With his trademark bow-tie and beautiful linen suits, Duval is sweet and enigmatic without being eccentric. About a year and a half ago I bumped into his brother Miles, a fellow Goldsmithsian and only one member of the tightly knit family of two architect parents and a beautiful sister I was about to encounter. He took me for tea and a catch up just around the corner from my old office, right by Tower Bridge. It was such a pleasure to be welcomed into a REAL space where a room is what in London would pass as a three bedroom flat, the size a room should be. After a lovely catch up on my way out as I was chatting along, my eyes struck upon a medium, square constructive painting and I froze and burned at the same time. I had little time to look at it properly and even less time to make my astonishment heard and I was out of there with the promise that I'd be given Duval's contact upon my request to their father wondering if he was at all willing to part with said painting. Cutting a long saving up money story short, the painting now graces my hallway as I am the proud owner of a Duval painting.
A couple of days ago, I was invited to one of Duval's solo exhibitions at the Art House Lewisham, which just so happened to be a 15 minute walk from my house. Considering it takes me 20 minutes to get to the station, that's quite a location score. ARE NA FO, of an era, is an exhibition worth trekking to south east London for. I don't say this often, and especially not about artists, but this is one who ticks all the boxes. Beautiful, vibrant, perfectly balanced yet characteristic pieces that I will, and suggest you should, keep coming back for. I don't think I have to state the obvious, which is that investing in his pieces are more than an intelligent choice and you'd be mad to miss out while you still can!
I strongly suggest you go view the exhibition at 140 Lewisham Way, London SE14 6PD and hold yourself a piece. However, I must warn you, there are two pieces which will by the time the exhibition ends and paintings get allocated to their respective owners, be gracing the house of the Portmanteau and you'll only be able to see them if you walk 15 minutes further.
To view more of Duval's heart stopping pieces have a look at his website http://www.duvaltimothy.co.uk
The Portmanteau and the Artist
This image and all following are by Stuart Bannocks
The portmanteau is wearing:
Black Zara hat
Brown vintage fox fur neckwarmer
Black Longchamp Le Pliage bag
Black wet-look silk DKNY shirt
Black and light colored knitted Chanel-like Primark cardigan
Black H&M zip skinny trousers
Black suede Zara lace up ankle boots
