Nel Gallery & FORMS Gallery | God's Away on Business by Robyn Penn

In God’s Away on Business: Penn Navigates Beauty and Horror

Robyn Penn’s exhibition presents two seemingly disparate bodies of work united by a critical exploration of contemporary global issues. Borrowing the title from Tom Wait’s pessimistic song (“It’s all over, it’s all over, it’s all over”), Penn acknowledges the pervasive sense of collapse, yet suggests the glimmer of humor and awe within the crisis.

The Sublime and its Ambiguity:

Central to the exhibition is the concept of the sublime, a feeling of “an agreeable horror” described by John Addison upon witnessing the Italian Alps. Penn investigates the interplay of beauty and threat in her cloud drawings. Utilizing a distinctive encaustic and graphite technique, she creates works that are both ominously deep and awe-inspiringly vast. The ambiguity – alluring or menacing? – reflects our complex relationship with nature in a climate-change era. While exploiting the environment, humanity paradoxically claims a connection to it, be it nationalistic, corporate, or existential.

Portraits of Power and Vulnerability

Penn’s contrasting series of portraits depicts political figures in moments of relaxation or sleep. On one hand, they symbolize the apathy of leaders amidst global crises. On the other hand, they reveal these figures in a state if unexpected vulnerability, seemingly peaceful and humanized. The seductive brushstrokes and virtuosic oil paint further complicate the perception. These “agreeable paintings”, as Addison might say, portray figures who demonstrably awful. This tension underlines the core question: are these men beautiful or dreadful? Does their slumber offer solace or further condemn them?