John Byrne: Lullaby of Broadway

 Lullaby of Broadway was the fifth solo exhibition of acclaimed Scottish painter John Byrne at our London gallery.

The title of the show is a song known to many. First sung by the Dorsey Brothers in the musical, The Gold Diggers of 1935, the Andrew Sisters took it up a decade later and, in 1951, Doris Day tripped across a stage in golden splendour with Gene Nelson – and the backdrops of John’s pictures recall the stage sets. His subjects, however, are rather different. Just as polished and equally bling, the characters that people John’s work posture and swagger; jewellery and tattoos advertise their status and confidence. It’s a different slice of New York. John recalls the warmth of New Yorkers, the “gorgeous- ness” they exuded.