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Paradiso
Life In Transit
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The Palazzo Foundation in partnership with NorthStandard is proud to present ‘Paradiso’ - a week-long exhibition by British painter James Hawke coinciding with Frieze London 2025. Following a significant 4-month presentation at the renowned Villa Pallavicino delle Peschiere - the artist returns to London with an intimate exhibition in Notting Hill.
With his latest solo presentation at the Genoese Palazzo being ranked as a ‘must-do’ in Europe by Yahoo, Hawke now brings a smaller and refreshed selection of paintings to the J/M Gallery in Notting Hill. Having coined the working title ‘Poolside’ when he began the series in 1998, the artist presents an expansive range of works made available for this show in particular, as well as a small amount of works from his museum show in Italy.
Taking a particular interest in the analogies of boundaries, borders and human sociological behaviours, Hawke meticulously paints beach scenarios using a combination of flat, fragmented shape and colour. With this method, he creates complex visions of people and objects as visually-represented masses of social activity.
The exhibition title ‘Paradiso’ is taken from Dante’s Divine Comedy, an allegory Hawke revisits regularly for its imagery of paradise, purgatory and hell. Paradiso is the direction of perfection, heaven, the ideal - with its truths questioned and scrutinised. It can also refer to an artificial paradise. It’s this search and longing which summarises the beauty of his paintings: somewhat unsettling, yet vivacious and bright - a longing for Paradiso.
Paradiso runs at the J/M Gallery, London from 15-21 October 2025, and is curated by James Marshall.
230 Portobello Road, London W11 1LJ
To enquire about attending Paradiso or for more information about the works in the exhibition, please contact us at enquiries@jameshawkeart.com or fill in this form
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