“I am interested in a close and personal relationship with the subject. Even when the subject isn’t human, my art has a kind of voyeuristic-style point of view. Zoomed-in, up close and personal“

M. J. Hale’s oil paintings inspired by the classical-greats often feature portraits and life studies that convey a tactile intimacy to the viewer through his use of heavy impasto texture and his choice of colour, occasionally incorporating collage.

Having spent twenty years as a professional video editor, writing and directing his own short films, M. J. Hale moved to Berlin, Germany in 2018 to follow his true hearts passion and set up as a fully fledged artist. His work in film can be traced through the composition of the pieces, focusing on close physical observation and bringing out his deep interest in the subtle play between light & dark.

It’s exactly this that won him a place at the 2019 Summer Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, with this piece titled “Moondog”.