An artist is sharing his view of the world from a very particular perspective – the saddle of a bicycle.

Henry Falzon has been drawing since his childhood but only took up painting seriously in the past 10 years.

After his first solo exhibition, Morphing Isle, held earlier this year, he returns with another show titled The Bicycle Ride, which features 40 of the artist’s best canvasses from the last four years.

The works on display, according to Mr Falzon, may challenge the viewer’s memory of certain places. Indeed, it is a varied and rather experimental body of work in which the artist plays with different mediums.

Penumbra

“When I have ideas to paint, I decide on which medium is best used to push the image forward, the most suitable to complement the visual projection,” he says.

“Different mediums project different feelings of exactly the same subject. I am comfortable working in several mediums, including oil, watercolours and, of course, my darling pastels.”

His subjects are landscapes but, increasingly, these landscapes are being populated with persons or objects associated with personal use, such as chairs, bicycles and umbrellas.

“When I’m out and about, I consider to paint anything that interests me. I usually shy away from stereotype views that might lead to postcard views,” he notes.

The artist considers colour and composition to be “by far” the most striking aspects in his work.

Orange Skies – Armier

I usually shy away from stereotype views that might lead to postcard views

“Together these parameters create an ‘attitude’ − a vital characteristic, in my opinion.

“I try to set my work apart by projecting views that the viewer may find charged with preconceived ideas that the artist is trying to convey,” Mr Falzon says.

He also strives to capture interesting perspectives to familiar sights.

“I have come to realise that people often look out at life in rather rigid preset views.

“Rushing by familiar places hardly invokes any thoughts or beauty or provide bouts of inspiration. I work on all-too-often familiar sights and give them a fresh twist,” he says.

“It could be a table with chairs in a restaurant that I might depict as an empty barren place whereas, in reality, it is usually jam-packed with people and activity.”

Mr Falzon’s photography years have helped him amass a stash of reference images over the last two decades that imbue his creativity.

Three High Up

However, he is lately looking into collaborations with other artists and photographers to use their images as departure points to his creations, he explains, while adding that this is still at an early stage and very much experimental. 

“I am working constantly and experimenting on the go,” he points out.

“I promise my viewers to be anything but boring or predictable. One never knows what’s around the corner and I’m always out hunting for images and evolving ideas that keep me excited and enthusiastic about that I do.”

The Bicycle Ride is on display at Gallery 23 at No. 23, Idmejda Street, Balzan, until Friday.

One may visit the show by private appointment, contacting the gallery on 9942 8272 directly for bookings. The exhibition will also be open on Friday, between 6.30 and 8.30pm.

For more information, visit the Gallery 23 Facebook page.

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