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Paul McPhail

Realism

May 18, 2013

Scottish contemporary artist Paul McPhail is best known for realistic paintings that, in recent years, have been much sought after at auctions. With his unique approach to subjects, he pays close attention to the human body and flesh and masterfully captures the essence of the human condition. McPhail has often been compared to such masters as Chaïm Soutine, Lucian Freud, and Egon Schiele.

Study Of The Human Flesh

Paul McPhail (born in 1966 in Glasgow, Scotland) is married to Jenny Saville, a prominent artist with whom he shares a similar style. Interested in art from a young age, he graduated with honors in fine art from the School of Art. He and Saville met at school, became friends, and later worked together in a studio space in Palermo. It seems that the artist was always interested in what makes a human, which led him to visit a plastic surgeon's operating theatre in 1994, where he watched an operation where he realized just how fragile the human skin is.

Yet he is not interested in capturing the perfection of a human body. Instead, he focuses on all the imperfections, choosing to paint people who might be pale, overweight, or have bruises on their extremities. Through such a unique approach, McPhail has created works that redefine beauty. McPhail said:

The process is the most important thing for me, the time it takes, how long you are out of reality. The image is a side effect.

Paul McPhail's Art

In his work, especially portraits, Paul McPhail often focuses on what is underneath the skin, creating a detailed analysis of human flesh. In the painting entitled Emollient, everything comes front and center, the bloodshot eyes, the flesh, blood, and gums. What at first glance might look grotesque in his work is transformed into the truth about the fragility of man. The texturally-rich brushwork only adds to the layers as the artist's every movement is bold, dynamic, and done in broad swathes. The composition features bold colors that create heavy contrasts of tones.  

Exhibitions

Throughout his career spanning several decades, Paul McPhail has had numerous solo exhibitions and received several prestigious rewards, including the Haldane Trust Award in 1990 and the National Portrait Award in 1989. Group shows he has participated in are Head at Houldsworth Fine Art in 1999 and The Discerning Eye at Mall Galleries and Williamson Art Gallery in Birkenhead (1990)


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