photographic work found international success both in magazines and advertising, and, upon Godly’s return to Europe where he settled in Switzerland, where he currently lives and works.
Conrad Jon Godly
RENAISSANCE
‘RENAISSANCE’ represents a profound personal journey of healing and artistic rediscovery. After experiencing significant personal challenges that interrupted his creative process, the artist found renewed strength through painting mountainous landscapes. Through richly textured acrylic compositions depicting Swiss Alps, he explores themes of resilience, transformation, and emotional recovery.
Conrad Jon Godly, RENAISSANCE#36, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 150 x 130 cm
Medium Shift
A remarkable shift for the artist comes in the way of medium, a shift from oil to acrylic. Years of experimenting with paint made Godly realise that acrylic allowed for more depth to the surface, a deeper colour saturation and most importantly indefinite longevity to his canvases with no risk of quality fading over time.
Conrad Jon Godly, RENAISSANCE#34, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 150 x 130 cm
Renaissance Studies
In addition to the six paintings, ‘Renaissance’ features preparatory studies that offer a window into the artist's creative process, that illuminate details of the larger compositions. These pieces interweave his iconic colour palette and impasto compositions to explore Godly's personal journey of artistic rebirth, with mountains serving as a symbolic sanctuary during his mental health struggles.
Conrad Jon Godly, RENAISSANCE STUDY#03, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 13 x 18 cm