am77Some artists paint what they see, and others pain what they feel inside. In this second group we can include Ezra Cohen, pseudonym of two Oxfordshire natives who have brought to life a new batch of those feelings to show their vision of the world, their particular version of it.
This can be seen at the exhibition “Blood, Soil and Tears”, where the paintings seem to delve into the souls of the artists, offering a heartrending collection of landscapes. Their childhood memories of Southern England landscapes, blended in to their more recent experiences in Eastern European forests, have resulted in a successful work that explores the forests from a different point of view. A view more connected with the human being and the emotions each one perceives.
Highly influenced by German Expressionism, Cohen’s paintings can be seen like a symbolic thought rather than a regular landscape depiction, focusing on their point of view. This influence is captured in both their abstract paintings and the ones that reflect landscapes. “Artists such as Van Gogh and Edvard Munch […] had a profound impact on our approach to materials. Their often violent brushwork and resonant use of colour has a truth and directness which continue to inspire our work as Cohen”.
“Blood, Soil and Tears” can be seen at Meller Merceux Gallery in Oxford until Thursday, 28 February 2013. The opening times are 10:00-18:00 from Monday to Saturday (and the entry is free).
For more information, you can visit their website www.mellermerceux.com or call at 01865 727 996.
