Nat Coalson, celebrated American photographic artist, announced as the inaugural exhibit.
Nottingham’s leading independent hotel, The St James, has announced the official opening of its in-house art gallery. The Left Gallery is a dedicated space which will showcase breakthrough and established talent in a series of solo exhibitions. The gallery is yet further commitment from The St James to support and encourage artists, artisans, crafts and trades from the surrounding area.The first show which launches with an invite-only preview on November 13th will feature works from the established American Photographic Artist, Nat Coalson (Nat currently lives in Leicester). In the retrospective show, entitled ‘Anima Astratto: Journey Into Perception’ the series of abstracts displayed will portray the artist’s influences: from travel, international culture through to the Italian language. ‘Anima Astratto’ translates from the Italian, ‘Abstract Soul’.
When asked about his motivation behind the collection, Nat stated that ‘My wife, Ruth, and I share a passion for exploring the world. I’ve been photographing all kinds of places over many years, from wilderness to ancient and modern cities. I’ve always worked to make pictures that go far beyond the typical, scenic travel photos. I assembled this collection to represent some of my favourite examples of pure abstraction, all drawn from my experiences in some of the world’s most interesting, colourful locations.’ Coalson added that, ‘I’m thrilled and honoured to have been selected for the first art exhibition in the Left Gallery. I love working with hotels and the St James is among the best. It’s a beautiful property that oozes style and charm—a perfect setting for presenting my boldest abstract works.’
The boutique hotel which launched earlier this year has quickly gained a reputation as a benchmark in contemporary boutique hotels, and has gained much attention for its focus on service, style and value. Harjeet Johal, Director at The St James, states that, ‘art is an integral part of The St James identity. We are passionate about the promotion, discovery and nurturing of artists. The Left Gallery is our way to create a space in which artists can gain exposure and reach a wider audience. It demonstrates our commitment to the creative essence of Nottingham and the Midlands. We are immensely proud to have Nat Coalson as our inaugural artist. He is a phenomenal talent and this retrospective show is a perfect launch for our gallery.’
The St James Hotel is an 87 bedroom property located in the heart of the historic Castle Quarter. The unique style of the hotel, together with its well-appointed and comfortable guest rooms, function rooms and lounge bar – ‘Number Six’, have ensured a loyal – and growing – following.
The show opened to the public on November 14th and will run until January 4th. All pieces are available to purchase.
Continue to page two to read a statement from the artist
