Art - Peter Cheek

Peter Cheek finds his inspiration for his detailed figurative paintings in scenes from life or pictures in the newspaper. He looks for unusual or quirky moments which catch his eye. One image that caught him was a photo of two rows of people seated on a bench. “It was the contrast that I liked”, he tells me, sat at his kitchen table. “In the first row, the people were talking together, enjoying themselves. But in the other they were all sitting separately, looking glum-faced and disconnected”. Another picture, called ‘Please notice me, please’ is a scene set in Churchill Square. Various characters compete for the attentions of others. A girl looks up at a boy who walks on, head down; a man in a pig mask makes himself into a showy spectacle. “Even the cat is trying to catch the attention of a passing dog - not realising it’s not real”.
Many of Cheek’s paintings have an altogether darker tone to them, though. The mood in ‘Scratch the Surface’ is rather menacing. Dominated by a looming brick wall, the action of the painting is happening almost out of shot. A woman, depicted in shades of grey, sits on a chair overshadowed by a man with a gun. In the foreground is a picture within a picture - a portrait of the woman in colour. “It’s meant to represent the idea that things are not always what they seem”.
As we progress on our tour of Peter’s collection, the mood continues to darken. “This one is ‘Power Politics’” he says, pointing to an image of a young boy fruitlessly throwing a stone at a huge tank. “It’s about the powerlessness of the individual against the might of big powerful forces. Although, at least he’s having a go at making a protest”.