Darren Almond's Cyclical Time Paintings at Alfonso Artiaco Gallery, Naples

British artist Darren Almond (b. 1971, Appley Bridge) presents his sixth solo exhibition at Alfonso Artiaco gallery in Naples, titled 'Songbirds and willows'. The show explores cyclical time through two series: 'Songbirds' and 'Willow works'. 'Songbirds' originated from studio visits to Lucian Freud's space, where Almond photographed and painted over cotton rags stained with Freud's paint, preserving traces of the artistic process. These works are displayed in the gallery's first two rooms. 'Willow works' depict seasonal cycles of willow branches on gold, copper, or palladium backgrounds, referencing medieval two-dimensional opulent scenes and Japanese byobu folding screens. A concurrent exhibition, 'RAGS', at Cappella Sansevero features Almond's works from the same cycle in dialogue with Neapolitan Baroque, developed in collaboration with Artiaco gallery. The artist's philosophy references Otto Piene's 1963 text on zero as silence, beginning, and infinity, aligning with Almond's anti-Parmenidean view of life. The exhibition is covered by Artribune.