Last night I went to the opening of Paul Evans‘ new show “Shroud” at Persistence Works in Sheffield. The show features two series of paintings, The Mother and Child Series and The Shroud Paintings hung together to appear as if altar pieces. I’ve seen Paul’s works several times now, and each time I find more to like in them. They are incredibly subtle, almost ephemeral experimentations with oil, acrylic, graphite and watercolour.
The venue was great too – I’ve been to the Yorkshire ArtSpace at Persistence Works several times, but this was the first opening I’d attended there, and the combination of a beautifully zen-like space combined with a mid-summer evening, perfect late sunlight, a grassy area outside to sit and sup wine, and a little assortment of nibbles… perfect! Even my kids had a good time, which was most unexpected. There was a prize quiz (lots of art-related questions) to win a bottle of champagne. I’d already won one bottle of champagne that day (at the Walnut Club in Hathersage, courtesy of the CIQ) so I fancy my luck for this one.
After the opening, we strolled down the road to Sylvester Works where the Sheffield University MA Architecture Degree Show opening was well under way. Packed with tipsy students, and far too much information on display for me to take any of it in, but it looked fascinating especially in the way it was presented (with the architectural displays merging into the display space), so I shall try to revisit it in a quieter moment.