Andrew Hewkin

What a lucky man. Andrew Hewkin has enjoyed a glorious rock 'n' roll lifestyle since graduating from the Royal College of Art in the early Seventies. His paintings capture an exotic hedonism that seems alluring but at odds with today's high-pressure business culture. For the last 36 years Hewkin has travelled to more than 57 countries and his new exhibition is inspired by the colour and glamour of the Amalfi coast. But these are not just pretty pictures. There's a faintly sinister edge beneath the luscious landscapes, and impenetrable titles keep you guessing. The Daily Telegraph described Hewkin as "one of the few genuinely surrealist painters working today" and his pictures are collected by a broad international range of private collectors and museums. He has been commissioned by such differing organisations as the BBC, Playboy magazine, Barings Securities and Cartier while his fans include Princess Margaret, Michael Caine and big names in the music world. He has painted a giant 10ft Gibson Guitar for Brian May which will be auctioned on 20 November for the Prince's Trust. The Amalfi Coast exhibition runs to Saturday 10th November. Prices from £850 - £30,000. The Gallery in Cork Street, 28 Cork Street, London W1, 020 7437 2812. Andrew Hewkin can be reached on 07961 144 179; www.andrewhewkin.com

Caption:
If music be the food of love, why don't rabbits sing?
Oil and crayon on paper

 
 
 
 

Mountain Landscapes

These mysterious, complex paintings recall the monumental landscapes of the Northern Song dynasty in China (960-1126AD) but the artist Li Huayi is very much alive and living in America. His style bridges the cultural gap between traditional Chinese art and the West and, as this is his first European exhibition, it will be a magnet for collectors and museums. Li Huayi was born in 1948 to a wealthy family in Shanghai and he studied classical "big brush" painting from an early age. He survived the Cultural Revolution by becoming a "worker artist" producing propaganda paintings in the approved social realist style, but in 1982 he went to study in San Francisco and his style evolved under the influences of archaic pictograms, Buddhist frescoes, abstract expressionism and the works of Paul Klee. Li Huayi paints majestic landscapes that exist only in his own mind and despite admiring Western art, he sees himself as a contemporary Chinese painter, influenced by and building upon the past. The show will exhibit 20 new paintings and runs from 1 - 30 November, open every day including weekends. Catalogue £25 pp. Prices from £30,000 to in excess of £100,000. Eskenazi, 10 Clifford Street, London W1; 020 7493 5464; www.eskenazi.co.uk

Caption:
Gorge in Clouds by Li Huayi
Ink on paper
96 x 53 cm

 
 
 
 

176 - The Zabludowicz Collection

Anita Zabludowicz and her husband, passionate collectors of contemporary art, have opened an exciting project space in what was once a 19th century Methodist Chapel. The Grade 11 listed building with its stately proportions, viewing gallery and maze of small rooms, is a thrilling setting for cutting-edge painting, sculpture, video and installation. The scale ranges from a huge Vanessa Beecroft painting or the Rina Banerjee sculpture which occupies a whole room, to tiny mixed media objects which you can only see by crouching on the floor. At 176 you can experience the very best in emerging art and the Zabludowicz Collection will be working with new artists and curators to produce three challenging, inspiring shows each year.176 also houses a resource room with a wide range of art publications; a shop with specially commissioned limited editions and art works produced for every exhibition; and a cafe, Lola's at 176, with cakes, tea and coffee. Opening Times: Thursday & Friday 11am - 3pm. Saturday & Sunday 11am - 6pm. Annual membership £5. 176 Prince of Wales Road, Chalk Farm, London NW5, 020 7428 8940; www.projectspace176.com

Caption:
The grand entrance to 176