Leamington Spa

For  most  people  family  is  the  thing  that  they  treasure  most  in  the  world.   For  others  it  is  the  thing  that  they  will  take  for  granted,  only  realising  it’s   importance  when  it  is  gone.

Andrew  Christopher’s  first  exhibition  at  Gallery150  is  a  celebration  of  the  family   unit. Christopher’s  work  is  an  exploration  of  the  recorded  memories  created  by his  family.    These painted  memories  begin  with  his  parents,  in  their  early  thirties,   starting  their  family.    This  is particularly  poignant  as  it  mirrors  the  artist’s  own   life.      “In  these  paintings  I  am  looking  to create  a  sense  of  nostalgia,”  explains Christopher,    “I  want  people  who  come  to  see  this  show to  go  away  thinking about  their  own  families  and  the  memories  that  they  have  and  the  future  ones  that  they  will  create.”  

Christopher’s  latest  exhibition  is  made  up  of  over  twenty  new  paintings  that   have  never  been show  before,  they  show  us  the  happiness  that  can  be  found  in  a secure,  loving  family environment.      

“About  a  year  ago  we  thought  that  my  Dad  had  cancer.    Until  then  I  never   thought  about how  things  could  change,  the  realisation  that  something  could   come  along  and  destroy  our happiness  so  suddenly  brought  on  a  real   rollercoaster  of  emotions.”

“The  genesis  for  this  show  was  found  in  my  parents  loft  one  day  when  I  was   finally  clearing out  my  old  university  junk.    I  unearthed  an  old  shoebox  that  I  had   decorated  as  a  child  and filled  with  my  favorite  family  photographs  as  part  of  a   school  project.    I  was  instantly compelled  to  use  this  memory  box  of  delights  in some  way.”  

Christopher’s  celebration  of  the  value  of  family  shows  us  the  importance  of   enjoying  those fleeting  moments  in  our  lives  that  will  make  up  our  own  future memory  boxes.