Painting jazz – the art of Gina Southgate

Live gig painting: Gina Southgate.

Gina Southgate is a figurehead of London’s free jazz scene, where she has regularly performed for the last 25 years. But it is not music itself that has brought her fame.

Rather, it is through her painting that she has found success. “I try to capture the energy and essence of the gig in the real time” she says, dubbing her craft “representational live gig imagery”.

This hybrid of artistry and music is being brought to Rich Mix, Shoreditch, on November 7th, as Gina will bring together a group of artists and musicians whose work relates to the diversity that exists within jazz.

On the art side, the exhibition will comprise of paintings, drawings, posters, cover art, graphics and ephemera that glimpses at the many different subgenres of jazz.

Musically, many of Gina’s contemporaries will be present, including legendary improv vocalist Maggie Nicols, cult saxophonist Alan Wilkinson and DJ/Compère Jez Nelson.

Of the event, Gina says: “I’ve invited people I work with currently, historically, or who have influenced and inspired my painting path with their varied approaches to the scene that I’ve woven my way through over the last 30 years.”

Launch gig 7 November
Exhibtion runs from 8-30 November

Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA