Reuben Colley - REMNANT

REUBEN COLLEY
REMNANT

REUBEN COLLEY FINE ART
remnant/ˈrɛmnənt/noun
“A part or quantity that is left after a greater part has been used, removed or destroyed.
A surviving trace”.
Life moves forward, time relentlessly ticks away and we all continue about our daily business.
Meanwhile our surroundings are constantly evolving. Everywhere we look there is evidence of
the passing of time. Dated architecture which, having lost its purpose, is now being redeveloped;
somewhere which has been neglected enough for nature to repossess; some 20th century graffiti on
beautiful Victorian masonry; or simply a tree stump in the middle of the woods.
Whilst painting this collection I became interested in what motivates us to do the things we do,
to create and destroy. I am sure that Paradise Circus was once a brave new development, but it
hasn’t stood the test of time. Lee Bank Business Centre was designed for manufacturing and is now
destined to become residential. Businesses come and go.
What motivates somebody to access highly inaccessible places in order to render a piece of graffiti?
Why do we cut down a tree? Regardless of significance, there are remnants of the past everywhere,
and there is a story to accompany all of them.
Reuben Colley
Tuesday 7th November – Saturday 2nd December 2017
REMNANT
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REUBEN COLLEY FINE ART
Foreword
Birmingham’s urban landscape has never stood still. Shaped by the industrial revolution in the
REUBEN COLLEY FINE ART
18th century, and then by Victorian city-builders, it is still a building site, and perhaps always will
be. For more than two hundred years, artists have been recording the changing face of the city,
building upon the legacy of Samuel Lines who immortalised early 19th century Birmingham and
fostered what became known as the ‘Birmingham School’ of landscape painters.
The Impressionist movement legitimised ordinary city life as a subject for fine art, and in the 20th
century, urban decay increasingly became a focus for artists. In Birmingham, the Lockwoods
recorded the demolition of factories, and photographer Phyllis Nicklin captured a snapshot of a
city in transition in the 1960s. Further north, Lowry was producing his iconic images of working
class city life. Birmingham also bred artists who observed urban environments around the world.
John Salt, born in Birmingham, pioneered the photorealist school in the United States and became
celebrated for his paintings of abandoned vehicles.
Exhibition sponsors
Born in Hodge Hill, Reuben Colley spent his childhood playing in scrubland between high rise
tower blocks, and cycling in the shade of the Aston Expressway. Over the last 20 years, Colley has
firmly established himself within the Birmingham topographical tradition. In his paintings of
the urban landscape, he draws upon some of modern art’s most powerful movements, including
impressionism, photorealism and even pop art. The ordinary, the commonplace, the neglected, the
abandoned: great art can, and should, be made of these things.
Front cover: ‘Paradise’, Oil on Canvas, 122 x 99 cm
Henrietta Lockhart

Fletchers Walk I, Oil on Canvas, 50 x 40 cm

Fletchers Walk II, Oil on Canvas, 50 x 40 cm

Paradise, Oil on Canvas, 122 x 99 cm

Paradise Lost I, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

Paradise Lost II, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

Mass House Pillar, Oil on Canvas, 51 x 46 cm

Mass House Pillars Diptych, Oil on Canvas, 80 x 56 cm

Red Lee Bank Business Centre, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

Yellow Lee Bank Business Centre, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

127 Aldridge Road, Oil on Canvas, 40 x 25 cm

Duddeston Viaduct, Oil on Canvas, 25 x 40 cm

The Birmingham Arms, Oil on Canvas, 25 x 40 cm

Stumps, Oil on Canvas, 138 x 115 cm

The Sculpture, Oil on Canvas, 138 x 115 cm

The Butts (Study), Oil on Canvas, 26 x 21 cm

The Butts, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

The Footbridge, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

The Bridge, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

The White Diamond, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

Sane, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

Moseley In Bloom, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

Moseley Rail, Oil on Canvas, 50 x 40 cm

Bridge 83, Dark Tunnel, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

Bridge 83, Light Tunnel, Oil on Canvas, 76 x 61 cm

The Drome, Oil on Canvas, 40 x 25 cm

Tickets-Parcels, Longbridge, Oil on Canvas, 40 x 25 cm

The Knife and Fork, Oil on Canvas, 40 x 25 cm

KPMG is delighted to be supporting Reuben Colley on his latest exhibition - Remnant.
As a UK leading provider of professional services, including audit, tax and advisory specialisms - KPMG
is committed to the Midlands, with offices in central Birmingham, Nottingham and Leicester. Our
Birmingham office, which is our largest in the UK outside London, underlines this commitment. Set in the
heart of the Colmore Business District and close to Snowhill and Birmingham New Street rail stations, the
office is home to over 40 partners and 1,000 staff.
We pride ourselves in our ability to support businesses ranging from SMEs to PLCs, including the
successful individuals behind them. Everything we do at KPMG is about unlocking potential, whether it’s
for our clients, our people, our suppliers or our wider communities.
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REMNANT
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Our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are our greatest asset, helping us to stand out from
the crowd and help our vision to become the clear choice for our clients in a constantly evolving landscape.
KPMG provides a leading tax advisory service to some of the region’s most prominent entrepreneurs and
families. Given ever increasing complexity and change in the UK tax system, taxpayers are increasingly
keen to ensure that their tax affairs are properly reported to HMRC, and that they understand the
implications of these legislative developments upon diverse matters such as family inheritance, business
sales, as well as investment and philanthropic activities. Our Private Client Advisory team can expertly
support across all personal tax matters.
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For more information on how we can help you, please contact our Tax Partner, Marc Abrams today on
07825 316 668 or via marc.abrams@kpmg.co.uk
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Karl Edge
Midlands Chairman
Catalogue Design: mauvedesign.co.uk

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REUBEN COLLEY FINE ART
Reuben Colley Fine Art
85-89 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 2BB
T: 0121 236 0920
www.reubencolleyfineart.co.uk
info@reubencolleyfineart.co.uk
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Catalogue: £12.00