Brick & Stone, Iron & Bronze: An art exhibition by Richard Bartle

Intended as a celebration of the British landscape and the rich historical narrative that forms our national identity, "Brick & Stone, Iron & Bronze", literally digs through the layers of earth exposing evidence of our near and distant ancestors. Through these artefacts of the Celtic, Roman, Saxon, Viking, and Norman peoples, and those of our modern decedents, a story of constant occupancy and migration emerges about the land, and the notion of Britishness becomes a melting pot of cultures and stories.

As with all of Richard's projects, "Brick & Stone, Iron & Bronze" is about the joy of painting through its use of shape, texture, and colour, about becoming immersed in a place, about being active in the landscape, but mostly about searching out stories in a hope that he might better understand his own position within the world, and gain a better sense of his own belonging.