Gloom and Variant

Gloom was the title for the exhibition and poster/invitation, though not used on the catalogue (as it was also the title of an individual piece in the exhibition, now in a private collection in Dublin). This project combined catalogue texts by two collaborators Rolf Bier and Sherman Sam translated in to English and German respectively and printed in both languages with a summary of Bick's artistic practice at a moment when it was undergoing significant change.

The exhibition was therefore a key transition, involving loans from major collections in Germany (Landesbank Berlin), key private collectors in Basel (von Bartha) and new works some of which have been revised and re-exhibited (Rubicon Gallery Dublin 2004, Galerie Hollenbach 2005, The Kingston Turnpike 2006). As well as paintings drawings and objects, the artist's book “Variant” (a generic title for many of my paintings borrowed from Albers) sets out the conceptual and oblique nature of the process of layering, quotation and deliberate miss-quotation within my practice. This book is now in collections which already hold artist's books I have made, such as those belonging to The British Museum, British Library and Chelsea School of Art Artist's Book Collection.