Stewart Russell
Degree: First Class BA Honours Degree
University: Glasgow School of Art
Graduation Year: 2023
New Blood Art Commentary
At once familiar yet strange, Stuart Russell’s description of his paintings as ‘guided by the torches of psychoanalysis and alchemy’ provides us with a clue, yet as viewers we are left with work to do. Refusing to commit to figuration or abstraction, the viewer is left an active participant, working with the paintings to make sense of them. Yet, to say that we are left to make sense of the paintings would be reductive, for we, as viewers, are also forced to make sense of ourselves. How do we make sense of the world? As we grasp the familiar and grapple with the unfamiliar, Russell’s paintings provide assistance. They give us just enough to keep working, to keep asking questions, and to keep wondering. We are left in a space between knowing and unknowing, between conscious and subconscious. It is a space that keeps us engaged, aware that while the paintings tell us something, they are also holding something back.
Artist Statement
My artistic journey delves into the profound interplay between psychoanalysis, alchemy, and the self, crafting a narrative that transcends the confines of the visible world. Through my work, I explore the hidden recesses of the human psyche, seeking to unveil the intricate layers that define our existence. Just as alchemists sought to transmute base materials into gold, I aim to transmute the raw emotions and experiences of the self into the golden essence of enlightenment and self-realisation. Psychoanalysis serves as my guiding compass, enabling me to plumb the depths of the subconscious, excavating the buried symbols and archetypes that shape our perceptions and behaviours. My art becomes a canvas for these revelations, a portal into the subconscious mind, where viewers can confront their own inner complexities. The alchemical process, with its transformative rituals and spiritual significance, resonates deeply with my creative process. I distill the essence of the human experience, merging it with the alchemical quest for spiritual elevation. My art becomes the alchemical vessel, catalysing the fusion of personal growth and universal wisdom. Ultimately, my artistic statement is a quest for self-discovery, an exploration of the labyrinthine corridors of the mind, guided by the torches of psychoanalysis and alchemy. It's an invitation to journey alongside me, a pilgrimage to the core of our being, where the alchemy of self-awareness and the enigma of our subconscious converge, creating a tapestry of transcendent understanding.
Group Exhibitions
(2023) Dick Institute Open Exhibition, Dick Institute, Kilmarnock
(2022) Portrait Exhibition, The Brick Lane Gallery, London
(2022) Pipe Dream, The Pipe Factory, Glasgow UK
(2022) The Big Art Show, The Art Department, Paisley UK
(2022) Old Contemporaries Exhibition, New Glasgow Society East, Glasgow UK
(2022) Self and Subject Exhibition, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow UK
(2019) Untitled Group Exhibition, Electric Brae Gallery and Studio, Croy UK
(2018) Untitled Group Exhibition, The Barony, West Kilbride