John Abell brings Welsh myth, magic and wonder to London gallery

Stephen Price

John Abell’s celebrated paintings of myth, magic and folklore are set to take centre stage at one of London’s most prestigious galleries from this month.

John Abell studied at Camberwell College of Art and returned to his home county of Rhondda Cynon Taf soon after graduating, called back by his love of Welsh culture, myth and landscape.

John is particularly known for his large-scale wood block prints and highly coloured watercolour paintings which explore life, love, lust and the human condition.

The work is charged with a sense of fear and death, pessimism or even nihilism along with a large pinch of gallows humour.

His aim is to represent human feeling, the world and himself as honestly as he can.

John’s prints and publications are held in private and public collections worldwide,  including the V&A; the National Museum of Wales; the British Museum, the National Library of Australia, Canberra; the National Library of Canada, Ottawa and Columbia University Library, New York.

Cariadon y Mynydd

This month, Abell’s latest works will appear in a solo exhibition entitled Cariadon y Mynydd (The Mountain Lovers) at London’s Arusha Gallery in Fitzrovia from 13-29 March.

We caught up with the celebrated painter and printmaker ahead of the opening night, to get a glimpse of some of the works on show and to find out more.

Abell shared: The works can get quite big, I like the possibilities that a large canvas can offer.

They’re detailed too, I think there’s something about being a working class artist where the labour should be visible.

I find the process very meditative – if I know what a painting should be before I start it then it probably isn’t worth painting.

The show is called Cariadon Y Mynydd, and the paintings all have Welsh titles in the Welsh language, and whilst many are abstract, details emerge with every take, such as the familiar outlines of waterfalls or hints of sacred places, such as the inspiring St Mary’s Church at Capel y Ffin.

Abell informed us that: “It’s really a show about being connected to a place, a show about the love of a place.”

Folklore and mythology are quite integral themes woven through Abell’s work, and he told Nation.Cymru: “Folklore is something I work a lot with in print.

“In paintings not so much, the figurative works tend to be influenced by old alchemical prints, forgotten or unfashionable things from art history, and my landscapes are often almost a kind of gestural abstract painting.”

As well as myth and magic, Welsh landscapes creep in beautifully too. He told us: “There are a lot of waterfalls in this show, but being from the south of Wales, you do see a lot of waterfalls.”

Cynefin

Anyone following Abell on social media will notice that his daily walks in some of Wales’ most beautiful places feature just as much, if not more, than his paintings.

He shared: “I need to get out of the studio sometimes, or else I literally wouldn’t really leave!

“It’s important for me to see all of Wales, it’s a spiritual activity for me hiking, going long long distances and getting a really good sense of the topography of her in my mind, and learning all the names of mountains and features – in Welsh, naturally.

“Welsh is so linked to the land here in a way monoglots couldn’t understand.

As well as Abell’s paintings, he is keen to offer more accessible works which show a different side to his working methodoloy, which available via Diwydiant Bythynnod.

He told us: “I really enjoy the immediacy of print, linocuts and woodcuts especially, it’s very direct and very straightforward, kind of like an antidote to painting which can be a very long process.

“Diwydiant Bythynnod is my press, I release lots of prints through it that are affordable, because print should be a mass medium, a popular medium like it has been historically.”

“They are also very political my prints, in a way my painting tends not to be.”

Showing his restlessness, and desire to see his work in different mediums, Abell has recently collaborated with a Cornwall-based tattooist on some incredible designs, and he’s also passionate about the Welsh language – something that has become ever-important in his work. He shared: “At the moment all my reading tends to be in Welsh.

“I think it’s important people in Wales speak Welsh, and think in Welsh, it is a better language for us to know ourselves through, and it is the most precious thing a nation can have is its tongue.

“You can’t understand Wales, literally, without an understanding of the Welsh language.”

As for his walks, they’ll be taking on a decidely urban feel as he heads to London with his paintings to see them all together on display, something he hopes fans of his work also get to do.

He said: “Nothing compares to seeing art in real life, a screen definitely does it no justice.

“The opening night will feature an event with the Stone Club, so try and make it for the 13th if you can!”

Cariadon y Mynydd takes place at Arusha London, 6 Percy Street, W1T 1DQ from 13 March – 29 March.

See John’s latest works at Arusha online.

Follow John Abell on Instagram.

Follow Diwydiant Bythynnod on Instagram.