Peter Poulet – his recent paintings

watters gallery 2018

I like all sorts of paintings, but I seem to be particularly drawn to paintings that entice me into realms of their own. These ‘realms’ are often seen as limitless landscapes and sometimes as enclosed areas like rooms (as is the case with Peter Poulet). They often appear inside a painting in secret ways, mystical side-effects of the artist’s endeavours. Immaculate conceptions. ‘Realms’ manifest themselves in different ways within all art forms. They insinuate themselves when the will of the art seems to usurp the will of the practitioner. For instance, when an author finds the characters have taken control; or when a painting surprises the painter. The painting as it guides the painter towards an outcome that will surprise the painter has access to all the input stored in his mind since birth, including the great storehouse of primordial knowledge within us.

What we have to come to terms with are wonderful and unpredictable development in Peter Poulet’s paintings over the two years since 2016. To this end, it may be helpful to look at a painting done in 2016 (Figure 1, below) as a gauge of this development. From the painting it can be seen that two years ago Poulet’s paintings were what I’ve called ‘realm’ paintings, and which I admire so much. Perhaps because he is an architect his realms, as in this painting, can be thought of as charming and entrancing rooms. One’s mind drifts through the room, like the light that suffuses it, unimpeded by the floating objects. In its magical way the ambient light gives meaning and visual interest to all the elements that comprise this captivating painting.

Consider now Poulet’s new work. It is, in important ways, in stark contrast. The light-suffused ambience has been blocked out by screens; the floating abstract elements, the progeny of light, have been superseded by wilder and more demanding shapes. These shapes, usually one-dimensional, are shown close up. They energise interest. They occupy the light-inhibiting screens behind which receding depths are either hinted at or displayed with an ambiguity where every interpretation vies with other possibilities. Those receding depths are much invaded by darkness.

Without any doubt, these recent paintings represent an awesome leap that ventures deeper into Poulet’s subconscious. Surely his recent images come from the primordial heritage mentioned earlier: from Yeats’ Spiritus Mundi: from the collective unconscious.

Poulet’s paintings always invited a playful rapport. An exhibition of his paintings was like a party where every instant was as enjoyable for you as it was for everyone else. One felt included. The worry was that the vein of humour in his earlier paintings may have become a casualty to the different thrust of his new work. This has not happened, and that it has not happened is a matter of consequence, I believe, because it is as important to have open-minded humour as it is to have serious debate. Because they are ‘serious’ great movements of all sorts – religious, philosophic, etc – have no room for humour. Their own dogma can make them dogmatic. Humour is an effective revealer of the wrong and the ridiculous. Without open-minded criticism corruption thrives.

The darkness that lurks below the surface in Poulet’s new paintings seems to assert that, even in a dark, bleak world, optimism is a proper and logical stance. By finding hope in the seemingly hopeless lies the courage which I feel is fundamental to his work.

Geoffrey Legge March 2018