The Scottish painter Andrew Cranston creates playful, delicate works that interweave art historical references and personal memories. This solo exhibition at the Hepworth Wakefield – his first in a public institution, and long overdue – brings together 38 paintings ranging from large canvases to works painted on book covers (25 November–2 June 2024). Highlights include one of Cranston’s latest pieces, which was recently acquired for the gallery’s collection: A snake came to my coffee table on a hot, hot day to drink there (2023), which depicts a giant snake slithering perilously close to his son’s cot. Cranston spoke to Edward Behrens about absurdity and animals in the November issue of Apollo. Find out more about the exhibition on the Hepworth Wakefield’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary
A snake came to my coffee table on a hot, hot day to drink there (2023), Andrew Cranston. Photo: John McKenzie; courtesy Andrew Cranston and Ingleby, Edinburgh; © the artist
Why have you stopped here? (2023), Andrew Cranston. Photo: John McKenzie; courtesy the artist and Ingleby, Edinburgh
Cat and cheeseboard (2018), Andrew Cranston. Photo: Andy Keate; courtesy the artist and Ingleby, Edinburgh
Why can’t I be you? (2022), Andrew Cranston. Photo: Robert Glowacki; courtesy the artist and Ingleby, Edinburgh