Doug Binder 'Signs of Life'

South Square kicked off its 40^th year celebrations in the year 2022 with a retrospective exhibition of one of its founders, Bradford born artist, Doug Binder.

The collection was a survey of over 20 years of work in his studio and in the life room at Dean Clough, Halifax, where Doug has been Painter in Residence for many years. The exhibition of over 60 paintings and prints was mainly focussed on the human figure.

Doug Binder began his early artistic career at South Square Centre where he was curator and led the centre through from its inception in 1982 and developed the gallery programme for the centre’s formative years.

The outbreak of the Covid Pandemic meant the end of the life drawing room for Doug. In a search for new subject matter, he turned for inspiration to an art library he had recently set up at Dean Clough with some excellent and surprising results. Focussing on varied images he found ranging from a sketch by Rembrandt; a photograph from the Bronx during the 1930’s depression; a Victorian painting of a father holding a sick child and a more serene pastoral landscapes. From these, Doug created a series of paintings which were shown mostly for the first time at this powerful exhibition.

This highly anticipated exhibition attracted a large following and a busy opening night.  The exhibition was was covered on the radio,  Telegraph & Argus and the Yorkshire Post