I first saw Michael Broughton’s paintings in a small gallery in St. Ives. I had heard of the work of this young and little-known painter from a couple of distinguished painters so in that sense there was no surprise. But what I encountered were paintings of a beautiful simplicity and modesty in the choice of subject, painted with a restrained yet luminous palette and rich in the actual stuff of paint; sensual yet risky they declared themselves as being“un-fashionably” sympathetic to the broader tradition of European expressionism but having the quality and intensity of a very personal vision.

In the time that has followed Michael Broughton has built on the achievements of his earlier work. His choice of subject remains strongly linked to his personal and daily world: his studio and its contents, his wife and children, discarded shoes and his ever present dog, although his relationship with his materials is more physical and experimental.

A residency in Madrid drawing every day in the Prado is confirmation of his faith in the need to reach into history and a clear indication that there is a very serious young man behind these paintings; something of an “outsider” with an individual, introspective attitude whose goal is the quality and intensity of his own vision rather than any participation in one or other of the current
trends.

To mark the occasion of this, his first exhibition with Art Space Gallery and his first solo show in London, we are pleased to publish this catalogue. I will also echo the words of Craig Burnett from his ‘North Ship’ catalogue essay of May 2007, “Broughton, a young artist, is just setting out on his journey, and he’s rigging his ship for a long one.”

Michael Richardson
Art Space Gallery, 2008

A catalogue with full colour plates is available.