CANALSTORY. UNIQUE PAINTING AND SCULPTURAL WORK. 1995.

Unique work. 1995. Oil paint on padded canvas, metal rivets, painted and sculpted plaster of Paris, glass, metal fittings, wood. 170.8 x 125.2 x 65cm (approx) large painting displaying the sad (suicidal) death of a Scottish woman who was found in a canal by children and, later, reported in the local paper (at which point Campbell mourning the recent death of his father used this image as a momento mori).

The scene is being viewed by “the emotional detectives” who chameleon-like are disguised (literally) as wall-flowers – these are figures that emerge in other paintings by Campbell whenever a strongly emotive scene occurs. The water flora and fauna are lightly and delicately painted with some skill while a painted plaster cat sits halfway between life and death (Schroedinger’s cat anyone?) after being thrown in the water to die by an unknown sadist.

Not a cheery painting one may gather but despite that a late masterwork by Campbell produced as part of his “Chesterfield Dreams” series initiated by personal loss and his tendency to mull over dark thoughts while lying on a Chesterfield sofa in his studio (hence the padding and rivets on the final work).
Campbell himself suffered an early death due to alcoholism and suffered depression in his later years but (to our view anyway) still he was the best by far of the so-called second coming of the “Glasgow Boys”. In fine estate.

Reproduced in Chestefield Dreams Catalogue (1996) (offered joint with this item to any purchaser) and exhibited at both Marlborough Fine Art London and Williasm Hardy Glasgow in 1996.

Price on request