This painting is a mysterious, nocturnal scene of city life in which several characters are portrayed, some in strange positions suggesting an unexplained narrative.
The location is a narrow, winding passageway between grand neo-classical buildings bathed in shadow which hints at the otherworldly surrealism of Giorgio de Chirico landscapes yet is actually based on a real location in Manchester, England.
The scene is painted with an exaggerated use of colour in a distortive, expressionist style yet then highlighted with fine ink lines which lends the image a slight cartoonish effect which adds to the aura of mysteriousness as though a scene from a comic book story. Reminiscent of the paintings of Van Gogh, with its swirling forms and dizzying composition, the artist transforms one of Manchester’s most iconic attractions into something beautifully otherworldly. Michael Gutteridge is best known as a painter of urban landscapes, usually of Manchester, UK, the city he grew up and lives in.
His paintings possess a sensual vibrancy achieved by distortions of colour, brushwork, proportionality, shapes, perspective, and energy and they pool an eclectic juxtaposition of styles around a general expressionistic form. His work has been used in a promotional capacity by Marketing Manchester, Lancaster University, Manchester University, and in literary and music media as book jackets and in a pop video.
Michael has also been featured in newspapers, magazines, television, BBC online and radio and his paintings are held in private collections all over the world. Fine art quality print, hand trimmed and packed with care in Manchester, UK.
