The Social Seen by Hatty Pedder
Mojo Gallery's upcoming exhibition is The Social Seen by Hatty Pedder, from 6th-30th October. I love that her name is Hatty and I love these illustrations that capture the varied lifestyles in Dubai.
Hatty Pedder was born in the UK in 1969, but spent the majority of her childhood abroad, including a number of years in Dubai during the 1980s.
From an early age, Hatty developed a deep love for figurative art – particularly the Pre-Raphaelite movement - and in 1989 she won a place at Central St. Martin’s College of Art & Design in London where she began to develop her unique style. Her narrative, observational work may not betray an overt Pre-Raphaelite link, but the influence of Aubrey Beardsley’s beguiling black line figures is unmistakable.
At the start of her career Hatty was commissioned by a number of UK publications, including Tatler, to illustrate stories and articles, and in 1994 she moved back to Dubai with her husband and new-born daughter.
Always comfortable moving between various genres and working in different mediums, Hatty took on many artistic and commercial art commissions in the UAE which included producing a wide scope of photographic, illustrative and montage work. During this time her art was also exhibited at the New Orientalists Exhibition at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, and at The Majlis and XVA Galleries in Dubai.
In the last few years Hatty has returned to her first love, painting – quietly absorbing and studying the goings-on at the many events in the Emirates, and building up the body of work that forms the basis of The Social Seen.
Hatty Pedder's human subjects are bird-like, out-of-shape, vain, pasty, camp, hairy, snobby, pretentious, over-confident, over-dressed, oblivious, bewildered and absurd. Every character in her work is infused with exaggerated life. Hatty’s pen is always searching, exploring every nook and cranny of her subject – inventing slow- burning subplots that make her paintings a never-ending discovery.
Exhibition details
Dates: 6th-30th October 2010
Location: Mojo Gallery,Unit 33 Al Serkal Avenue, Street 8, Al Quoz 1, Dubai
Phone: +9714 347 7388
Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday, 10:00am – 7:00pm