Childs Play

In "Remember When We Were Older" Thomas Brezing pursues a high-risk strategy by basing the title for his show on something his younger daughter said to him. "In many ways", he says, "she had a big input in this body of work. When she asks in the morning "Is it another day?" I feel like running into the studio and painting something around these words." Enthusiasm for notions built around the innocent wisdom of children can quickly pall for all save their adoring parents. And, anyway, it's not fair to thrust youngsters into the front line. In the event Brezing's is a very good exhibition. It's good because, while drawing liberally on pearls of childish wisdom, there is in the end nothing overly cute or sentimental about it. He relishes the point of view bestowed by an innocent eye but doesn't pretend to innocence himself. There is a consistently dark undercurrent he conjures up, a world with dreamy, storybook and theatrical qualities. It's a shadowy world, described in silhouette built up in layers of pattern and texture, wintry in feeling. Whether consciously or not, in the paintings innocuous goings on, related to entertainment or shopping, have a slightly ominous edge. This may have something to do with the idea that innocence must be protected, that it flourishes in the midst of an enveloping darkness. Brezing favours a muted, tonal palette of mauve and purple greys, assembling compositions with a nice offhand touch that recalls Paddy Graham and occasionally, Anselm Kiefer in terms of pictorial architecture and strategy.