Exhibitions
Journey to the Ruins
An exhibition by Bristol-based artist Dan Broadley of drawings, gouaches and oil paintings of figures in imagined ancient landscapes.
An exhibition by Bristol-based artist Dan Broadley of drawings, gouaches and oil paintings of figures in imagined ancient landscapes, ruined gardens, Chicago stations, old cranes and fairground rides.
“I sometimes walk into the countryside, drawn to the many ancient historical sites in and around Bristol. Some are situated high on hills, from where you can still make out the defensive banks that once surrounded the settlements. These high positions offer fantastic 360-degree views over the landscape and to the sea. Up there, the link to the past feels closer, and you can imagine that you are standing in the same spot as a person 2500 years ago.
When looking at an Ordnance Survey map, the Iron-age camps around Bristol appear to be a day’s walk from each other. I can imagine ancient travellers journeying from one camp to the next, trying to reach their destination before nightfall.
These experiences combine with the memory of a holiday I had in Peru, walking for four days on the Inca Trail over the mountains to the ruins of Machu Picchu. I have made paintings of an imagined group journeying across a landscape with the aim of reaching some carved stone ruins, a mysterious glimpse into what was there before.”
“I sometimes walk into the countryside, drawn to the many ancient historical sites in and around Bristol. Some are situated high on hills, from where you can still make out the defensive banks that once surrounded the settlements. These high positions offer fantastic 360-degree views over the landscape and to the sea. Up there, the link to the past feels closer, and you can imagine that you are standing in the same spot as a person 2500 years ago.
When looking at an Ordnance Survey map, the Iron-age camps around Bristol appear to be a day’s walk from each other. I can imagine ancient travellers journeying from one camp to the next, trying to reach their destination before nightfall.
These experiences combine with the memory of a holiday I had in Peru, walking for four days on the Inca Trail over the mountains to the ruins of Machu Picchu. I have made paintings of an imagined group journeying across a landscape with the aim of reaching some carved stone ruins, a mysterious glimpse into what was there before.”
