Biography | Peter Corr
Peter Corr was born in Preston, UK, and spent many years living and working abroad and enjoyed the experience of getting to know different peoples and cultures. He spent many years in Germany, Cyprus and most recently in the Middle East. All these places are present in his work and he feels you don’t have to look very far to see the evidence; the blue and turquoise of the Mediterranean, the warm ochres of the Persian Gulf, a preoccupation with design, order and the tactile qualities of earth and stone.
Peter Corr is currently based in Ely, Cambridgeshire and his recent work is inspired by the dramatic and expansive landscape of the Fenlands. As a painter, he has always been fascinated by the movement towards abstract art and the progressive simplification of subject matter, form, and colour.
Most of Peter Corr's work occupies that transitional space between figuration and abstraction. The flat surface of the picture plane is something that he tries to preserve whilst simultaneously employing pictorial devices that contribute to the sense of space and depth. He argues that you would be correct in assuming that there is always a tension between the traditional notion of illusionistic perspective and the representation of the canvas as a 'flat' object or 2-dimensional design. Peter Corr thinks this explains why in much of his work doesn't attempt to describe a particular place or geographical location. He is more interested in the role played by experiences, events, feelings, colours, and the textures that form the visual backdrop to our lives.
He often tries to achieve contrasting sensations and impressions, feelings of time passing, and notions of eternity. In particular, Peter is very interested in concepts associated with tranquillity, serenity, and meditation.
"I believe passionately in the power of art to transform both ourselves and the environment in which we live.
Art enhances our lives, it has always been with us; we started drawing on walls in caves; we need to reflect on the world, to present it back to ourselves in different forms.
Although from the UK, I have spent many years living and working abroad and enjoyed the experience of getting to know different peoples and cultures. I spent many years in Germany, Cyprus, and most recently in the Middle East. All these places are present in my work and you don’t have to look very far to see the evidence; the blue and turquoise of the Mediterranean, the warm ochres of the Persian Gulf, an underlying preoccupation with design,
order, and the tactile qualities of earth and stone."
- Peter Corr, 2021