a cherubs bow, apple and shell still life

study of.a queen conch shell with a dagger

statement

rhea micallef gavin is a british maltese painter whose work draws on art history and the tradition of seventeenth century vanitas still life. her paintings place motifs in deliberate relation. distilled in feeling, sharp in reference, a tulip smoking a cigarette, a lady and her bull to let the tension between them do the work and create still moments for reflection. lemons for their mediterranean iconography, shells emulate feminine form, cigarettes for the paradox of contemporary life.
working in oils, she treats observing as a curatorial act, the tone, form and positioning of a selection allow new meaning to emerge. she paints with the idea of viewership and narrative at front of mind. her practice sits alongside writing and radio, where the same interest holds: what pictorial language, people and words reveal about the culture they come from. her work is held in private collections, has been exhibited across london and europe, and featured in vogue italia, forbes, 10magazine, and love magazine.

Contact

Catalogue available upon request — always open to commissions and custom orders

reach out here: rhea.micallef.gavin@gmail.com