Hook looks beyond canvas as new exhibition opens in London

by Alice Mascarenhas in London

Christian Hook’s art is again on show in London with his latest exhibition officially opening tomorrow at the Clarendon Fine Art’s flagship gallery in Mayfair.

The Darwin Series - 25 works - has proved extremely popular. Already, even as yesterday’s private viewing by invitation opened, many of the works had already been sold. Some in excess of £100,000.

The artist described this is a most exciting time for him. His creativity, he insisted, was paramount as he continued to develop his art in a number of ways.

As he welcomed prospective buyers throughout the day yesterday it was obvious the interest in his latest work continues to grow at an incredible rate.

Those visiting the exhibition yesterday included Culture Minister Steven Linares and Equality Minister Samantha Sacramento and representatives from Gibraltar Cultural Services.

Mr Hook told the Chronicle he was at the stage where he was experimenting with his art and wanted to take it further - branching out into other areas of the art world and even incorporate music into his art.

“I am an artist not a painter,” he said.

The response to his latest volume of work has been tremendous and he himself acknowledged this exhibition “is far better than anything I have done up to now”.

The subject matter, he explained, is one he has explored through someone else’s eyes... Darwin, he said, went out to the world and he has now put his stamp on it and “trying to make it all into an artwork is very exciting”.

Every exhibition, he continued, was a different stage of his expression as an artist but now he wanted to further expand into philanthropy.

He already has a project in mind in India and just yesterday he sold a painting which will help fund a home for children who would otherwise be sold.

He now wants to take his art out of the canvas and become involved in new challenging projects.

Tomorrow the private view will see the presence of Sarah Duchess of York, who is collecting a cheque from Mr Hook, on behalf of her charity.

The exhibition will run until the end of November.