Impermanence, planetary evolution, and the possibility of finding joy amongst pain: these are just a few of the themes that Alfie Rouy’s debut UK solo show, Earth Eater, considers. Housed in Guts Gallery, the expansive collection of paintings fill the space with abstract figures, organic shapes, and deep colours — entrancing viewers with their simultaneous unsettling and joyful manners. Drawing inspiration from the artist’s desire to, in his own words, “echo positivity amongst a seemingly negative society,” the collection explores the blessings in disguise that we can spot amongst Earth’s evolution.
Contemplating esoteric writings, ancient philosophies, and contradicting theories, he pinpoints the cyclical relationship between Earth and its inhabitants: how we take from the Earth, and how it feasts off of us at the same time. “It’s taking a view at Earth as though it’s a living entity undergoing an evolution that is coalescent with the rebirth of a Phoenix, where it will metaphorically flourish in its ashes,” Rouy further explains. “It’s an invitation to explore new ways of thinking and break the constructs of your subconscious and the world that has influenced your thought.”
