Alan Streets @ KindofGallery

Inset pic- Tower Bridge in Rain- acrylic on canvas. September 2012. Featured pic- Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House- Acrylic on canvas. April 2013
Inset pic- Tower Bridge in Rain- acrylic on canvas. September 2012. Featured pic- Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House at sunset- Acrylic on canvas. April 2013

THE STREETS ARE TALKING exhibition opened at the KindofGallery in St Leonards on Thursday night to coincide with the TWT St Leonards – The TWT Creative Precinct Opening. There was quite a party atmosphere as exhibitions and music were taking place at various locations, all a part of a new arts initiative by Auswin TWT Developments which involves the conversion of several commercial buildings between Atchison Streets and Chandos Streets in St Leonards, to be used as creative space by the independent arts sector. The intention is to support creativity on the lower North Shore as well as the local businesses.

The current exhibition featured art by English artist Alan Streets (formerly Alan Russell-Cowan). Alan grew up near London, and was attending the St Martins School of Art when he dropped out to move to New York and pursue his art there, plein air style in Manhattan. The plein air style was begun by impressionists like Monet who painted outdoors only.

Alan Streets was diagnosed with schizophrenia while in New York, and he continued to paint as a creative outlet to cope with his illness. After ten years in New York he returned to England, where he continues to paint.

His work has a definite edge to it, his portrait subjects have a mad, almost cartoonish quality to them. They are confronting images, which no doubt reflect the torment that he himself felt while dealing with illness.

The exhibition also features some scenes from the streets of New York and London. The Westminster Abbey in London and Belvoir Castle and Donington Castle are all subjects of Street’s art. His buildings have a child-like, fairy tale quality about them. The buildings bend and curve at precarious angles, in a scene from Wooster street in New York the buildings are painted at such extreme angles that they seem in danger of collapsing.

The collection is fairly small, but is impressive. The exhibition is on for three weeks, is free, and is located at 58 Atchison Street, St Leonards.

Many of the TWT activities are free, for more on these, see:

http://twtstleonards.com.au/whatson

This review was originally published on Joy’s website – – – http://www.thebuzzfromsydney.com/