Theodore Mendez. Paintings From the Late 1950s & Early 1960s

3-26 February 2010

LONDON, January 19 - Whitfield Fine Art is pleased to present an exhibition of early abstract
paintings by 20th Century British artist Theodore Mendez (1934-1997). The
exhibition is a critical reassessment of this talented artist's early
abstract work.

Theodore Mendez first attended Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts in
1950, at a time when so many, now icons, of 20th century British Art were
also drawn to the School. The 1940s had seen Victor Pasmore, Michael Ayrton,
John Minton, Keith Vaughan, Edward Ardizzone and William Coldstream hold
posts on the teaching staff, and Mendez arrived when the likes of Terry
Frost, Howard Hodgkin, Euan Uglow, Roy Turner Durrant, Bernard Dunstan and
Gillian Ayres were all students there. Mendez spent three years in this
company before completing his textile design studies at London University's
Institute of Education from 1956-7.

During the 1950s he exhibited first at the Redfern Gallery in 1954; he
would later show his textile designs at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1956;
and in the same year went on to win the Design Award at the Manchester
Colour, Design & Style Centre. Mendez returned to take up a teaching post at
Camberwell in 1958, the same year as Frank Auerbach would start his time on
the staff. They would be colleagues until 1965, when Auerbach left his post,
and Mendez continued to teach full-time, later becoming Head of the Textile
Department from 1976 until his retirement in 1984.

The influence of Camberwell is very evident in this selection of Mendez's
early work. Elements of Auerbach's, Dunstan's, Uglow's and Frost's work can
be picked out, whilst the works still all maintain the individual style that
Mendez would develop and make his own. He exhibited less in the later years
preferring to concentrate on his teaching. He did not diminish his creative
output however and his paintings were still hung next to the likes of David
Hockney, Patrick Caulfield, Patrick Heron and Roger Hilton in two exhibitions
at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool in 1972 & 1978.

    VENUE: Whitfield Fine Art, 23 Dering Street, London W1S 1AW
    WEB:  www.whitfieldfineart.com
    EXHIBITION HOURS: MON-FRI 09.30-17.30 & SAT 10.00-14.00
    DATES: 3-26 FEBRUARY 2010
    CATALOGUE AVAILABLE

Note to Editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA
Photowire. It can be downloaded from www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or
viewed at www.mediapoint.press.net or www.prnewswire.co.uk.

CONTACT: Edward Clark, Tel: +44(0)20-7355-0040,
Email: ed@whitfieldfineart.com

CONTACT: Edward Clark, Tel: +44(0)20-7355-0040, Email: ed at whitfieldfineart.com