This rather excellent and until this week rather ‘lost’ documentary from the early 90s has just been found, a documentary made by BBC Wales, a film about three significant Welsh artists; Peter Prendergast, Terry Setch and John Uzzell Edwards.
Made Around 1991, the documentary has just been posted on line by the estate of the late Peter Prendergast. This is wonderful footage of Peter at work as well as him talking about his work, actually is he a little restrained in this footage? I’ve made no secret about the high regard I hold Peter Prendergast in both as a person and an artist. I was lucky enough to get to study under Peter for a time (and at times to work next to him and his flying bits of pencil and charcoal) during my young art student days of the 80s, there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t hear his voice while drawing or painting, that booming Welsh voice telling me art us 90% looking and 10% doing, “keep looking!”. I have said this many times before, indeed I was questioned about it in an interview by Art On A Postcard last year. it would be fair to say Peter’s attitude towards art and life has informed a very big part of the way I have approached drawing, painting (running a record label) and a whole lot more.
Actually the first artist I ever spoke to was John Uzzell Edwards, (father of Charles Uzzell Edwards, AKA Pure Evil) in a gallery he was involved in in Tenby. It was probably the first art gallery I ever went in, I was only just a teenager and John Uzzell Edwards, AS we eventually worked out after a much later conversation in a gallery in London’s then thriving Redchurch Street, had taken the time to talk to me seriously about art and especially Welsh art, I never forgot that talk although I confess I’d forgotten it was him until later on where he was involved in a group show in Redchurch Street with Charlie Pure Evil.
As far as i know, I’ve never met Terry Setch, although I would like to. The documentary is probably a little dated now, there is some wonderful footage though (I’d forgotten that orange VW camper), excellent to see it all. It really is about time we had a major London show for Peter, maybe for the three of them? (sw)
And
THE ORGAN 