The exhibited works of well-known British artist and Royal Academician Nigel Hall are on display at the City Arts Center, Oklahoma City’s leading contemporary art space. Nigel Hall actually came to Oklahoma from London with the intent of exploring our vast geographic spaces.
“On my travels around America I have managed – by a major oversight – to miss Oklahoma. I am now eager to remedy this omission,” Hall noted. This is his first visit to the U.S. in over a decade.
For more than 40 years, America has held a fascination for Hall. It was the vast open spaces and natural beauty rather than its cityscapes that originally drew him to this country. Spaces that are free from human touch have a particular resonance for this sculptor; he lived in California during his early artistic years to explore the visual concepts of the openness of the Mojave Desert. “This experience of a seemingly empty landscape taught me a lot in terms of space and economy,” he said.
Hall’s exhibit at City Arts Center, located at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, includes two large-scale sculptures, more than 35 drawings and 25 maquettes, models and small sculptures. It is fascinating to see him explain how his eye sees the Mojave Desert, for example, and how his hand translates that visual experience into a work of art.
Royal Academicians are artists and architects who are elected to the Royal Academy of Arts, London, and are considered among the leading names in contemporary British art. Hall is the first international artist to personally exhibit at City Arts Center. His exhibition entitled Nigel Hall: Carbon Handprints will continue until mid-December, and is truly a feast for the eyes.
