When we think of Vic Reeves, we are immediately taken back to classic comedy shows such as Vic & Bob’s Big Night Out or Shooting Stars. We, like many, didn’t realise that Jim Moir aka Vic Reeves is actually a very talented painter.
We only found this out when watching a celebrity version of Sky Arts’s Portrait Artist of the Year (which he went on to win).
Well, we’ve just received news that Moir is about to have his first solo exhibition titled ‘Yorkshire Rocks & Dinghy Fights’ in his native Yorkshire from 22nd Sept- 8th October at RedHouse Originals Gallery in Harrogate.
“People think that I am a comedian, but art comes first”
Jim Moir aka Vic Reeves
Jim Moir regards himself as an artist first, comedian second
According to the press release, the exhibition will feature over 50 unseen and original paintings direct from the artist’s studio. As a painter, Moir has created his own visual language, blurring the lines between art and comedy, and his work has drawn comparisons with the Surrealist and Dadaist movements of the late 1910s and early 1920s. He has a refreshingly unique approach to image-making, often dreamlike and humorous, projecting a sideways look at everyday life.
Moir: “When I started doing comedy it was kind of a side-line to my artwork. I’ve never not painted. Now I’ve got to a stage where I thought, I’ve done the comedy. I’ve done the TV. I’ll just do bits on TV and film if I want to do it. But all day long I’m going to paint pictures. That’s what I like doing.”
Born in Leeds in 1959, Jim Moir, first came to prominence as a comedian, actor and musician and is now celebrated as a national treasure. Years before these pursuits, the visual arts were an early passion and he has been making paintings, drawings and prints since the early 1980s.
Yorkshire Rocks & Dinghy Fights opens for two weeks at RedHouse Originals Gallery in Harrogate from Thursday 22nd September, with all works available to view and purchase.
