Gary Bunt British , 1957-2025
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Works
Gary Bunt British , 1957-2025
The Man Who Found GodThere is a fundamental challenge facing any artist who wishes to convey a religious dimension to life. I believe Gary Bunt addresses that challenge in a fresh and fascinating way. There is something different about his work which draws and affects people deeply. But first we need to understand the nature of the challenge he faces.
All religions claim there is more to life than we can touch and feel; that there is another reality both beyond and deep within things. This reality is not just one thing amongst others, not an item in the world of items. It is difficult enough to convey this reality in words, which are always as misleading as they are true. How much more difficult it is to do so in lines and colours? For many Christians, especially those who belong to one of the Orthodox churches, the most successful way of meeting the challenge has been in icons. These seek to convey something numinous in a non-literalistic way, and lead the viewer into prayer. Something of that iconic tradition was still present in Western art in the work of artists like Duccio and Giotto. But with them and other artists of the early Renaissance there developed new techniques of perspective making it possible to depict tangible reality more as the eye sees it. Together with this, as for example in the work of Mantegna, there developed the desire to depict historical scenes as they were. The result has been the whole highly skilled tradition of Western art. But was something lost on the way? Does that art succeed in conveying, not just an imagined life of Jesus for example, but that other dimension of life? For many people, if it did once, it no longer does so.
Paradoxically it was with the birth of Modernism about 1913 that new possibilities for religious art opened up. For modernism represented a radical break with literalism and tried to convey something more than what the eye sees. It is no accident that very many of those modernists were deeply religious people, albeit of an unorthodox kind, though some, like Rouault, were profoundly Christian in their work. There is however another way of trying to convey that religious dimension. It can be seen for example in the work of Albert Herbert (1925-2008). Herbert originally painted in the style of American abstractionism, but learnt to see and draw again as a child. Jesus said “Unless you become like little children…” Gary Bunt similarly has learnt to see life with a sense of wonder and simplicity. But he does so in a highly skilled manner combining verse, picture and text, each re-enforcing the other to convey something more going on than the eye can see.
He manages this effect through the complex interaction of five relationships. The dog and his friend the man ; the dog and the reader; the man and the object of his search; the relationship of the landscape to dog, man and viewer; the relationship of the text to both story, picture and reader. In each scene that network of relationships can be seen at work, suffusing the whole and conveying a sense of something important going on. The landscapes in Gary’s paintings are particularly arresting and vibrant, creating a mood in which the whole is set. These alone often manage to convey that mysterious other beyond and within what is seen, whether the scene is one of the countryside or the sea.
The way the man and his dog are depicted in relationship to the landscape is also beautifully judged in reflecting a particular mood. At the same time the relationship of the dog to the man is also shown in all its charming and affecting variety. Just look at the first three paintings, for example, and note the different pose of the dog in each one. These are not just illustrations, they convey a relationship; what is going on in two minds and the interplay between them. This is a work for mature adults which children will also enjoy. It is also a work for children which will kindle again in adults that sense of wonder which they had once, and lost awhile; what T.S. Eliot once called “A condition of complete simplicity.”Edition of 109of 9Biography
Central to many of his works is the recurring figure of Bert, often accompanied by his dog. Originally inspired by Bunt’s father, Bert gradually evolved into a more universal and autobiographical presence - an everyman figure through whom the artist explored memory, place, and identity. Through Bert’s gentle journeys - across fields, along rivers, and through coastal paths - Bunt invites viewers into a familiar yet deeply felt version of the British landscape.
Born in East Peckham, Bunt’s path to becoming a celebrated artist was anything but conventional. Entirely self-taught, he began his working life as a bricklayer before gradually turning to painting, initially earning extra income by decorating pub signs. From these humble beginnings, he went on to become one of the country’s most sought-after artists, with exhibitions that consistently sold out—an extraordinary achievement that speaks to the deep and enduring connection audiences felt with his work.
Bunt’s paintings are rooted in the everyday, yet elevated by a profound sensitivity to the quiet beauty of ordinary life. His scenes - often centred on rural landscapes, village settings, and simple daily rituals - resonate through their sincerity and emotional clarity. While sometimes described as “quaint,” such a label fails to capture the depth of his practice. His work instead offers a contemplative reflection on presence, contentment, and what it means to live fully within one’s own world.
A defining moment in Bunt’s life came in 2001, when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. This experience shaped not only his outlook but also his artistic philosophy. Resolving to live and create without reservation, he embraced a newfound freedom, guided by the belief that “it doesn’t matter anymore.” This sense of release and honesty is deeply embedded in his work, giving rise to paintings that are both intimate and quietly profound.
Stylistically, Bunt drew inspiration from the traditions of Modern British art, particularly artists such as Alfred Wallis, Christopher Wood, and Winifred Nicholson. Yet his voice remained entirely distinct. His compositions are instantly recognisable, characterised by their charm, clarity, and a uniquely personal visual language.
Central to many of his works is the recurring figure of Bert, often accompanied by his dog. Originally inspired by Bunt’s father, Bert gradually evolved into a more universal and autobiographical presence - an everyman figure through whom the artist explored memory, place, and identity. Through Bert’s gentle journeys - across fields, along rivers, and through coastal paths - Bunt invites viewers into a familiar yet deeply felt version of the British landscape.
EXHIBTION HISTORY
2025 Saatchi Gallery, London: Marrows, Spuds and Onions
2024 The Gardener Who Went To Heaven
2023 Saatchi Gallery, London: The Simple Things
2022 The Creation
2022 Rooms With A View
2022 Portland Gallery The Man Who Found God
2021 Portland Gallery Modern British Tribute Paintings
2021 Portland Gallery Seeds, Sea and Snow
2020 Portland Gallery Country Life
2020 Cathedral Tour – Liverpool, Ely, Winchester, Ripon and London
2019 Portland Gallery Sentimental Journey
2017 Portland Gallery A Man for all Seasons
2016 Portland Gallery By The Grace of God
2016 Portland Gallery
2015 Portland Gallery
2013 Portland Gallery
2012 Portland Gallery
2010 Portland Gallery
2009 Portland Gallery (Art London)
2009 Portland Gallery
2008 Portland Gallery (Art London)
