Gerard Hemsworth
'Sidewinder'

Acrylic on canvas
163 x 145 cm

Gerard Hemsworth was born in 1945. One of his first exhibitions was John Moores 5, 1965. In the 1980s and 1990s his one-person exhibitions included Matts Gallery London 1983, ICA London 1986, and 'Strictly Suburban' John Hansard Gallery Southampton 1998; he also showed regularly at Anthony Reynolds Gallery London. He was included in John Moores 21 1999 and his recent shows include one-person exhibitions at Thomas Rehbein Galerie Köln 2001 and Thomas Cohn Galeria Sao Paulo 2002 and the group shows 'London Underground' Seoul and Taipei 2001-02, the 'Small is Beautiful' series, Flowers East Gallery London 1999-2001, and 'Sidewinder' touring India 2002.

The title of this painting derives from a term used by boxers. A sidewinder is an unexpected blow from the side, a blow that is outside the expected rules of engagement.

In order for contemporary painting to avoid losing its criticality and being consumed and assimilated, it must undermine and question the rules of engagement and the way they are positioned within our culture. Consequently, in order to transcend painting's orthodoxy, the artist needs to find ways to destabilise its familiarity and to capitalise on the preconceptions and assumptions that are brought to their work.