Help, seek information on this artist

[Cliff]

Ian Hughes
I am trying to find a web address, email, anything on a Scottish artist, Ian Hughes. In the early 90's he was based in Edinburgh and represented by the Raab Gallery and an older widow in Cambridge, Sylvia Stevenson. Do you have any info?

Thank you for your help.

Linda Clary

[Cliff]

I found a painting from him here, more info soon to follow hopefully.
http://www.stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk/...ur/07west.html

15/11/2004 - 02/12/2004
'The Apostles -Testaments Betrayed'

Ian Hughes currently has an exhibition at the Phoenix 369 Gallery,
3 Dundas Street, Edinburgh
EH3 6QG
Tel 0131 556 6497

International: 0041 31 556 6497




Ian Hughes currently has a show at the Phoenix369 Gallery - the show runs until the 2nd December.

If it is called 'The Apostles -Testaments Betrayed'

If it helps you, we are having a Press View on Thursday 18th November 6.00 -8.00pm at the the Phoenix 369 Gallery, to which you are most welcome.

Ian Hughes was a leading member of that group of young Scottish figurative painters (including Howson and Currie) which rose international prominence in the 1980s. His over-scaled expressionist portraits, particularly those of Kavka, where exhibited to great acclaim in Germany, America & Russia.

Having originally trained as a psychiatric nurse a period as ‘Artist in Residence’ at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital led him to question the relevance of the contemporary art world and in the late 1990s he gave up painting and enrolled in a intensive adult nursing course. A tragic incident with a crazed patient left him permanently injured and as he puts it fate returned him to painting.

This is the first major exhibition of Hughes works for nearly ten years and is distinguished by a new maturity and intensity of feeling born out of his harrowing experiences over the last decade.

These remarkable pictures of the twelve apostles portray in searing reality and deep affection former psychiatric patients alcoholics and homeless down and outs with whom he has worked and befriended.

[Cliff]

Ian Hughes was a leading member of that group of young Scottish figurative painters (including Howson and Currie) which rose international prominence in the 1980s. His over-scaled expressionist portraits, particularly those of Kavka, where exhibited to great acclaim in Germany, America & Russia.



Having originally trained as a psychiatric nurse a period as ‘Artist in Residence’ at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital led him to question the relevance of the contemporary art world and in the late 1990s he gave up painting and enrolled in a intensive adult nursing course. A tragic incident with a crazed patient left him permanently injured and as he puts it fate returned him to painting.



This is the first major exhibition of Hughes works for nearly ten years and is distinguished by a new maturity and intensity of feeling born out of his harrowing experiences over the last decade. These remarkable pictures of the twelve apostles portray in searing reality and deep affection former psychiatric patients alcoholics and homeless down and outs with whom he has worked and befriended.



Until fate returned him to painting.



For the last year and a half Hughes has spent 2 days a week working in a hostel for the homeless. He has come to know, understand and befriend the residents who have severe mental health issues along with alcohol and drug dependency problems.



These marginalised individuals, the people most of us at best ignore pity or even despise are the subjects of this series of portraits of the twelve apostles. Perhaps it is not such a great leap of imagination to think this the way the original Apostles were initially seen by their society. This is the first major exhibition of Hughes work for nearly 10 years and is distinguished by a new maturity and intensity of feeling borne out of his harrowing experiences over the last decade. This remarkable group of pictures portrays in searing reality and deep affection people most of us choose not to notice at all, but whose faces once seen through Hughes’ eyes can never be forgotten.


IAN HUGHES – ‘THE APOSTLES – TESTAMENTS BETRAYED’ runs until December 2nd 2004.

I used to share a flat with Ian in the early eighties and helped him move his paintings and prints for instalation in his first major one man show at the 369 gallery on the Royal mile in Edinburgh. I particularly liked his etchings on the theme of The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp by Rembrandt - wish I 'd bought one.
Unfortunately I lost touch with him in 1988 when I moved. I have a video tape of a programme made about him by Scottish Television around 12 years ago.

Last week I finally saw one of the paintings featured in the programme, in situ. It hangs in a church on Princess Street, Edinburgh and appears to depict the deposition of Christ from the cross. I took a photo of this and could email it to you. The image can also; according to the owner of the painting, be interpreted as a woman giving birth.

I watched him painting on numerous occasions and feel he is a very gifted artist.I believe Bob Geldof and Peter Gabriel bought his work.
As far as I know he is living in Glasgow at present. I hope this info is helpful.

Hi, I'm his brother, he is fine and well and living in Edinburgh. Painting strongly again and the apostles needs to be seen