James Francis Gill And the Art Of Calm: “Women in Water” at Castle Fine Art

On October 9th, the founder of our media, Asya Radko, was invited to a private viewing of the exhibition "Women in Water" by the renowned American artist and one of the protagonists of pop art, James Francis Gill, held at Castle Fine Art Gallery in Exeter. The collaboration between James Gill and Castle Fine Art began in 2019.

The event was attended by Richard Roden, Sales Director at Castle Fine Art in Exeter, and took place with the support of Queens Kunst Galerien and Ted Bauer, CEO of Premium Modern Art.

For the artist himself, this exhibition represents a sense of calm and a desire to preserve beauty in such an unstable and turbulent world, given everything happening around us. His goal as an artist is to bring people peace.

James Francis Gill began painting in the pop art genre in the 1960s and became one of the first artists to introduce pop art to the world.

At the moment, 11 exhibitions of the “Women in Water” series have already been organized across Europe, including the UK. James has been working on this series for many years, and despite the catastrophe that struck his home — flooding caused by a river that completely destroyed his studio and ruined more than 100 artworks — thanks to the teamwork and dedication of everyone involved, today each visitor can see James’s paintings, where, despite the uncontrollable power of water, serenity prevails — calm water and portraits of women filled with harmony.

Our founder, Asya, had the chance to speak with James personally about the private viewing, his favorite painting from the «Women in Water» series, and his upcoming projects.

It’s 3:55 p.m. our founder, Asya Radko, and the media’s photographer, Sofiia Pylypiuk, step into Castle Fine Art. The gallery is filled with pleasant, soft light. On the ground floor, in the second hall, guests are warmly welcomed by a bartender offering drinks.

The artist hasn’t arrived yet. The upper floor, where the main presentation will take place, is still closed. Guests mingle, chat, and wait in anticipation. About half an hour later, the event organizers announce that it’s time to go upstairs.

Climbing the stairs, several works already come into view. The moment you step onto the upper floor, you’re greeted by a sensual portrait of Elizabeth Taylor. Further along, there’s a series of paintings of women directly in the water. But among them, one piece stands out — a portrait of George Harrison, the only man the artist chose to include in this series.

The painting is vivid, bright — and interestingly, there’s no water in it.

At the end of the evening, our founder asks the artist why he decided to portray George Harrison. He replies:

«Because he looks like he’s in ordinary water, but in reality, he isn’t. Why did I paint it? Because of my admiration for The Beatles. This painting was born as part of a series.»

The painting truly gives you the feeling that you’re diving somewhere — into George Harrison’s gaze, into the depth the artist conveyed through the eyes of one of the incredible members of the legendary British band, The Beatles.

And considering that the exhibition takes place in the musician’s home country, it serves as a reminder of what laid the foundations of rock music for generations to come.

Also, in the paintings, we can see both everyday, ordinary figures and portraits of famous actresses such as Audrey Hembern, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor.

Usually, every artist has that one piece that holds a special meaning for them. Asya asks which of the works we can see here today is that special one for him.

James turns around and points to the painting called «Colourful Horizon» you can see right now.

«The reason I like it is because it feels so calming to me… A woman is relaxing in the water. She’s beautiful, the water is beautiful — it just brings me peace.»

All of the artist’s works are aimed at finding a sense of peace — as one of the exhibition organizers noted, there isn’t a single person in the room who hasn’t experienced stress. This series of paintings is the artist’s reflection on what is happening in the world — amid all the instability and the events that sadden people, he decided that, as an artist, his mission is to bring light.

And that’s true. Usually, when life feels difficult, when it seems there’s no strength left to create something beautiful — that’s only the beginning, and it’s often during such times that truly beautiful things are born.

While watching the video, each guest can immerse themselves in the story behind the creation of this series. The first painting of a woman in water was created many years ago, when James saw a girl in the water — she later became his wife.

And although their relationship did not last long, the series continues to live on and inspire people across the world.

That sense of inspiration could be seen in the eyes of everyone who attended the presentation and purchased the artworks. After the video presentation, James took his time with each guest, giving warm attention to everyone holding his paintings and waiting for an autograph.

The presentation also included the announcement that James will soon join the list of artists featured in the National Portrait Gallery in England. Further details will be announced later.

At the gallery, visitors can see both original works and reproductions by James. And if you ever feel weary of the world’s fast rhythm and uncertainty, the water in his paintings has the power to gently wash away your daily worries.

 The exhibition will run until October 19 at Castle Fine Art in Exeter, located at 48–49 High Street. It welcomes everyone who feels tired of the world’s fast pace and wishes to find a sense of calm while gazing into the serene blue tones of James Francis Gill’s water.

Questions and writing the interview — Asya Radko. Photographs were taken by Sofiia Pylypiuk

All credits Drive Music Media