Stations of the Cross - Flowers East. 11 April- 11 May 2003

After a career of painting thugs and grotesques, Glasgow boy Peter Howson has taken on the grand religious theme of the Crucifixion. The move from the earlier, densely populated images to the lone figure of Christ is not a successful one though. Pilfering from the language of German Expressionism, Howson tends to work on the whole of the shameful human form; here, however, he zooms in on the face of Christ. A series of small, square paintings outlining the crucifixion are an almost comic example of illustration. We see, in pantomime, the vicissitudes of Christ’s suffering and, in the final image, he appears in his tomb - quite green.

Howson’s facility with line is evident in his studies for The Stations of the Cross’ paintings; the drawings and prints have an uplifting satirical edge. Working in oil on can­vas encumbers this agility and Howson’s painting style is far too exaggerated - In the key painting Ecce Homo, all but the hands and face have been absorbed by the black background. Christ’s head seems to be made up of nodules of pulsating flesh that are already in the process of corrupting and his wild eyes and tortured hands are a melodrama of tortured paint. Although given to grand narrative themes throughout his career. Howson’s garrulous style is not appropriate for this art historical biggie.