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Quentin James McCaffrey's First UK Solo Show at Alison Jacques Explores Desire and Distance

exhibition · 2026-09-08

Quentin James McCaffrey is presenting his inaugural solo exhibition in the UK, titled "La distanza del desiderio" (The Distance of Desire), at the Alison Jacques gallery in London from September 3 to October 3, 2026. The show features oil paintings on canvas mounted on wood panels, portraying imagined interiors that convey both familiarity and a sense of alienation. McCaffrey highlights the importance of independent creation, remarking, "When you work too faithfully from a reference, it ends up imposing the direction on the painting." Notable works include "Mirror with View" (2026), "Landscape with Sunbeam" (2026), and "The True Veil" (2026). The absence of figures contributes to a feeling of suspended time, influenced by artists like Vilhelm Hammershøi, Edward Hopper, and Italian Trecento masters. The gallery is located at 22 Cork Street, London.

Key facts

  • Quentin James McCaffrey's first solo exhibition in the UK is at Alison Jacques, London.
  • Exhibition dates: September 3 to October 3, 2026.
  • Works include 'Mirror with View' (2026), 'Landscape with Sunbeam' (2026), and 'The True Veil' (2026).
  • McCaffrey avoids direct study and photographic references.
  • Anna Kristensen described McCaffrey's painting as 'arrested time'.
  • Influences include Hammershøi, Hopper, de Chirico, Giotto, Masaccio, Piero della Francesca, Vermeer, Gerrit Dou, and Gerard ter Borch.
  • McCaffrey calls technique an 'obstacle'.
  • The exhibition is at 22 Cork Street, London.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Alison Jacques

Locations

  • London
  • United Kingdom

Sources