Pentheus

The Weight of Tradition

Scone, Perthshire, provides the backdrop for the early years of Paul John Reid. The path toward oil painting begins not with academic instruction, but with the visual language of comic books, video games, and cinema. These modern narratives form a foundation that exists alongside a deep study of the European Old Masters. In the halls of the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, between 1994 and 1998, a tension emerges. The art world of the late nineties leans heavily toward conceptualism, installation, and video art, yet Reid pursues a different discipline. He finds himself teaching himself the technical nuances of oil painting through nineteenth and twentieth-century manuals, driven by a desire to master the medium despite the lack of formal guidance from tutors who favored newer, more ephemeral mediums.

The brushwork carries the influence of Rubens, Velazquez, Titian, Rembrandt, and Caravaggio. This is not a mere imitation but a reconstruction of classical realism. The work focuses on narrative figure drawing, where the drama of the subject is rendered with a cinematic intensity. His subjects often emerge from the shadows of Greek mythology, bringing figures like Theseus, Medusa, and Persephone into a tangible, visceral reality.

Myth and Presence

The scale of the work expands as his technical proficiency grows. Large-scale mythological paintings become a central focus, constructed with a meticulous attention to composition. The subject matter is divided into distinct categories:

• Mythologies: Works such as 'Hercules and the Augean Stables' and 'Lycaon’s Cooks' bring ancient legends into a contemporary light.
• Portraits: Individual studies that utilize the techniques of classical masters to capture human character.
• Landscapes: Settings that provide the atmospheric depth required for his narrative scenes.

In 2004, a specific series of paintings and drawings takes shape following an accompaniment of HRH The Prince of Wales to Italy, Turkey, and Jordan. This period of travel provides new visual data for his repertoire. His work finds its way into significant collections, including those of the Royal Scottish Academy and the University of Dundee Museum. Notable collectors such as J.K. Rowling and the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe also hold his pieces.

Exhibition and Recognition

The trajectory of his career is marked by solo exhibitions that revisit mythological themes under various titles. In 2013, 'Mythologies' is presented at The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh, followed by 'The Art of Myth Making' in Harrogate in 2014. Later shows like 'Gods, Heroes and Beasts' in 2017 continue this exploration of the classical canon. His recognition extends to being named one of the Best of Young British artists under thirty-five by the New Statesman in 2002.

The technique remains rooted in the physical: oil painting, drawing, sketching, and photography. By utilizing life models, he maintains a connection to the human form that rejects the detachment of much contemporary art. The result is a body of work that looks backward to find a way forward, using the heavy shadows and dramatic light of the past to tell stories that remain stubbornly present.