Sesame is proud to present “Harmony”, an exhibition of paintings by Zachary Walsh.

Zachary Walsh’s works stem from a sincere belief in the value of beauty in painting. Embedding fluid figure painting in abstract colour grounds, he is self consciously at odds with the implosion of aesthetics so common throughout much contemporary art. Amidst an atmosphere of artistic cynicism, Zachary remains resolutely optimistic – a traditionalist with contemporary sensibilities.

The attitude comes across clearly in his work, where an almost romantic quest for harmony and beauty is tinged by the grittier details of contemporary society: the dirty old army jacket of Bundeswehr; the comatose drunken repose of Animal; the androgynous male anorexia of Narcissus… Yet through all of these, the paintings retain their beauty, balance and calm, and a gentle emotional poise.

Zachary’s figures all exist in this contemplative space, suspended in rough blocks of colour that form their settings - impersonal moodscapes built from the ebb and flow of layered tones. It is this combination of line and colour, draughtsmanship and painterliness, that characterises Zachary’s work. Through this he generates his curious balance of tension and calm, of aesthetics and abrasion, that echoes the complex status of “the beautiful” itself in the realm of contemporary painting today.

Originally from Manchester, Zachary Walsh studied painting at the Royal College of Art, graduating with a Masters degree in 1999. He has exhibited widely in the UK as well as in France, Mexico and Ireland. “Harmony” will be his first solo show at Sesame, providing a spotlight focus on the development of his approach to figure painting.