The Deep End showcases a new series of paintings by Mary Grant, blending past and present themes that explore reflection, surface, and the subtle tension between the two. This exhibition marks 25 years since her landmark solo show September Girls at the V&A Friends Room, where Grant first depicted female figures, fully clothed submerged underwater. In The Deep End, she revisits this theme, expanding it with fresh perspectives.

Grant has also found new inspiration in an abandoned school in East Sussex, where the swimming pool remains eerily full and evokes both nostalgia and unease. While lakes often feature in Grant’s work, the swimming pool offers a confined, unsettling atmosphere that is a new direction for her practice.

Grant’s paintings are rooted in the tradition of romantic landscape, yet they subtly incorporate contemporary elements, like a neon inflatable or a flash of a car taillight, that disrupt the otherwise timeless scenes. These small interventions challenge the viewer’s perception of reality and time.

Also featured are Grant’s “little paintings,” intimate works created daily over the past four years. These small, personal pieces capture moments, feelings, or reflections from the artist’s day, with many focusing on water, ponds, pools, and lakes, offering a snapshot of her ongoing practice.

Grant’s work has always been informed by the landscapes around her, from her early years in London to her current life in Sussex. Her walks through the countryside, where ponies graze and cattle roam, provide a constant source of inspiration. Yet, as she paints, these scenes evolve, taking on a life of their own.

“I start with something real, but by the end of the process, it often becomes something else entirely,” she says.

Her layered approach, starting with acrylics and finishing with oils, mirrors the fluidity and depth of her themes, balancing tradition with contemporary experimentation. The Deep End is a reflection on water, memory, and the shifting surfaces of life. Through her transformative lens, Mary Grant invites us to dive in.