Richard Hughes and Bernadette Kerrigan
‘Colours that no-one knows the name of’

This show isn’t any absolute statement that attempts to define either artist’s practice individually or as a collective; it has been more a case of finding a shared middle ground (in middle age and the middle of the road) in both artists work, having lived and shared studios together for 25 years.

The show takes its title from a line found in “I Wasn’t Born To Follow”, a Byrds song used in Easy Rider celebrating the freedoms enjoyed by hippies in the late 60s. This choice and the sources for the works on show are intentionally easy, well-worn signifiers for “alternative”.

A blown up and pompous title that might be the conceited premise for an ambitious amateur abstract painting show, or the name of a closed down new age shop on a struggling high street, or a fringe lecture at a metaphysical convention. The title tantalises with the suggestion of something it can never really live up to.

Whilst acknowledging the failures of a faded ideology, and the shortcomings of putting ones faith in (mystical) objects, Richard and Bernie are doing both here, presenting works that allude to such.

Richard Hughes and Bernadette Kerrigan live and work in Herefordshire. Richard Hughes is represented by The Modern Institute (Glasgow), Anton Kern Gallery (New York), Nils Staerk (Copenhagen) and Gladstone Gallery (Brussels). Recent solo exhibitions include Field Trip, The Modern Institute, Glasgow (2014), Scene Inbetween, Nils Staerk, Copenhagen (2014), Richard Hughes, Anton Kern Gallery, New York (2013) and Time Is Over, Time Has Come, Firstsite, Colchester (2013). Bernadette Kerrigan graduated in Painting from The Royal College of Art in 2017. Recent group exhibitions include Beep Painting Prize, Swansea (2018), Paper Cuts, Kris Day, London (2017) and Pharmacy For Idiots, Rob Tufnell at Tanya Leighton Gallery, Cologne, (2017).