The Cape Gallery Presented a Solo Show of Recent Works by Simon Jones

Written by Gunther Adamson Sunday, 01 January 2012 02:15

Cape Town, South Africa.- The Cape Gallery is pleased to present 'My Mystic Muse' a solo exhibition of recent works by Simon Jones, viewed at the gallery through November 12th. Simon Jones at sixty has been a full-time artist for thirty-six years, most of which time he has been a resident of Fish Hoek. This is Simon's 18th one-man show after an unusually long gestation period of 10 years. A strong metaphysical, as opposed to surreal element, is present in his work. Simon has evolved a very personal vision and interpretation of the world, where the timeless and universal take precedence over a sequential presentation of specific events seen in an historical perspective. An abundant garden teeming with all manner of birdlife provides an apposite backdrop for his studio. His primary theme as an artist is man in harmony with nature. An increasing interest in matters mystical has become most apparent since his last one-man exhibition at the Cape Gallery five years ago.

Wary of the -isms that proliferate in the spiritual arena as well as in the art world Simon strives to reach a more universal connection through his paintings. The viewer is often placed at a vantage point above the action taking place on terra firma, as if viewing the world below from some celestial eyrie. Simon's link to the Cape Gallery goes back to the seventies when his late mother, the accomplished artist Mary Hart, held two solo exhibitions at this venue. A definite form of creative osmosis subtly manifests itself in the work of mother and son; evident in their shared love for figures within a landscape and flower- studies.  For Simon the greatest pleasure derived from the act of painting is the sense of tagging along for the ride; at a certain juncture the conscious mind seems no longer to be the navigator of the creative journey. Consequently, Simon feels that his most striking work is not so much by him as through him. He is a firm believer in a gentle prompting from a higher level. Simon believes the work of art to be the product of the human spirit. He deems this spirit to be celebratory of its very nature. His subjects are often imbued with a gentle levity, a sense of humour being a vital adjunct to the spiritual journey.

Simon's art, especially in its present idiom, is seldom about an alternative realm where the brutal curve balls of life never bounce over the thresholds of our comfort zones. The real world, as opposed to escapism, is his jumping board. He ponders, in his quiet way, upon its various facets and paradoxes, using symbolic imaging. The lyrical arabesque patterning of his signature style facilitates a shift of emphasis to the mystical and spiritual, away from the dogmatic. His vision of an otherwise turbulent world has an aura that speaks of a life less transitory. Simon's indelible technique of finely gradated planes of colour is enhanced by additional texture and bright shocks of lucid hue. High relief work adds an almost "3 D" effect in places: trees and the stems of flowers stand out in particular. Although Simon doesn¹t believe in the concept of a creative comfort zone, an ever-present musical backdrop and copious amounts of coffee are prerequisites to getting his creative juices flowing.

His vast collection of CD covers everything from jazz to classical; however for painting purposes, he favours anything from contemporary country music to rock, much of which echoes the 60's era, which Simon begrudgingly admits to remembering. Important to Simon is an authentic emotional rapport with his audience, where the right-brain activity of creation elicits a reciprocal feeling reaction. Fathoming out a picture is poles apart from resolving a SuDoku puzzle. He feels that to a great extent the visual arts take their cue from the past. Though not consciously influenced by other artists, Simon has a strong affinity for the early murals of Duccio and Giotto di Bondone, especially their lyrical line work and subtle yet resonant colours. Lesser known artists such as Carlo Carra, a metaphysical contemporary of Giacomo de Chirico's, Christopher Wood and Odilon Redon have similarly had a profound effect on him.


The Cape Gallery, 60 Church Street is set in the heart of the old city off the Church Street walking mall, flanked by the colourful Georgian and Dutch facades built by the 18th and 19th century settlers. Behind these facades are some of the oldest and prestigious galleries, antique shops, and auction houses in Cape Town. Central to the tradition of South African painting is the abiding love of the land. Early Cape painters were 'reporters' who described the topography, flora and fauna of this fascinating land, a conservative approach which is still favoured by the gallery's clients today. Recently the emergence of the vibrant street art has added an essentially African character to the work on display. The Cape Gallery represents African artists with a vast range of styles and working in all types of medium. Visit the Cape Gallery's website at ... http://www.capegallery.co.za

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