Artist Henry Ward needs no introduction to Bermuda?s art lovers, but it has been some time since he held a solo exhibition here. All that will change this weekend, however, when the Desmond Foundation Gallery hosts a body of work which Mr. Ward created between 1999 and the present, and which reflects his interest in the human figure, and space.

?There are two different areas of this show: the full frontal, full-length paintings called ?The Models?, and the figures in space ? ?Musician?, ?Bermuda Girl? and ?Bermuda Man?,? the artist says.

Painted and exhibited in 1999-2000, ?formed the body of work for Mr. Ward?s New York solo exhibition, ?Iconostasis?, at the Tatistscheff & Co. gallery. This show culminated in the painting ?Frieze?, which was shown in the Bermuda National Gallery?s fourth Biennial exhibition, alongside another painting, ?Twins?.

??Frieze? detailed 15 young New York contemporaries, and focussed on nine fashion models and six artists. The models, painted to within one inch of life-size, are presented on a blan white space, without a realist location, in their home clothes and socks,? Mr. Ward says.

?The figures, floating out of a blank space, have been represented in the full frontal pose of the Greek Kouros statues. The original title, ?Iconostasis?, refers to the Russian Orthodox Church: the iconostatis is the screen separating the altar from the nave of the church. This was the ?Frieze?. The models were seen as the flanking saints in the stained glass windows of the church.?

Displayed against a white wall, the figures seem to float out of an open space, and their direct presentation and the use of blank supporting space follows in the traditions of contemporary British and American figurative art, as seen in the work of such artists as Chuck Close and John Currin. In this tradition, the figure is dealt with in novel ways that are modern and contemporary.

?I would describe my own, separate, portrait painting practice like this,? Mr. Ward says. ?The figures are bold and direct within open space, and the brushwork purposefully hovers between photorealisn and painterly interpretation. My interest in these paintings is predominantly social and humanitarian critique.?

In ?The Musician?, ?Bermuda Girl? and ?Bermuda Man?, the artists says that ?the interest has become more existential as the quest for space has taken over the figure and its direct documentary. This is perhaps autobiographical, as my physical circumstances took over ? I bought a house and became engaged to Tracy?.

The interest here is in the work of Velazquez, Caravaggio, Sargent and Picasso, where novel depictions of contemporary society were presented using the full complement of the artist?s technique.

?All great artists are also great technicians, and I was attempting to expand my own limited technical abilities,? Mr. Ward says.

?The use of chiaroscuro is significant. The space around the models is developed in these paintings, and recalls my earlier pieces, such as ?Painter?, which were exhibited at the former Nicholas Lusher Fine Art Gallery.?

Henry Ward?s ?Figure Space? exhibition at the Desmond Fountain Gallery in the Emporium Building on Front Street opens to the public on Sturday.

For further information see today?s Bermuda Calendar.