Naxos is a solo show of new paintings by Richard J. Butler which were made in August 2024 while the artist was on residency at La Chapelle Saint-Antoine in Naxos, Greece. These works were inspired by the landscape that surrounded him on the island, as well as by the Yorkshire landscape that he grew up with.

The exhibition is accompanied by the release of a special publication featuring an essay by artist and writer Rob St John, which responds to the works Richard J. Butler created on the island of Naxos. 

Richard J. Butler’s alluring paintings skirt the boundary between figuration and abstraction. Constructed of intricate surfaces built up in layers of grated pastel, acrylic gel and paint, his works often depict motifs such as vessels, silhouettes and celestial bodies, which appear to dissolve within vast colour fields. Butler’s works are imbued with a sense of balance, peace and serenity which is achieved through their minimal yet richly textured compositions. When viewed from a distance, recognisable forms appear while up-close, miniature abstract landscapes abound, creating sensual and hallucinatory surfaces that explore painting’s illusionistic potential.