The paintings highlight femininity and surface, drawing on the way these actresses were styled and lit to transform them into impossible visions of womanhood. Beyond the glamour they foreground the masquerade of the made-up face by presenting it as a painted face; a construction made from loose brush marks, pools of flat colour and drips of liquid paint.
These star close-ups are juxtaposed with a series of shiny reflective mirror paintings, which relate quite directly to the glamorous art deco period when the Broadway Cinema opened and Hollywood was christened the dream factory.
Star Bar ran at Broadway Cinema, Letchworth from 24 January - 10 October 2021.
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