Phillip Allen

Phillip Allen's paintings are the product of his continuous sketching practice. He sketches on a small scale using A5 paper and felt pens. These drawings serve as the foundation for the development of his abstract forms and arrangements, which he then translates into unique oil paintings on board. To create a sense of depth, Allen frequently applies thick globs of paint to the edges of the canvas, resulting in a three-dimensional frame for the imagery within. Phillip Allen's dedication to exploring the possibilities of painting is evident through his tireless experimentation, in which he avoids a single method or style in favor of constantly pushing the boundaries of his medium. This chameleonic approach has led him to transition from geometric semi-figurative landscapes to soft, disintegrated abstraction, and highly sculptural and textured impasto paintings. Throughout his diverse output, Allen's colourist ingenuity, radical reconsideration of pictorial space and depth, and emphasis on the materiality of paint, its plasticity, texture, and sculptural properties, have remained consistent. His work often features fluid, spiraling, or coalescing forms, with hallucinatory, and playful qualities, and titles that reveal a curious and irreverent sense of humor. ...

The Approach is co-directed by Jake Miller and Emma Robertson. Located in Bethnal Green above The Approach Tavern, for over twenty years it has operated an internationally recognised programme from its East London base. The gallery is known for discovering artists and establishing their careers as well as making inter-generational curated group shows a strong focus. The list of represented artists includes the Estates of important overlooked female artists Heidi Bucher and Maria Pinińska Bereś, as well as seminal British collage artist John Stezaker, together with established and emerging artists including Magali Reus, Peter Davies, Lisa Oppenheim, Sandra Mujinga, Pam Evelyn, Sara Cwynar, Sam Windett and Caitlin Keogh. Over the years the gallery has operated parallel programmes in additional gallery spaces in London’s West End (The Approach W1) and in Shoreditch (The Reliance). The gallery is currently based solely in its original East End location and continues to expand its programme, showcasing its represented artists in the main gallery space, and both represented and non-represented artists in The Annexe, a smaller, more experimental space at the back of the building. ...