Notebooks

In a remarkable collection of 27 notebooks spanning 25 years, Philip Hughes has captured the essence of places through precise geological and topographical observations. These notebooks, assembled by the artist from over a thousand drawings, serve as a logbook of momentary observations, ranging from quick sketches to detailed studies of lichen, flowers, and quartz. The depth of feeling and knowledge for different terrains and climates underlying this selection makes it both essential and inspiring.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 29 February 2024
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

In a remarkable assemblage of twenty-seven notebooks spanning over twenty-five years, Philip Hughes has embarked on a captivating quest to encapsulate the essence of a place: its geological composition, its interplay with the surrounding landscape, and the occasional traces of human intervention. These painterly yet meticulously detailed notebooks serve as a chronicle of fleeting observations, capturing moments when the artist is compelled to render what he witnesses, be it from the sanctuary of a standing stone in the remote Orkney, Scotland, from the aerial vantage point over the vast Simpson desert in Australia, or even from the deck of a postal boat navigating the treacherous Norwegian fjords. Carefully pieced together by Hughes himself from an extensive collection of over a thousand drawings, this assemblage forms a personal logbook of fleeting impressions. Some of these sketches are swift and fleeting, capturing the essence of fields or horizons in a mere stroke, while others are more contemplative, delving into the intricate details of lichen and flowers in the icy Antarctic, or the mesmerizing lines of quartz in granite found in the rugged Cornwall. What truly sets this essential and inspiring selection of notebooks apart is the profound depth of feeling and knowledge that Hughes possesses for diverse terrains and climates. It is this profound understanding that underpins the inherent beauty and allure of these notebooks, making them a testament to the artist's remarkable eye and artistic sensibility.

Weight: 1098g
Dimension: 249 x 270 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780500027165