Nothing Lasts Forever. Together, Roberts' paintings and Hunters sculptures create narratives of childhood memories, some are warm, but others are difficult, placing children in the roles of rehearsing for the real challenges that lie ahead in the adult world.
CONNERSMITH. is very pleased to announce “Nothing Lasts Forever” a two-artist exhibition of new painting by
Julie Roberts and new sculpture by Kenny Hunter. The friendship between these Scottish artists began in 1988
at the Glasgow School of Art, grew in the days of the Glasgow Conceptual Art Scene, and endures to the present
day. Roberts and Hunter conceived the works for this exhibition around the theme of childhood.
“I want to open up the theme of childhood, the tensions between nature verses nurture, dreams and fears,
playfulness and cruelties. I want the artworks to set these dualities at a depth that resonates with the viewer
and addresses these aspects without sentimentality.” – Kenny Hunter
“I have trained my focus on children whose early start in life has been one of turbulence, whether forced upon
them by war or family circumstances (reflecting my own difficult pre-school years occasionally spent in
institutional care). Not all of the stories will have a happy ending, but for those who do achieve some kind of
successful adult life, it will say much for their inbuilt resilience.” – Julie Roberts
The title of the show, “Nothing Lasts Forever,” suggests that despite adversity there is always hope, yet, it also
reminds us that youth is fleeting. That sense of open-endedness reflects the appeal of these new works, many
of which, convey a sense of uncertainty or transition in imagery including: a homeless family in a shabby
lodging house, two orphaned girls kneeling and praying beside dormitory beds in an austere British Orphanage,
a boy holding a real gun, and cat perched atop a discarded microwave. Together, Roberts’ paintings and
Hunters sculptures create narratives of childhood memories, some are warm, but others are difficult, placing
children in the roles of rehearsing for the real challenges that lie ahead in the adult world.
Hunters’s works may be seen in the following collections: (selected)
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Scotland,
Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen, Scotland,
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, Scotland
The British School in Athens, Greece.
Robert’s works may be seen in the following collections: (selected)
Tate Britain, London, UK,
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, Scotland
Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums, Aberdeen, Scotland
Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, Tel-Aviv, Israel
Centre National des Arts Plastiques, Paris, France
Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
The Indianapolis Art Museum, Indianapolis, USA
Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art, Oporto, Portugal
Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, CT USA.
Artists talk. October 27th: 5pm
Opening night reception. October 27th: 6-8pm
Connersmith.
1358 Florida Ave. NE, Washington
Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm
Free Admission