Viridis
1st – 4th May 2026
Artist: Alexandra Oliver
Exhibition Title:Viridis
Location: Bell House, 27 College Road, Dulwich, London SE21 7BG
Dates: 1–4 May 2026
Opening Times: 10am – 4pm daily
Private View: Friday 1 May, 6–8pm
Viridis marks Alexandra Oliver’s first London solo exhibition, presented at Bell House as part of its developing arts programme and curated by Lucy Macdonald. The exhibition brings together a recent body of oil paintings that explore the vitality of the natural world, rooted in the artist’s deep connection to the Suffolk landscape.
‘Viridis’, Latin for ‘green’ and the origin of ‘verdant’, brings to mind abundant vitality and enveloping woodlands central to this exhibition. Oliver’s work explores the animate and flowing energy that exists within the natural world, embodied through memory and a sustained relationship with place.
Her practice is grounded in the woodlands of Suffolk, where walking has become a daily ritual that informs her work. She captures her surroundings initially through charcoal, pastel and acrylic, responding directly to the shifting light and atmosphere present in nature. These studies are later developed into oil paintings on canvas, using layers of paint to build depth and luminosity, and enrich the surface with a subtle vibrancy.
Drawing upon the traditions of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century British landscape painting, particularly Constable, Gainsborough, and Turner, Oliver’s work retains a strong representational sensibility. Rather than depicting specific locations, her paintings are shaped by memory and instinct, combining figuration and abstraction to evoke the essence of a woodland environment. Through intuitive mark-making, she creates immersive spaces that reflect a living relationship with the landscape.
An artist talk and workshop will accompany the exhibition.
An additional objective of Viridis is to raise funds for Bell House Readers, a volunteer-run adult literacy charity. A proportion of proceeds from the exhibition will be donated in support of this work.
Alexandra Oliver is a Suffolk-based landscape artist. She holds a BA in Fine Art with History of Art from the University of Leeds, trained in classical techniques at the Florence Academy of Art, and completed her MA in Fine and Decorative Art and Design at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London.