Gathering, a Room of Faces

Julia Gaudard uses a direct graphic language. Small changes in eyes, mouth, posture and colour give each figure a distinct presence.

Seen together, the works begin to behave like a group. The exhibition becomes a room populated by personalities.

Colour moves the eye through the installation. Strong blocks create rhythm from one painting to the next, while repeated shapes sharpen the differences between figures.

The wall becomes a sequence. Each painting holds its own presence, and the pleasure of the show comes from seeing how the works speak to one another.

The exhibition becomes complete when people enter the room. Visitors stand among painted faces, look back at them and create another temporary gathering.

That relationship between image and public is central to the show. The paintings are graphic and immediate, and the social feeling they produce is surprisingly complex.