Nadine 2006

Richard Hambleton made ‘Nadine’ using paint and gold leaf, materials that speak to both artistic tradition and a fascination with surface and value. The contrast between the earthy, indistinct forms created with paint, and the flat, reflective plane of gold, is key. Gold leaf, applied meticulously, transforms from a raw material into an object of immense perceived worth. This tension reflects Hambleton's engagement with the art market itself and its fluctuating economies of worth. Think about the labor involved in applying gold leaf, each tiny piece carefully placed, and consider how that labor contrasts with the relatively fluid application of the paint. These processes imbue the work with layers of meaning, commenting on the value we assign to materials, and the work required to transform them. This piece challenges the line between high art and the craft of gilding.