Shaul, who lived in Barripper near Camborne between 1969 and 1991, was an eccentric character; thanks to a turbulent childhood he always struggled in his relationships with others, gradually falling further and further between the cracks in society.
Socially isolated and financially unstable, Shaul could be described as the embodiment of the struggling artist stereotype, occupying not a Parisian garret but a tiny Cornish cottage where he lived surrounded with personal vignettes, murals, wall drawings, and depictions of ordinary things imbued with a powerful poignancy.
For, without any formal artistic training, Shaul was quietly perfecting a style that defied conventional representation and explored themes of simplicity, solitude, and the passage of time.
He clearly painted to escape from reality, nurturing his practice as a form of therapy in a society where no alternative was readily available.
His paintings could be described as ‘naïve’ for their bright, non-naturalistic colours and simplified forms conveying a dreamlike world; produced on any surface he could find, in these images he indulged his sense of humour and revealed a childlike spirit unbroken by brittle reality.
Shaul left behind a huge body of work which has been brought together by Reuben Harris, whose parents knew Terry, and who grew up with the artist’s work in his family home.
The exhibition draws on the stories and memories gathered from Terry’s neighbours and friends as well as the work itself, none of which has been exhibited for 34 years.
The Lost Works of Terry Shaul is at Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery until 21st June.
To find out more, visit the new website at www.cornwallmuseum.org
