Jumping Shadow, 2013 2013

Editor: Richard Hambleton's "Jumping Shadow" from 2013, a charcoal drawing, definitely has a dramatic flair. The stark black figures against the white… it’s quite haunting. What do you make of this piece? Curator: Haunting is a perfect word. Hambleton was, after all, painting these figures in alleyways, almost like fleeting glimpses of the city’s subconscious. But for me, it's not just haunting, it's also a kind of dance, don’t you think? The way they’re reaching, suspended… Almost a desperate reach toward something intangible. Editor: A dance, interesting. I was focusing more on the shadows themselves. It feels… anonymous, perhaps. Curator: Exactly! And that's the magic, isn't it? They could be anyone, anywhere. They reflect our own anxieties and uncertainties, thrown up against the bright light of… well, existence. Hambleton’s brilliance lies in using this simple medium to evoke such complex emotions. Where do you imagine these shadows are jumping from… or to? Editor: That’s a great question! Maybe… jumping from anonymity into some kind of recognition? Or maybe from reality into myth? Curator: Love that! The myth of ourselves. So, from dark corners into fleeting glimpses. Or maybe… and I'm just riffing here… into the gallery space? We see them and are seen in turn. Perhaps art allows a shadow to pause and find its fleeting visibility… what do you think? Editor: I hadn’t considered that! It makes me see the gallery walls in a totally new way. It really opens up new interpretations! Curator: Exactly. And it’s those layers and shadows – both literal and figurative – that make art such a constantly shifting experience. Something is definitely jumping here.