Greats' Escape

AKA contemporary are pleased to present an exhibition of works by Tim Gresham aka ‘Penfold' b. 1987, and the late Peter Denmark b.1950 - d.2014. We have long admired their exceptional artistic talents and discover they have more in common than we first realised, yet their differences are striking. Both artists are self taught and began their careers in the commercial world and remain responsible for designs which have shaped the brands of many household names like BT and Microsoft.

Like many artists they escaped their home-towns to find true inspiration. Young gregarious Penfold, originally from Cambridge and son of master printmaker Kip Gresham, moved to Bristol in 2010 in search of large scale buildings to paint. A reclusive Denmark a generation older left London in 1999, to pursue his love of painting finding depth and reason in the Cambridgeshire fens. While elements of design inform their art we find both develop a singular language of abstraction, aiming to encapsulate joy at the heart of their paintings. Although neither artist ever met, their work at times gives the impression that it's by the same hand. The clean cut compositions, vibrant colours and pop art patterns suggest this, then we look again and observe that both artists are conveying a different message.

Penfold’s art dances on the surface of the canvas with a Matisse like airiness, using a pastel pallet and elements originally derived from comic book faces; over time his work has become increasingly abstracted, morphing into bold rhythmic geometric shapes. His compositions, informed by a printmaking logic have stretched beyond the canvas to fill the sides of vast buildings. He made a recent return to Cambridge to paint a mural at Hope Street Yard, one of a number on the streets of Cambridge. For Penfold it's fun, as he said for his solo show in Bristol in 2019;

"In this day and age so much of the art that is created is only seen via our phones, I want to do something that is a lot more immersive and engaging but ultimately makes the audience feel happy. My aim is to create something beautiful and uplifting."

Denmark on the other hand uses the landscape of the fens as his starting point and draws the viewer into the space. He was greatly admired for his dynamic use of primary colours. His canvases explore the purity of geometric forms spliced with bold black lines. His paintings very purposely continue over the sides of the canvas to meet the wall. For a recent exhibition with Paul Smith, London Gill Denmark Peter's widow says;

"Peter was always keen to get across the fact that you wouldn’t find any soul-bearing in his work. For him it was all about the power and effect that the simple use of paint on canvas can have."

Don't be fooled by the illusion of simplicity these are totally absorbing paintings deep and strong. As Farah Rahim Ismail says in Art Review when he interviewed Peter back in 2002 on the eve of a solo show at The Groucho Club;

“They are simultaneously flat and deep, hard and soft – and this mystery adds to their charm.”

So through this exhibition we want to celebrate the work of an artist that never found the acclaim he deserved in his lifetime with a young up-and-coming artist who we feel will go on to great acclaim.

The Paintings

For details of the exclusive for limited edition print by Penfold please scroll further down the page.



Title: Floating Feelings

Size: 60.5 X 51.5cm

4 Colour screenprint with varnish in a

Edition of 20

Price: £170 each unframed.

Exclusively from AKA contemporary

Details on how to purchase below.