Ken Currie’s Eerie Sea Creatures in Leviathan

Description

Ken Currie’s Leviathan delves into deep-seated human anxieties surrounding the unknown, drawing on mythologies of sea monsters and the terror of unseen depths. Through monumental canvases like “Leviathan” and “Bleached Claw,” Currie depicts creatures that blur the line between reality and imagination. Smaller works on gesso panels (a technique historically associated with 15th century works) introduce an eerie stillness, where suggestion and symbolism take precedence over narrative clarity. Across the exhibition, themes of such as predation and vulnerability emerge prompt viewers to question who the real predator is.

Born in 1960, Currie rose to prominence as part of a generation of painters called the New Glasgow Boys and is known for his psychologically intense figurative painting. A graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, his work often explores mysterious rites, rituals and medical practices. Currie has exhibited internationally, with works held in major collections including Tate, London; Campbelltown Arts Centre, New South Wales and the National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh.