Woking, The Lightbox: The Ingram Collection: The Human Face, 22 July – 28 September 2008;
Woking, The Lightbox, The Ingram Collection: Sea Pictures, 16 January – 21 March 2010;
Chichester, Otter Gallery, University of Chichester, Ingram Loan Exhibition, March – April 2012;
Woking, The Lightbox, The Ingram Collection: Dreams and Nightmares, 22 May – 15 July 2012;
Somerset, Hestercombe Gallery, A Personal Passion, 25 April – 5 July 2015;
Aberystwyth, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, The Human Face, 27 January – 12 March 2016;
London, The Sammy Ofer Centre, London Business School, London|Forward Facing, 20 April – 18 July 2018
A painter whose art draws from his own experiences and memories, John Bellany was born in the fishing village of Port Seton, near Edinburgh. This complex painting features Bellany’s own personal symbolism that derives from his experiences of the sea and a strict religious upbringing. Fish (frequently giant skates), masks, animals and religious imagery are often brought together in his work. Sometimes these are omens, harbingers of doom, sometimes metaphors for tranquillity and peace. Bellany’s work is often very highly coloured, the artist relates colours to the strength and intensity of his feelings and emotions.
