Sam Bassett at Anima Mundi St.Ives April 18 to June 1st 2019

Sam Bassett at Anima Mundi, St.Ives, Cornwall, UK, 

April 19 to June 1st, 2019.

Three floors of paintings and several have sold at several thousands of pounds each.

As usual the blurb gives an impression of some profound grappling with something profound.

Some mention of paganism, a family with ancestral credibility in an ancient landscape, angst or bit less angst than previously.

'In the clouds, Below the Tor'

Now the paintings. I try but my impression is of fractured images in muddy colours, some heads and bodies drawn crudely, a few words - Berlin, some rude ones, an incoherent messy way of painting, dull grey blues, pasty pink, scratches. They're large paintings with a recognisable gestural look, repetitious habits of colour and composition. Scenes of struggle perhaps but a bit stylish, the influence of Bacon? without the clarity or sense of vicious nastiness.

'Do your coaches go to Berlin?'

One person tells me Sam is a really nice chap, another says he must be authentically expressing something. Both use the word 'dark' of the work.

'Burning Boat'


I ‘m going to really take another look at one -‘Burning Boat’

I can see the boat and a lot of orange paint. The space goes back beyond the picture plane, some of the surface is smeary and atmospheric like a smoke filled night scene. Why is the big orange blob used instead of any depiction of fire?, a bit like a head shape. There’s a recognizable photographic head in the background in black and white tones. There is a central focus, drippy areas of paint. It looks as if its got layers of effort and alteration to get to something the artist wanted. It makes no sense to me.

No I don't like them. I see reference to bars and drinking but not to west Penwith landscape or any meaningful statements about life.I dislike their incoherent banality, the hastily drawn heads, the scratched trendy words, the stereotype of a youngish youth, male ego given free rein, the splashy sloshed on areas, the impact of so many big pictures given so much space.

'Eat your fish and Them Bloody Crusts'

Ecstatic remarks in the visitors' book. 

Sloop Dogs

So,  many people do not agree with me and I hope they will respond with illuminating comments.