‘Water’ It has many identities. Gently rippling lakes freeze into ice ponds that will begin to crack and splinter when the sun’s warmth coaxes the frozen mass back into liquid form. It can softly simmer and boil ferociously, eventually leaving none of its former self behind, as it makes its steamy ascent towards the heavens, blocking out the aforementioned sun in its new guise as gauzy clouds.
As beautiful as it is deadly; as constant and reliable as it is unpredictable and transient. Both friend and foe, neither ally nor enemy exclusively. In abundance it both nourishes as well as floods, in scarcity it brings us to our knees. It has inspired many a poem, painting, piece of music; but why? Is it because water is our main component, coursing through our bodies, sustaining us and powering the physiology that allows these works to be created by the human hand? Is it because we realise we are neither its master nor its slave, and thus seek to reconcile the hierarchy, taking ownership of this powerful element by ‘capturing’ it in artistic mediums? If one can harness water as a subject, show it due respect and justify the hubris with an end result worthy of the undertaking, have we transcended the natural order?
This dichotomy is the driving force behind Alex Echo’s collection ‘Water’. To the artist, water is both life and energy, it possesses both light and shade, and its capriciousness has long mesmerised him. Yet conversely it also holds a primal fear for him, ever since a narrow escape from its depths in early childhood.
‘Water’ provides a visual journey that moves the viewer between heightened emotional states. Taking up the artistic mantle with aplomb, Echo harnesses the fluidity and élan of the world’s most bountiful resource to flow between each piece, breathing life into the fluid narrative of this collection.
The genesis of all of Alex Echo’s artwork is nature - nature with a deep respect for art history and a profound desire to create something new and original. Artists from all genres - from Pre-Raphaelite, and Impressionism, to Minimalism and Abstract Expressionism, to Art Nouveau and Pop Art have all inspired him and informed his artwork.
Following on from last nights preview, and all the red dots we saw, we are expecting a price rise for Alex Echo’s originals - so we really advise you invest now! CLICK HERE to view the work or pop in the gallery!