The Saul Hay Gallery in Manchester is one of the best art galleries the North has to offer, playing host to an outstanding selection of contemporary art from the vibrant art scene of Manchester and the UK.
From sculpture to portraiture, abstract to figurative painting, the contemporary art on display takes your breath away. Each month they celebrate their most popular artists and today the focus is on artist and sculptor, Halima Cassell FRSS. Born in 1975 in Pakistan and brought up in Lancashire and now living in Shropshire, Halima’s varied, multi-cultural background is tangibly present in her work.
Her incredible works of art combine strong geometric elements with recurrent patterns and architectural principles. Its definitive lines and dramatic angles attempt to manifest the universal language of number and create an unsettling sense of movement.
Ian Hay, Art Expert and Director of The Saul Hay Gallery says: “Halima Cassell’s work has an instant aesthetic appeal to just about anyone who sees it with its symmetry and beautiful considered patterns. Her influences and chosen materials are incredibly diverse; nature, architecture and design from Europe, North Africa and Islamic culture, both ancient and modern. She uses ceramic, stone, bronze, marble, wood and glass.
“Her distinctive style makes her work among the most recognisable of all contemporary sculptors. I marvel at how the ambitious design and sharply carved mathematically precise patterns of Halima’s work are all done by hand. It is no wonder that her work can now be found in the collections, among others, of the Victoria and Albert Museum, The Hepworth Gallery, The Jerwood Foundation, Manchester Art Gallery and The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.”
Halima uses relatively thick surfaces or solid forms to carve to the desired depth. She concentrates on simple forms as the basis of her work to maximise the impact of the complex surface patterns in combination with heavily contrasting countries. This approach provides her with the tools to create the compelling drama and playful dynamism that characterises her work.
The Saul Hay Gallery plays hosts to a vibrant collection of artists from the Manchester art scene and beyond. Currently closed due to the pandemic, all art is available online at www.saulhayfineart.co.uk.